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ज्ञाताधर्मकथांग सूत्र
AL
every one of which has a concealed inspiring message. The tale of merchant Arhannak highlights the importance of unwavering faith. No power can harm a person who sticks with resolve to his chosen path. The tale of Chokkha reveals the futility of thoughtless rituals. If the soul has to be liberated from the trap of rebirth it is essential to avoid indulgence in sinful activities with the help of spiritual practices and wash off the accumulated slime of past karmas with the help of self-discipline and penance. Mere rituals of bath and charity cannot lead to liberation. The story of life of Arhat Malli highlights the absolute reality that even the most elevated and powerful of the souls cannot escape the consequences of acquired karmas without suffering. It also reveals that when the soul is inspired by a deep craving to progress on the path of purification of soul, no mundane hurdle can hinder its development, even if it is in a female body.
Besides the philosophical message this story contains an informative, absorbing, graphic and vivid description of social, cultural, and political life of that period.
THE MESSAGE
A soul that indulges in practices of harsh penance and discipline earning a high status has also to suffer damaging consequences if it commits even a minute error in its religious conduct. As—(1)
In spite of earning Tirthankar-naam-karma in the life as Mahabal, the soul that became Malli had to take birth as a female because of the minor error it committed in doing penances.
परिशिष्ट
मिथिला-पूर्वी भारत की प्रसिद्ध प्राचीन नगरी। समस्त प्राचीन भारतीय वाङ्गमय में इस नगरी की चर्चा है। एक समय यह अत्यन्त विशाल और समृद्धिशाली नगरी थी। जैसा कि लम्बे समय के अन्तराल में होता है-इस नगरी ने भी अनेक उतार-चढ़ाव देखे और अनेक नाम पाये। यही कारण है कि वर्तमान में इसके मूल स्थान के सम्बन्ध में इतिहासकारों के अनेक मंतव्य हैं। जातक के अनुसार मिथिला राज्य का विस्तार ३०० योजन था और उसमें १,६०० गाँव थे। एक अन्य स्थान पर यह उल्लेख है कि मिथिला का विस्तार ७ योजन है और समस्त राष्ट्र का विस्तार ३00 योजन। रामायण में इसे जनकपुर्ग
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JNĀTĀ DHARMA KATHĂNGA SUTRA
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