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NIRVANA, MOKSHA OR LIBERATION
of desire left my mind, I became free from desires. It was realized by me, that my birth is destroyed, my chastity is fulfilled, whatever I had to do I had done, nothing remained for me to be done. Thus I knew. In this way O Brahman, I procured this third knowledge in the last quarter of the night. Then ignorance fled away, knowledge appeared, darkness was removed, the Light burst forth, just as is possible to a wandering monk who is free from carelessness, is alert and absorbed in meditation of the Truth." The above description shows that when the thought of Nirvana, full or partial, is awakened, knowledge shines forth, desires cease to be, the causes of impure thought activity or âsavâs are removed. It further shows, that Nirvana is not extinction, but a blissful condition, free from attachment and full of knowledge.
The words ásava and apramatta found here frequently occur in Jain Literature, where lust, hate and delusion are included in the term âsavâs, and it is stated that a monk without carelessness is capable of being liberated.
In " Samayasara," the Jain Saint Kunda-Kundacharya, says in the chapter on Asavâ:
* Râgô dôsâ môhôya âsavâ natthi sammadiṭṭhisa, Tahma âsâva bhávêṇa, viņa hêdû na pachchayâ hônti. * रागो दोसो मोहो य आसवा णत्थि सम्मदिट्टिस्स । तला आसव भावेण विणा हेदू ण पच्चयां होंति ॥ १९८ ॥
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