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Jain Education International
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Yellow colour, cohesion, weight are not different from gold. Similarly, from the definitive standpoint faith and conduct are not different from soul (10). From the empirical standpoint they are different from soul. Though they are really identical with soul, they appear to be different from it at the plane of vyavahara. (11). The wise should constantly ponder over the difference of soul and non-soul. This will destroy his karmas and make him pure (12). The true knowledge of soul in soul leads one to liberation whereas delusion of soul in body prolongs cycles of births and deaths. Hence having withdrawn I-notion from body one should direct it to soul (13). Having risen above merit and demerit one should concentrate on soul by soul (i.e. with the help of soul itself). In the absence of seeds (merit and demerit) the sprout of rebirth can never flourish. (14). Bondage which has no beginning causes attachment, aversion, etc. And soul wrongly identifying itself with them considers itself to be an agent or generator (i. e. material cause) of them (15). Silk-worm binds itself by its own threads. Similary, soul binds itsel by impure psychic changes, i. e. passions. The spider binds itself by its own threads. Similarly, soul binds itself by good and bad thoughts (16-17). God is not the creator because He is without body. Hence how can a living being act impelled by Him? (18) The soul itself becomes the agent (karta) of the threefold acts through the energy which it, under the power of Nescience, directs towards them unknowingly. This is just like the transformation of the undertaken food into flesh, blood, fluid etc., which takes place without one's knowledge (19). The opponent might urge that in considering each and every soul to be an agent, the contingency of gaurava (cumbrousness) would arise. But the proponent points out that the gaurava which is established by logic is not regarded even by the opponent as a fallacy (dosa) (20). Under the pressure of the forces of the previous deeds a living being by itself goes to the low birth-places. The living being acts like a mad man who under the influence of strong intoxicants rushes to the well filled with filthy things (21). By the method of agreement and difference it is established that; the cause of one's liberation is nothing else but one's own knowledge. In the absence of this redeeming knowledge whatever penances one may perform can lead to neither prosperity nor beatitude (22). The soul is the knower of all objects and the soul itself is the highest object of knowledge. It has no beginning and no end. It transcends all pairs of opposites. It itself is the supreme Bliss. It is the final achievement. It is beyond the reach of all thoughts. It is untouched even by karmic atoms. It is the supreme light. It is the highest reality. And a living being is that only. That soul is smaller than the small and greater than the great. Again, it is through its light; that the whole universe is ealightened. But it itself is beyond the ken of our vision (23-25). A physician well versed in anti-toxic science is not adversely affected even if he takes poison. Similarly,
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