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Appendices
pains. Nobody wants to be harmed in any way. Nobody likes to be killed. Hence, one should not cause any harm to any being. One must be most compassionate and friendly towards all living beings.
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(6) According to Mahāvīra, all living beings are guided by their own karmas. Events in an individual's life are but the offshoot of karmas accumulated in previous births. The soul is thus defiled and will remain so unless it purifies itself by cessation of sinful activities.
(7) As dust particles stick to a body smeared with oil so does karma get stuck to the soul, suffers consequently and undergoes the misery of the cycle of countless births and deaths in diverse forms.
(8) The influx of karma can be restrained by practise of righteousness, control of body, mind and soul through prescribed austerities as advocated by the Tīrthankaras.
(9) When all karmas get destroyed in due course the soul attains its highest spiritual potential and goal, enjoys eternal perception, knowledge, eternal bliss and energy.
(10) Mahāvīra stipulates that there is no God as creator of the universe. The uncreated world naturally has neither beginning nor end.
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