Acharya Mahaprajna
The outcome of a seed is the tree and that of a tree is the fruit.
The outcome of philosophy is high moral conduct.
When we look from within then we move from philosophy to religion and from religion to morality.
When we look from outside we move from morality to religion and from religion to philosophy.
Mahavir's philosophy moves from within to outside.
It is on that basis that he said:
The one who has a holistic view will be the practitioner of abstinence from evil.
The traits of ahimsa will not trouble or obstruct the growth of its followers.
The traits of truth will not allow mistrust nor the giving of false evidence.
The traits of not-stealing will not adulterate and will not sell imitation instead of the original.
The traits of celibacy will not permit the usage of luxurious sensuous objects.
The traits of aparigraha or non-possessiveness will limit the hoarding tendency and bring restraint in personal life.
In whose life there is no morality, there can be no religion (dharma).
It was impossible for Mahavira to visualize a religion without morality. If religion does not have any influence on a man's conduct or in his social relations then how can we divine that he is a pious man? Religion is absorbed by a pure soul. Where there is purity of the soul, there immoral acts are not possible.
