________________
ATMA-SIDDHI
word, every thought, which sets vibrating our body, speech or mind bears its proper consequence. Every Karma bears fruit. Now it is obvious to the most shallow thinker that all results which we see in anyone's life are not the fruits of his Karmas in this life; for we see some good men in troubles and some evil-doers prosperous. Therefore this seemingly contradictory condition must be due to Karmas in the past, i.e., in a previous incarnation. All sense of justice and proportion compels us to believe that the doer of the act and the experiencer of the fruit of the act must be the same. That is, the soul has continued from a former into this incarnation, and similarly from body to body, In other words, the soul is the same, As there is no necessity for thinking of the disappearance of this soul at any time from any cause, we conclude that the soul is eternal.
13
Another consideration is slightly artistic, not so logically compelling conviction, but showing how the belief is supported by all that is refined, beautiful and ennobling in life. The nobleness of life is pure and high-aimed living, But the best of our ideals obviously cannot be realised in this life. It is inartistic to think that all the enthusiasm and endeavour
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
