Page Text
________________
Twelve Reflections *
1. Everyone, including the kings, the warriors, and the elephant riders, dies one day when their turn comes. 2. At the time of death, no one can save the person including his peers, power, gods, goddesses, father, mother, family or friends.
3. Poor people are unhappy because they do not have money, and rich people are unhappy because they do not have enough. There is no happi-ness in this world; I have searched it all over.
4. This Jeeva takes birth alone, and dies alone. In a true sense, he never has any comrade.
5. As soon as we die, nobody will be ours. The house and the wealth are obviously not ours, but even the family members will no longer be ours..
6. This beautiful body is simply a bone structure covered with skin. If we look inside, we would find that there is no dirtier place in the world than this body.
7. The people are wandering around due to the sleep brought on by the attachments. Our karmas are the thieves that are taking away all our soul's power, and we don't realize it.
8. If a good teacher comes along and wakes me up, For Private & Personal Use Only www.yjf.org.uk
75
then only this attachment induced sleep will go away, and then only will the karma thieves not be able to loot me.
9. Unless I fill up my lamp of knowledge with the oil of austerity and clean my house (soul) without doubts, these thieves (my previous karmic matter) will not get out. The five big vows and the five limitations ("samiti") will help me win over these five senses. I should annihilate all karmas. 10. This world (which consists of fourteen "raju" high sky) is full of living beings since the beginning of time. These living beings have been wandering aimlessly in the absence of knowledge.
11. It is easy to get money, gold, and kingdoms; the only thing that is not easily available is true knowledge.
12. Will the gods and the trees give happiness only on asking? I spend nights worrying about it. On realization of true knowledge, one gets happiness without asking or worrying.
*Mahendra Kumar "Jain Prayers", Jain Centre, Boston, 1987
For Private & Personal Use Only www.yjf.org.uk
76
| SR No. | 007783 |
| Book Title | Jain Thoughts And Prayers |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Kanti V Maradia |
| Publisher | Yorkshire Jain Foundation |
| Publication Year | 2007 |
| Total Pages | 52 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 7 MB |