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Gandhi's Questions and Rajchandra's Replies
fruits of its karmas and then the stone material exists as atoms and, because the soul has left it, does not possess the instinct of food, etc. In other words, the idea is not that stone itself, which is pure matter, becomes a soul. It is in order to enjoy the fruits of those karmas which, because of their hard nature, compels the soul to take on a body possessing only one sense, the sense of touch, the other senses remaining unmanifest, that it is born in an earth-body; it does not however become pure earth or stone. The body is like a garment to the soul, and is not its essence.
Q. 6 (The source does not state this question). Q. 7 (The source does not state this question).
A. The answer to Q. 6 is contained in the reply given above as also the answer to Q. 7, which is that earth or stone as such cannot be the karta of any karma. It is the soul which has entered them and lives in them that is the karta of karmas, and even so, the relation between the two is like milk and water. Just as, even when they are mixed, milk is milk and water is water, so also the soul, through the binding effect of its karmas which confines it to the possession of one sense only, seems to have become stone or mere matter, but, in its essential nature, it is a soul and even in that state it possesses the instincts of hunger, fear, etc., though they remain unmanifest.
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Q. 8 What is Arya Dharma? Do all Indian religions originate from the Vedas?
A. (1) In defining Arya Dharma, everyone has his own religion in view. Commonly a Jain describes Jainism, a Buddhist describes Buddhism, and a Vedantin describes Vedanta as Arya Dharma. But seers describe only that Aryanoble-path as Arya Dharma which enables the soul to realize its true nature, and rightly so.
(2) It is impossible that all religions had their origin in the Vedas. I know from experience that great souls like the tirthankars have revealed knowledge of a thousand times
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| SR No. | 006754 |
| Book Title | Gandhis Teachers Rajchandra Ravjibhai Mehta |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Satish Sharma |
| Publisher | Gujarat Vidyapith Ahmedabad |
| Publication Year | 2005 |
| Total Pages | 260 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English & Rajchandra |
| File Size | 11 MB |