Read the Purushartha - Siddhyapaya of the Agamas (an exposition of the sayings of Jainism founder Mahavira), lines 1-20 at http://www.jainworld.com/scriptures/purusharthasiddhyapaya.asp and write a one to two page summary of its contents MLA style
Purushartha - Siddhyapaya
Acharya Amrit Chandra Suri
Translated by Ajit Prasada
Exposition of Purushartha-Siddhyupaya.
1. Victory to that Supreme Intelligence, where, a it were in a mirror, is reflected the chain of all substances, in all their infinite conditions.
2. I bow to Anekant (Jaina Philosophy), which is the root basis of the Highest Scripture, which dispels the wrong notions about elephant, of person born blind, and which removes the contradictions amongst all those who entertain one-sided or limited points of view.
3. After having carefully studied the Highest Scripture, which affords a matchless vision of the three worlds, I proceed to expound, for the sake of scholars, this (treatise) Purushartha-Siddhyapaya.
4. True philosophy is promulgated in the Universe, by those who, themselves conversant with the real and the practical aspects, dispel the difficult-to-be-removed ignorance of pupils by an exposition of both the absolute and the relative aspects of things.
5. In this connection, Nishchaya is defined as the Real, and Vyavahara as unreal. Almost the whole world has its face against Knowledge of the real aspect.
6. The high saints point out Vyavahara for the guidance of the ignorant. A discourse is of no avail to one, who knows Vyavahara only.
7. Just as a cat represents a lion to one who has not known as lion, similarly Vyavahara alone is Nishchaya unto him who does not know what Nischaya is.
8. That student alone achieves the full benefit of teaching, who, having well understood both Vyavahara and Nishchaya, in their true nature, becomes neutral.
9. Purusha (the soul) is pure consciousness. It is free from touch, smell, taste and colour, has its own attributes and conditions, and is possessed of manifestation, disappearance and continuity.
10. Undergoing, through illusory knowledge, constant changes since eternity, it causes and experiences its own thought activities.
11. When Jiva, having got rid of all illusion, attains everlasting consciousness, it then becomes one who has accomplished all that was to be accomplished, and is possessed of the success resulting from right exertion.
12. Again, other molecules of matter, coming in contact with the stimulus of (impure) thought-activities emanating from the Jiva, themselves turn into the form of Karma.
13. To a Jiva, modifying itself by its own (impure) thought activities, the material Karma (in operation) acts only as a stimulus.
14. Thus, though Jiva is not identified with the thought activities caused by Karmas, yet to the ignorant it appears to be so identified. This illusion is verily the seed of samsara.
15. Having got rid of the above perversity and having well realized the nature of the Self, steadfastness therein is the means to the acquisition of the object of Jiva.
16. The life-routine of such saints as follow this path, as are ever averse to questionable conduct, and have adopted complete renunciation, is uncommon indeed.
17. He who, in spite of repeated dissertations, in unable to accept the path of absolute renunciation, should in that event, be lectured upon partial renunciation.
18. The unwise (preceptor) who without discoursing upon the "order of saints" only lectures upon "order of the householder" is, according to the saying of the worshipful, deserving of censure.
19 Because, on account of the ill-regulated discourses of the unwise (preceptor), even the disciple, who had pitched up his resolution high, is made to content himself only with a low position and is thus misled.
20 And, for him also the three-fold path of liberation, consisting of right belief, right knowledge, and right conduct, is to be constantly followed according to his capacity.