Jain Teachings of Lord Mahavira

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Teachings of Lord Mahavira

Oh man, refrain from evil, for life must come to an end. Only foolish

and uncontrolled men are plunged in the habit of pleasure.

Who will boast of family or glory, who will desire anything, when he

thinks that he has often been born noble, often lowly, and that his

soul is neither humble nor high-born, and wants nothing?

 

The soul, whose only desire is for the fullness of life, thinks that

penance, self-control, and restraint are pointless, and thus comes to

grief.

 

It is only through one's deeds that one becomes a Brahman, a

Kshatriya, a Vaishya or a Sudra.

 

All beings love life, love happiness; none wants unhappiness, and

none likes to be injured. Life is dear to one and all. The soul who

in order to get riches does cruel deeds comes to grief on account of

the pain which he causes.

 

Oh Man! You have a friend in you. How is it that you are searching

for him elsewhere.

 

A wise man resting on Truth conquers Death.

 

A monk is monk by nature of his equanimity.

 

The vow is to be free from injury (hinsa), a falsehood, theft,

unchastity, and worldly attachment.

 

Vows are for two kinds: Lesser vow and greater vow.

 

For the fixing of these five vows in the mind, there are five

meditations for each.

 

The five meditations (for the vow against injury) are carefulness

of speech, carefulness of mind, care in walking, care in lifting and

laying down things, thoroughly seeing to one's food and drink.

And the five meditations (for the vow against falsehood) are giving

up anger, greed, cowardice and frivolity, and speaking in accordance

with spiritual injunctions.

 

The five mediations (for the vow against theft) are residence in

solitary place, residence in a deserted place, residence in a place

where one is most likely to be interfered with by others, purity of

alms, and not disputing with disciples of the same faith as to "mine"

and "thine".

 

The five meditations (for the vow against unchastity) are

renunciation of hearing stories inciting attachment for women,

renunciation for seeing their beautiful bodies, renunciation of

remembrance of past enjoyment of women, renunciation of aphrodisiacs,

and renunciation of beautifying one's own body.

 

The five meditations (for the vow against worldly attachment) are

giving up of love and hatred for the pleasing and displeasing objects

of the senses.

 

And one must meditate upon compassion for all living beings, delight

at the sight of beings more advanced than ourselves (on the path of

liberation), pity for the afflicted, and indifference towards those

who mistreat you.

 

For the apprehension of the miseries of the world and renunciation of

sense-pleasures, we should meditate upon the nature of the world and

of our physical bodies.