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THE MESSAGE OF JAINISM
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that lives. The attainment of this self-realisation pre-- supposes certain qualities on the part of the individual. It entails the highest exertion of all his bodily and mental powers. It demands from hlm a constant wakefulness and an iron will which accurately obeys the behests of intellect, bravely resisting all kinds of internal and external temptations. Speaking more practically, it suggests a sort of reasonable self-preservation within the narrowest limits possible.
This view is admirably illustrated in the parable, according to which six hungry travellers came to a mangotree and consulted as to how best to obtain its fruit. The first suggested the uprooting of the whole tree as the: promptest measure, while the second said it would just do to cut the crown. The third wanted to cut some taller and the fourth some smaller branches. The fifth proposed to pluck merely as many fruits as they required, whereas. the last pointed out that the ripe fruits which the wind. had blown down on the grass were amply sufficient to satisfy their hunger. The six men symbolize, in the above order, the six Lesyas or “soul-imprints," representing the various gradations of inner purity. It is quite characteristic of the spirit of Jainism that the representative of the “white imprint”, the type of highest purity, advises to eat the fruits fallen on the grass. It must be noted, however, that he does not advise merely sittingdown in complete self-resignation and die of hunger, asan absolute and one-sided negation of life would suggest.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
