Way of Life Part 1

SR No.: 006513
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana
Publication Year: 1986
Total Pages: 432
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Religion
File Size: 22 MB

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THE WAY OF LIFE
he tries to impel others to achieve a victory over such passions and inner enemies as lust and anger, if he is not omniscient, if he is not a Jin, he cannot speak the truth about such imperceptible, metaphysical and mystical concepts like the soul, Karma etc. Such a man's expositions of such imperceptible and intangible ideas like soul and Karma would be inconsistent, incoherent and self-contradictory; and they cannot stand the touchstone test of logical analysis and definition. The theories expounded by such a person will not stand even the test of empirical and practical knowledge, let alone logical examination. Several founders of religions and systems of philosophy were not Jins; were not Omniscient and had not achieved victory over the inner enemies; so their expositions of theories relating to metaphysical realities contained, some self-contradictions and inconsistencies.
Being believers in the single point of view, they viewed such metaphysical realities as soul and tried to determine their form from a single point of view. A substance has several forms and meanings. Seeing only one aspect of it, they asserted, "This is the truth about it", and others seeing the same substance from another angle asserted that that view was wrong and that only their view was right; Thus controversies and contradictions arose.
For instance, Buddha said, "The soul is only transient and perishable". At the same time, he also opposed the theory. "It is permanent". In the same manner; the composers of the Vedas also said, "The soul is certainly permanent; and at the same time, opposed this theory of the imperishability of the soul. One saw only the perishability or transcience of the soul; and did not see its permanence. Another saw only its permanence; not its transcience. Therefore, their expositions were mutually contradictory.
THE EVIDENCE OF OMNISCIENCE IS THE MULTIPLEPOINT OF VIEW ... Bhagwan Mahavir was a Jin and he was omniscient. He did not do so. He saw all the virtues of the soul and the modified forms of the soul and then he said : "The soul is permanent in its