________________
SAMAYASARA.
is left behind. Thus the soul in its essence is devoid of any distinction of stages. It is the pure Soul substance full of the infinite attributes of Omniscience, Omnipotence, etc. In one word, the soul is itself GOD. For further details of stages, consult Gommatasára Jiva Kánda. -S. B. J., Vol. V, pp. 8-51.
ववहारे वदिस्सदि गाणिस्स चरित्तदंसणं गाणं ।
वि गाणं ण चरितं ण दंसणं जागो सुद्धो ॥ ७ ॥
व्यवहारेणोपदिश्यते, ज्ञानिनश्चारित्रं दर्शनं ज्ञानं । नापि ज्ञानं न चारित्रं न दर्शनं ज्ञायकः शुद्धः ॥ ७ ॥
7.
From the practical (point of view) (right) conduct, belief, and knowledge are predicated of the knowing soul. But (from non-differential point of view there is) neither knowledge nor conduct nor belief. The knower (is) pure (knower itself).
Commentary.
For practical purposes, we speak of the attributes of the soul, its right-belief, knowledge and conduct. But it is an indivisible unity. All attributes are implicit in its nature and merely manifest themselves in different aspects of the activity. Every individual substance is an inter-mixed, one inseparable group of an infinity of all-pervading attributes. The Soul is also such a group of infinite attributes, of which the most important are the sacred trinity of right-belief, right-knowledge and right-conduct. He who realises this, does not lose himself in distinctions, but becomes absorbed in his own self and enjoys the nectar of his own eternal essence. For the not-knowing pupil, the wise teacher (Áchárya) selects some of the special qualities, and describes the substance by them, so that the pupil may properly understand that substance as distinct from others. Thus it is possible only for this practical purpose to make divisions of its qualities. The substance is really an indivisible whole, and can be known truly only by the realisation of its entire wholeness.
जह पवि सक्रमणज्जो अणजभासं विणा दु गाहेदुं । तह वज्रहारेण विणा परमत्थुव देसणमसकं ॥ ८ ॥
7
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