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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
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demeritorious acts. Thus any way, everything rests on efforts --- personal endeavours.
FIVE STAGES OF PERSONAL EFFORT
You must know five stages of effort. Uthan (awakening) is rising up discarding lethargy. This is the first step. Karma or action is the second step. Bala or strength is application of all possible oral, physical and mental strength to fulfil the undertaking. This is the third step. Virya or vigour is to strive after undertaking. This is the third step. Virya or vigour is to strive after enthusiastically the goal undertaken to achieve. Thus vigour is the fourth step and Parakram or fortitude is to withstand all difficulties and obstacles which crop up on way of our undertaking. This is the final and the fifth stage. You are quite aware of heroism put forth by lord Mahavir in the course of the achievement of the highest goal.
Goshalaka used to say, "Everything is predestined in this world and nothing can be affected by awakening action, strength, vigour or fortitude. Pains and pleasures are predestined for every creature and everyone has to undergo them". The shashtras have quoted how lord Mahavir established the futility of Goshala's theory of predestination.
FUTILITY OF THE DOCTRINE OF PREDESTINATION AND SADDAL-PUTRA
A very wealthy merchant named Saddalputra, lived in Polaspura. Ten millions of golden coins were lieing in his treasure, ten millions were lent on interest and ten millions were invested in his business routine. He owned ten thousand cows and five hundred markets beyond Polaspura. He employed many labourers for his business of manufacturing utensils. His wife was Agnimitra. Suddalputra was a devotee of Goshala. So he had firm faith in Niyativ (Doctrine of Predestination). One day when he was sitting in his garden, he heard a divine voice declaring, “Tomorrow one great lord omniscient, adored by three worlds shall arrive here. Pay your respects to him and invite him to accept the eatables". Saddal putra thought that that great man could be none else except his Guru Goshalak. But on the next day Lord Shraman Mahavir arrived there. Relying on the divine voice saddal-putra went to pay his respects.
