Beyond Doubt

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

Page 97

called Kevalajnana' and Kevala Darshana2 respectively. Such perfect souls experience infinite bliss and happiness."
Prabhas swami then enquired as to how the liberated souls experienced infinte happiness, when they had already destroyed the meritorious deeds (Punya) because only in the presence of Punya, the soul can experience happiness. The Lord said, "The meritorious deeds do not result in actual happiness but only produce an illusion of happiness. Hence this happiness is transitory. All worldly pleasures are compared to the itching sensation, which procure pain in the long run. Thus that happiness which procures misery is not true happiness. In 'Nirvana', there are no such Karmas which yeild illusionary happiness. The bliss that the perfect souls experience is perfect, natural and everlasting. Hence it is said that only in Nirvana, the soul experiences true happiness"Thus Prabhas Swami got his doubt cleared and was delighted and overwhelmed with joy,
Time is beginningless and endless, hence one may have a doubt that since time immemorial infinite souls have been going to Moksha, if such is the case, there should be no room for more souls reaching Moksha and the world should have become empty of living beings. But this is not the case.
1
Kevala Jnana
2 Kevala Darshana
I shall reveal the secret as I have heard it from my preceptors. Whenever this question was put before the Arhanta, the same answer was given by all the Tirthankars. The number of souls who have got emancipation are equal to the least possible fraction of one unit of number.
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"इक्करस निगोदस्स वि अनन्तभागो य सिद्धिगओ । On account of continuous friction, rain water turns the mountain
perfect knowledge perfect vision