Jaina Philosophy and Religion

SR No.: 001604
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nyayavijay
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology
Publication Year: 1998
Total Pages: 500
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Epistemology
File Size: 12 MB

Page 273

Metaphysics, Ethics and Spiritual Development
245
vya.
evil-intellect into the righteous and good-intellect, He would lift each and every being from the lowest or lower plane to the highest one, and He would endow all souls of the world with perfect light (knowledge) and perfect bliss. Perfection is to be attained by man himself by his own efforts. No one else (not even God) can make man a perfect soul, or can bring that perfection or liberation, the ultimate goal, to him.
If at all God is pleased, He is pleased with our good qualities and good works alone, with our good character and conduct alone. There is no other way to please Him. Nā'nyaḥ panthā vidyate śivāya.
The sun shines with all its light. But it depeds on the will of man to receive or not to receive its light. And it is certain that those who receive its light remain healthy, while others who do not receive it suffer from deterioration of health. Similarly, those who accept and follow the light of the wholesome teachings of the saints and great souls gain spiritual welfare and cross the ocean of worldly existence while others who reject and do not follow it wander in the dark.
The Supreme Soul or God is not seen at all. But having rightly visualised His nature with his pure mind, if man keeps His idea-l company, then his outlook or attitude gets purified and he derives holy inspiration and strength from it. And the closer and longer the company, greater is the devotion, joy and purification of mind. In this manner, the veil of infatuation and delusion is gradually removed, perverse desires are gradually extinguished, and the soul gradually gains spiritual excellence. (In other words, the soul gains greater and greater degrees of spiritually right attitude, right knowledge and right conduct). Thus having attained the great spiritual state, the soul advances further from the state of a great soul and enters that of the Supreme Soul. Devotion to God is very useful in adopting the path of self-development as also in progressing on it. Here by knowledge is meant the true knowledge about the nature of God and about the way to attain spiritual welfare and final liberation. Having sought the shelter of God, to worship and adore the spiritual path shown by Him is devotion. And to follow that path is action. In this way know!. edge, devotion and action are closely interrelated.
If we reflect somewhat deeply, we find that devotion is invariably associated with knowledge; devotion necessarily depends on knowledge. Without the knowledge of the object of devotion, how can there arise feeling of devotion towards it? As a result of our knowledge and understanding of the special nature of the object of devotion, there is gener