________________ दर्शन दिग्दर्शन bank and the big white Lotus flew to him. This story was narrated by Mahavira who asked his followers whether they have understood the meaning of the simile and on their replying in the narrative illustrated that the 'Lotus pool' is the world; the 'water' is karman, the 'mud' is pleasures, the 'lotuses' are people in general, the 'big white Lotus' is the king, the 'fourmen' are the heretics, the 'monk' is the creed and the bank is the 'order', and the 'monk's voice is the preaching of the creed and the 'big Lotus flying up' is Nirvana. Thereby, only the Nigrantha ascetic succeeds and attains Nirvana.33 RESUME : Thus the above study of the Jain conception of Liberation in the Sutrakrtanga divulge the fact that according to the Jains liberation of jiva can be attained by the two-fold practise of stoppage of the fresh inflows of the material particles and the dissipation of karmas which lead to the goal of complete deliverance of the soul from all evil and coverings of the karma. From the jain standpoint Nirvana which is the chief object of the law has two stages subjective (bhava) and objective (dravya). Of these the subjective liberation is attained when the soul is released from the four obstructive (ghatin) karmas and the latter the objective liberation is attained when the soul is released from the four unobstructive (aghatin) karmas. All this process ultimately leads a spiritual aspirant to attain the goal of pure and perfect knowledge (kevalajnana). 33. Ibid., P. P. 335-338. Jain Education International 2010_03 For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org
