Beyond Doubt

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

Page 32

Indrabriuti Was meeung. Lord Mahavira and even before he introduced himself, Lord Mahavira knew his name and his family lineage. He was quite surprised by this, but after some time, it no longer remained a surprise as he proudly said: "Sincel am such a great scholar, I am like the sun who is a stranger to none. Moreover, this person speaks so, only to influence me. I am not So innocent to accept his perfection by this little exhibition of knowledge.
Pride is the root cause of all evils and the major cause for the downfall of sadhaka'. A person drifts away from his goal forvanity blinds him and draws him away from his objective. The soul remains devoid of perfect knowledge in the light of egoism and pride. Lack of knowledge leads to great conflicts. An example is illustrated to prove the above statement.
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Once all the parts of the body went on a strike, for each one thought that, it was the most important and vital part of the body. The eyes argued that they were most indispensable for without them people will go blind; similarly, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the hands, the legs argued that each was most important and without them, people will become deaf, ugly, dumb, cripple and lame respectively. The stomach argued on the basis of it being the only provider of stamina and energy to all the parts of the body. If it were to go on strike and stop functioning, people will become sick and diseased. Thus all the parts of the body fought with each other to acquire the post of the Managing Director in the firm of the Atmaram. Each one was proud of oneself and was blowing one's own trumpet. At that time 'Seth Atmaram' i.e. the conscious was fast asleep. It is only when your power of discrimination is lost, all evils crop up. It is only when viveka i.e. discrimination is absent in
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sadhaka
aspirant, practitioner