________________
282
THE WAY OF LIFE
lacks a firm mind; who lacks patience and who is cowardly can never love the Paramatma. Therefore, I say that you should keep your senses pacified and peaceful. Only if your mind has been pacified can you keep thinking of the Paramatma from the very moment of your setting out for the temple. Soon after you have a sight of the towers of the temple from a distance, you unconsciously utter the expression, "Tt ferotrof” (I salute the Jin) and your head will bow spontaneously. . From the Audience: In order to worship the Paramatma, besides possessing the purity of thought, we should also have a pure body and wear clean dress. Is it not so ?
Maharajashri : Surely, the purity of the body and clean dress are essential. The body with which you have to touch the sacred idol of the Paramatma must be pure. The body cannot be without some dress and the dress you wear should be clean. You have to wear a separate and specific dress when you go to worship the Paramatma. You should not wear that dress at any other time.
WHAT IS TO BE DONE IN THE TEMPLE ?
While entering the temple, you have to utter the expression “Nisihi”. What is the meaning of Nisihi ? It means, "I will not speak about any mundane affairs now and I will not engage myself in any mundane activities now". Nisihi means prohibition. It means prohibiting all activities relating to mundane life. The man who goes to worship the Paramatma must prohibit all mundane affairs at that time.
You should go to the temple, only to worship the Paramatma. How can you worship the Paramatma, if you keep talking about the mundane affairs in the temple and if you engage yourself in mundane affairs there? How can you think of the Paramatma with concentration when you keep thinking of mundane affairs ?
You have to enter the temple leaving behind all thoughts relating to your mundane life. You have to think only of the Paramatma in the temple. If it is not your responsibility to
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org