I am The Soul Part 01

SR No.: 006790
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Tarulatabai Mahasati
Publisher: Shri Gujarati Shwetambar Sthanakwasi Jain Association
Total Pages: 468
Language: English, Hindi
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 181

I am the Soul
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The importance of practice has been highlighted by the last word з 'I do practice religion'. It is not that I will practice once and abandon it. I shall practice continuously in such a way that the principle of practice percolates down to my soul.
'अणुपालेमि' has also been interpreted in another way by Acharya Jinadas - 'I shall practice the religion that has been practised by the noble men of the past, in the same way.'
Thus having heard the Sadguru, one has to pass through so many stages. Only then does the advice percolate to the inner self and help understand the true form of Jina.
Brothers! The true-form of Jina is in fact our own true-form. Achieving it is not an easy task. It takes a great preparation to achieve. Now let us look at the true-form of Jina as mentioned by the Gurudev.
Who is called Jina? In a very broad sense, one who has won is a Jina. That is to say he who has won over attachment and aversion is Jina. A follower of such a Jina is a Jain. Brothers! Do you know? We are called Jains, but this word originates from a very long past. In the days of the Tirthankars, even until the time of Mahavira, nobody was ever called a Jain. The word was 'Arhat'. Since the Tirthankars were called 'Arihant', their followers became 'Arhat'.
The supreme soul Arihant, that is the Tirthankar, established the four centres in the form of Sadhu-Sadhvi-Shravak-Shravika (Monk - Nun - Layman - Lay-woman), delineated the Dharma for Sadhus and Shravaks, and the followers of this Dharma came to be called 'Arhat'. Whether a Sadhu or a Shravaka, both were called 'Arhat'. Thus originally we were all called “Ãrhat.
Subsequently there came a change in this word, in the Acharya tradition. Just as in other Indian religious traditions, the followers of Shiva were called Shaivas, of Vishnu Vaishnavas, of Buddha - Bouddhas, since Arihant is called a Jina, the followers of Jina were called Jains. That is how we all came to be called Jains.