________________
320
THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE..
prayer for the welfare of the persecutor, is not only beautiful from a moral point of view, but is, also, perfectly in accord with the scientific truths about the hygiene of life and the attainment of the beatific condition called Bliss. Nirvana is open unto him alone who brings this teaching into daily practice ; unto none else.
It is even possible to work out the effect of the emotions of love and hatred with mathematical precision, so far as the attainment of bliss is concerned. Since its attainment depends upon an unshakable conviction of the godly nature of the soul, no one who contradicts its attribute of divinity by thought, word, or deed can ever hope to reach the goal. Now, when one abuses one's neighbour one cannot be said to be showing respect to the attribute of divinity in his soul, and, therefore, must be taken to have fallen from one's high faith, for the time being, at least.
Besides, since, in so far as he shows disrespect to the divine in him whom he abuses, he must be taken to be actually travelling in a direction opposed to the one in which lies the goal in view.
Furthermore, when one does not show respect to Life in other bodies, one cannot also regard one's own Life as. divine, since they are alike in all essential respects. Thus, whether it be love for one's neighbour, friends, relations, other human beings or animals, in loving them, one really loves one's true Self, realizes one's inner divinity, and speedily acquires bliss; while in hating any one, even enemies and lower animals, one only moves away from the goal, hence, stands in the way of one's own progress, and comes to grief. Thus it appears that those
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org