Anandrushi Abhinandan Granth

Author(s): Vijaymuni Shastri, Devendramuni
Publisher: Maharashtra Sthanakwasi Jain Sangh Puna

Page 783

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Dr. Bashishtha Narain Tripathi
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nor small...... nor black, nor blue, nor bitter, nor pungent : neither cold nor hot...... without body, without rebirth...... he perceives, he knows, but there is no analogy, (whereby we can know the nature of the liberated soul) ; its essence is without form ; there is no condition of the unconditioned."51 The siddha state is not the cause or the effect of the samsāra series. It is absolutely unconditioned.55 Causality has no hold on the redeemed soul. "Know that from the ordinary point of view, perfect faith, knowledge and conduct are the causes of liberation, while in reality one's own soul consisting of these three (is the cause of liberation).':56 Complete deliverance or moksa has been defined in Jainism as the annihilation of all Karmic matter, 57 or the final dissociation from the body58 meaning, of course, not only the gross body but also that made of the karmic stuff. Thus, final deliverance implies the emancipation both of soul and of matter. 59 The soul gives up all the passions and evil thoughts and enjoys ingate attributes of the soul like jñāna and luminosity. Thus, the Jainas do not believe that for the liberation Divine Grace is essential. According to them, the man himself is the architect of his own destiny. "Their religion of self-help, without God or His Grace, is unique in the history of the world.”60 In fact, the Jain Moksa has been defined as the eternal upward movement of the soul.61 After the fall of the body, the liberated soul shoots up to the end of the world called Siddhasiā or alokākāśa, which is absolutely void and empty, and abyss of nothingness.62 "In explanation of this upward movement of the liberated soul, it is said that the momentum of its previous actions, the removal of the forces which bound it down to the world of matter, its native upward gravity, urdhvagaurava, will carry the soul to its destination in a trice. This movement has been likened to the upward rush in a water of an empty submerged gourd, originally smeared thickly with mud.63
'Though Jainism denies God, it does not deny Godhead. Every liberated soul is a God. The Tirthankaras who were mortal being like us, but obtained salvation by dint of personal endeavours, are always there to inspire entire human beings. God is only a symbol of all that is great and good, moral and virtuous. He is not, in any case, responsible for the destiny of the universe or the individual.: Thus, the conception of God in Jaina philosophy inspires the entire humanity to get up and be on the alert. It warns us to believe in ourselves and strive for freedom. Achäranga Sutra presents an elaborate description of the concept of liberation and the state of liberated being in the following lines. "The matchless sage likes to live on alms, inspite of social dis-grace, though not recognised properly by the worldly people, he stands unshakable and firm in determination like an elephant in the battle.65 His position has been compared with a firm rock. He never thinks of giving any blow to any living being by thought, action and will, even in dream. He tolerates every pain and suffering patiently and quietly. “As a lustre of burning flame increases, so increases the austerity, wisdom and glory of a steadfast sage who, with vanquished desires, meditates on the supreme place of virtue, thought suffering pain." We can clearly witness the mystical and spiritual parallel conceptions of reality as well as of salvation in Jainism and in
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