[Sher] Excerpts from The Jina's Teachings




     Know thou the Truth! He who abides by the precept of Truth, attains the deathless state.

     Dharma is the most auspicious things, and it consists in Ahimsam, Samyama (self-control) and Tapa (penance). Even angels pay obeisance to one whose mind remains occupied with Dharma

     All living beings in this world suffer for their own deeds; they cannot escape the good and bad consequences of the deeds committed by themselves individually.  Do not, therefore, commit sinful acts, for this life is bound to come to an end. Those who are drenched in lust, and engrossed in sensuous pleasure blindly, will, for the want of self-control be deluded.

     Heroes of Right Faith who desist from sin and exert themselves aright, and overcome wrath, fear, etc., will never hurt any living being. Desistance from sin makes one entirely happy.

     Non-violence, and kindness to living beings is kindness to oneself, for thereby one's own self is saved from various kinds of sins and consequent suffering, and is thus able to secure its own welfare.

     Venerable is he who viewth all creatures as his own self and seeth them all alike.  He who looketh on creatures, big and small, of the earth, as his own self, comprenendeth this immense universe.  To do harm to others is to do harm to one-self: "Thou art he whom thou intendest to kill. Thou art he whom thou intendest to tyrannize over!"

     Know other creatures' love for life, for they are alike unto you. Kill them not: Save their life from fear of enmity.

     All lihe painful condition of the self is the result of its own action; it has not ben brought about by any other cause.

     The soul is the maker and the non-maker, the doer and undoer; it is itself responsible for its own happiness and misery, is its own friend and its own foe; it itself decides its own condit, deceit and avarice are the four evils that defile the soul. By calmness is anger overcome, by humility conceit, by strangthness deceit, and by contentment avarice.

     O'Being! Thou art thy own friend. Why wishedt thou for a friend outside thyself? Restrain thyself, and thou shalt be free from sorrow.

     The path of the brave is thorny; it involves mortification of the flesh.

     Better is he who restaineth his self, though he giveth no alms, than he who giveth away thousands and thousands of cows every month but restraineth not his self.

     It is the conduct or actions of a person that make him (or her) a Brahmana, a Ksartriya, a Vaisya, or a Sudra, and not birth.

     Neither the body, nor family, nor caste, is adorable. Who would have respect for those devoid of merit? One that hath no merit is neither a Sramana not Sravaka.

     One who insults others will long revolve in the whirlpool of births and deaths. Blaming others is no good, hence the wise remain free from conceit.

     From the root growth the trunk, from the trunk shoot out the branches, from the branches grow out the twigs, and from the twigs the leaves. Then the flowers blossom, and the tree bearth fruits and leaves. Such is humility: it is the root of Dharma, and Moksa (salvation) is its juice. Equipped with humility, ye obtain Right Knowledge and acquire fame, and , ultimately, liberation of thy soul.

     Complete absence of ill-will towards every living being, and good-will for all, inspire the life and activities of a sincere aspirant who does neither covet life nor desire death.

Jai Jinendra.

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