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________________ 62 ESSAYS AND ADDRESSES (3) Adam is the individual ego that has reached the stage of i evolution known as “human birth." (4) Eve is the Intellect that is made from Adam's rib taken out in sleep an apt simile since the intellect is only a form or function of the ego, with which one finds oneself endowed on waking up from sleep. (5) Man alone is qualified for salvation and therefore entitled to be taught dharma (religion). The animals are debarred from salvation because of their general deficiencies in respect of intellect and other bodily and mental functions. Even the residents of heavens and hells are not entitled to salvation because they are not fitted to perform tapas. Hence, man is the principal recipient of dharmic injunctions. (6) The Tree of Life represents Life itself, and the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil, the determination of the value of things. (7) The fruit (consequence) of knowledge of good and evil repre sents what are termed riga (attachment) and dveşa (aversion), because we long to possess what we regard as good and to destroy what is bad. If you will now pause for a moment to ponder over the nature of good and evil you will find that they are not concrete things, nor even constants in nature, but mere terms of comparison. The birth of an heir is hailed with joy by a childless millionaire, but it is the actual source of despair and gloom to the extravagant expectant reversioner. The child is himself but an event; he is auspicious, lucky and therefore good to his parents ; but the source of life-long despair and misery to those whom his presence debars from stepping into the jewelled shoes of the millionaire. In the breast of the one it excites love and affection (attachment), in that of the other, hatred and anger (aversion). Thus, attachment and aversion are the fruits of the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil.' (8) Attachment and aversion (râga and dveşa) are two general forms of desire which is the cause of bondage, as Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org
SR No.006714
Book TitleWhat is Jainism
Original Sutra AuthorN/A
AuthorChampat Rai Jain
PublisherChampat Rai Jain
Publication Year
Total Pages210
LanguageEnglish
ClassificationBook_English
File Size11 MB
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