INTRODUCTION.

In order to appreciate the true position of the householder's dharma religious duty described in the following pages, we should try to familiarise ourselves with the fundamental philosophy of the Jaina siddhanta doctrine/system upon which that dharma is founded. Jainism aims, not at turning mankind into an army of hungry beggars constantly begging for boons from some real or imaginary superhuman agency, nor at converting its votaries into fanatics of unrequited love, revolving moth-like round some luminous spiritual 'magnet,' to be ultimately absorbed by it, but at raising every one who cares to follow its method to the supreme status of godhood, characterised, as it is, by many kinds of perfection including those in respect of right convictions or belief, knowledge, bliss and power. In other words, those who follow Jainism become not attendants upon any real or mythological god or goddess, but Gods themselves, and, endowed with omniscience and all other divine qualities, live for ever in the enjoyment of perfect