YJ International Newsletter 2005 Vol 22 No 01

SR No.: 527785
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Young Jains (UK)
Publisher: UK Young Jains
Publication Year: 2005
Total Pages: 60
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, UK Young Jains, & UK
File Size: 13 MB

Page 20

Act Now!
only the sense of touch. Spiritually, this is heari breaking. When one Atma attains Moksha or Nirvana then it is said that another Atma leaves Nigod. Fror this the Atma progresses from single-sensed beings t plant and animal forms with an increasing number of
What would you choose: Temporary worldly pleasures or Eternal Internal Bliss, which, in the language of TTM2, is Infinite, Eternal, Abundant Bliss? A review of Pujya Minalben's speech at TTM2 in 2004
senses and finally to the state of human birth with senses and a mind. Pujya Minalben reminded us, if w ever went to the zoo, to consider that we too ha once been in those HELPLESS states too, unable to d anything to free ourselves from of the cycle of life an death!
ujya Minalben began with this very simple yet
powerful question. Dressed in white and I radiating energy and joy, she went on to inspire many of the delegates during her address.
... From this the Atma progresses from single-sensed beings to plant and animal forms with an increased number of senses and finally to the state of human birth with
five senses and a mind.'
In our search for permanence in life, we often rely on empty promises such as: "You will always be my best friend." Realising that worldly pleasure is temporary while eternal bliss is possible, we should surely opt for Eternal, Internal Bliss, noting that: • This bliss is within us and so we need not
search for it outside. • It is only in a human form, that we can
experience this bliss. Luckily for us, we have already been born in this human form.
Rather than being disheartened, we should rejoice an ACT NOW: we have all the amenities and facilitie now to realise our true selves and then liberate ou souls! The human form is said to be highest form a: in it, all the tools for spiritual effort are present.
Pujya Minalben shared an insight from Bhagwan Mahavira's last sermon, as conveyed in the Uttaradhyayan Sutra. Bhagwan told us of the difficulty of four things:
Manushya Janma - Birth in a human form • Shruti - Listening to religious texts
Dharma ma Shraddha - Faith in religion • Strength to follow Dharma and the energy
(Virya) to practice self-control (Sanyam)
Heartened, we can now consider the human body. it merely an integration of flesh and bone? NO. It i the abode of our Soul! Our Soul has potentially: Anar Darshan - Perfect Perception; Anant Gnan - Perfec Knowledge; Anant Virya - Perfect Energy: Anant Sukh - Perfect Bliss
We all have the great fortune (Punya) to be born in human form. However, we do not realise the tremendous effort we have made in past lives to attain it. This is because we cannot see into our past lives. To understand this, consider the hard-won earnings of our parents. We spend it all easily, as we have not experienced the work behind it.
'It is said that our Atma has spent an eternity in Nigod, born over and over...'
The body is a temple in which Bhagwan ATMA resides Bhagwan Mahavir said: "O Man! Awake! Don't you understand that it is very difficult to obtain RIGH KNOWLEDGE after death, in the next birth." Pujy Minalben jokingly asked why this did not refer to women too, and then reiterated that the path is opel to all. Shrimad Rajchandra, who lived 100 years ago attained Self-Realisation (Samyag Darshan) and who greatly influenced Gandhiji, said: "It is only now in thi body and form that we can achieve our TRUE SELF OUR ATMA."
Pujya Minalben then related what the scriptures tell us about our past lives. It is said that our Atma has spent an eternity in Nigod, born over and over clustered together with many other microscopic life-forms with
Only in this very important human form - not plant animal, hellish nor heavenly forms - do we attain Nirvana or Moksha. There is something that make our body walk and talk. Once this Atma leaves, the eyes cannot see, and we feel neither the chill of ice nor the heat of a funeral pyre! We have forgotten oui true self, Bhagwan ATMA, and mistakenly identifier with every form we have entered. We have forgotter Atma, the essence of life itself.
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