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Iṣṭopadeśa - The Golden Discourse
to attain liberation) is the supreme and everlasting state of knowledge, faith, bliss and power. Who in his senses would opt for this short life as a human being to be withered away in just acquiring, and then indulging in, the objects of sense-pleasures? The man well-versed in the Scripture is aware that the ultimate goal of liberation may be far away in time. Life as a human being, though short, provides a great opportunity to mould the future course of the soul for an exceedingly long period of time. As an instance, the minimum life-span in the heaven of Saudharma kalpa is a little over one palyopama and the maximum lifetime is little over two sāgaropamas. The term palyopama is defined in detail in the Jaina scriptures; suffice it to say here that from the worldly standards it is an exceedingly long period of time. And a sāgaropama is 1015 times a palyopama! Life-spans in the hells too are very long; the maximum duration of life in the seven infernal regions is one, three, seven, ten, seventeen, twenty-two, and thirtythree sägaropamas, respectively. The only way to rid the soul of its associated karmic filth and thus make it suitable for pious incarnations like celestial life, or birth in the regions of enjoyment (bhogabhūmi), is by cheerfully accepting the observance of the vows and leading a well-regulated life. It, therefore, makes great sense to lead a seemingly difficult life of observing vows and austerities during one's incarnation as a human being.
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