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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
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A soul with false conviction with righteous acts can also attain heavenly state and the mode of living prescribed for an ideal Jain householder can take him over to the twelfth heaven. Monk's righteous conduct secures the state of ninth Graiveyaka. A monk's conduct is considered nobler than that of a householder. So one intending to acquire higher plane of spiritual progress should initiate oneself into monkhood.
A householder with ardent devotion for monkish life can secure Omniscience while a monk with mind devoted to temporal thoughts would not secure Omniscience. It is decidedly true that one who observes religious rites with heart devoted to religiousness secures next existence as a god. Good or auspicious reflections should prevail when the existence is contracted.
SPECIFIC CAUSES THAT DETERMINE PHYSIQUE (NAMA) Soul in the state of straightforwardness, guiltlessness, pridelessness and nobility of nature secures auspicious Namakarma whereby he earns good family group, good complexion, good taste, good smell, good touch, good voice and respects from the people. On the contrary when he is deceitful, proud and harsh he contracts inauspicious Namakarma whereby he earns bad family group, bad complexion, bad taste, bad smell, bad touch and dishonour from the people.
SPECIFIC CAUSES WHICH DETERMINE THE FAMILY SURROUNDINGS
(GOTRA) Those who appreciate the merits of others and lead prideless life secure high family birth, but those who condemn others' vices. disclosing others' drawbacks and lead proud and egoistic life, secure low-family birth for them. Lord Mahavira became proud of his family in his preceding existence as Marichi, to contract low family birth and the very karma was manifested after millions of years, In his life existence, his soul having degraded from heaven called Pranta was located in the womb of a Brahmin woman named Devnanda. The foetus was displaced and he was delivered from the womb of Kshatriya woman Trishala. He had to descend first in low family of a beggar.
One who learns and teaches and one who is devoted to Lord