Path to Salvation - Moksha Marg

The inherent powers of the soul are crippled by its association with Karmic matter and that is why we find every person in an imperfect state. The real and everlasting happiness will be obtained by a person only when the Karmas are completely removed from the soul and Jainism firmly believes that even though man is imperfect at present, it is quite possible for him to rid himself of the Karmas by his own personal efforts without any help from an outside agency. The highest happiness is to escape from the Cycle of Births and Deaths and be a liberated soul, that is, to obtain Moksha. This world is full of sorrow and trouble and it is quite necessary to achieve the aim of transcendental bliss by a sure method.

Jainism has a definite answer to achieve this aim. It emphatically states that Samyag-darsana i.e. right belief, Samyag-jnana i.e. right knowledge, and Samyak-charitra i.e. right conduct together constitute the path to salvation. Right belief, right knowledge and right conduct are called Ratnatraya or the three jewels in Jaina works. According to Jainism these three things must be present together to constitute the path to salvation.

Right Belief:

Of the three jewels, right belief comes first and forms the basis upon which the other two rest. One must, by all possible means, first attain right belief or the basic conviction on the fundamentals, because only on its acquisition, knowledge and conduct become right. Right belief means true and firm conviction in the seven principles or tattvas of Jainism as they are and without any perverse notions.

Right Knowledge :

On attaining right belief it is considered desirable to strive for right knowledge. Although right belief and right knowledge exist together there is yet a clear relation of cause and effect between them, just as there is between a lamp and its light. Right knowledge is that which reveals the nature of things neither insufficiently, nor with exaggeration nor falsely, but exactly as it is and that too with certainty. Such knowledge must be free from doubt, perversity and vagueness. Jainism also insists that right knowledge cannot be attained, unless belief of any kind in its opposite, that is when wrong knowledge is banished.

Right Conduct :

Right conduct includes the rules of discipline which restrain all movements of speech, body and mind, weaken and destroy all passionate activity and lead to non-attachment and purity. Right conduct presupposes the presence of right knowledge which presupposes the existence of right belief. Therefore, it is enjoined upon the persons who have secured right belief and right knowledge to observe the rules of right conduct as the destruction of Karmic matter can be accomplished only through the right conduct.