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Jainism.

Lesson-8

  THREE JEWELS OF JAINISM

 

     Daughter: Ma, what are three jewels of Jainism?

 

             Mother: Three Jewels of Jainism are Right Faith, Right knowledge and Right     

             conduct. These are called Ratnatraya. We Jainas are expected to have  

right faith, right knowledge and right conduct because these together constitute  the path of salvation.

 

Daughter: Please explain to me the Right Faith.

 

Mother: The belief in the seven aspects of Reality (Tattvas) as described by Jina or Arihanta is right faith (Samyak Darshan) . So, we Jiainas believe in    supreme soul- Arihanta and Sidha (Deva). In their teachings (Sastras) and towards those munies (Gurus) who practice the teachings of Jaina religion as a cause of right faith. In simple words, right faith is a spiritual awakening of one’s self.

 

If we attain right faith, abstain from misconception and refrain from pride, quality of our lives would improve considerably. The main cause of a soul wandering in this world is the lack of right faith. So, the right faith is the first step on the path of salvation.

           

Right faith gives us a proper attitude by which our knowledge and conduct (life style) acquire the quality of righteousness.

Son: Ma, Please give me some information about right knowledge.

 

            Mother: In Jainism, the right knowledge is one by which the person becomes free from attachment and his soul is purified. We can achieve the right knowledge by strong faith in the teachings of Arihantas and through the study of these scriptures.

D                   Daughter: I have now understood the Right Faith and Knowledge. But how do we practice the Right conduct?

 

                     Mother: We Jainas believe that withdrawal from the immoral conduct and devoting one’s self to the moral conduct is the right faith. Without moral observance, the spiritual practices can not be sustained. The practice of right conduct has been described as of two kinds-the partial and complete. 

                      House –holders start practicing the right conduct partially and in due course of time when they become monks, they practice it completely. The right conduct is base on the practice of Ahimsa, Satya, Acaurya, Brahmcarya and Aprigraha. It should be emphasized that the right conduct also includes all religious and spiritual practices like worship, prayer charity and so on.

                     

                      Thus we can achieve salvation only through the three jewels of Right faith, Right knowledge and Right conduct.

 

                                                                                                                       The End.

                              

Note:- All the words in italic are from PRAKRTA, SANSKRTA  language.

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