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Bhagwan Mahavir ]
[ 377
Let other things remain apart, I will prove the existence of Soul from your own doubt. Can you tell me what is that in which you doubts, for wherever there is a doubt there must also be the 'doubter'? Until and unless you admit the independent existence of Soul, you cannot say that you doubt. Thus it is sufficiently proved that the soul exists, and it exists in all other bodies in the same way as it exists in your body. All know happiness, sorrow, life, death, profit, loss, good, evil, cold and heat, more or less; and their happening in larger or smaller quantity depends on quite other things. The size of Soul depends upon the size of the body that it gets in accordance with its Karmas. It can expand or contract to any extent in order to occupy the space of the body placed at its disposal. If you place the lamp in a small room, its light is limited by the four walls of that room; but if you place it in a larger hall, then, too, it will light the four corners of the room. The same is the case with the Soul. It can adopt the life of a god and again be born as a bird or insect. Un-enlightened people cannot understand its power fully, that is why it is said to possess inconsiderable power."
Indra-bhuti was greatly amazed to hear these words of the Lord. All his pride of erudition had gone and he listened to what the Lord said very attentively. His doubt which was troubling him for so many years was now removed, and he began to believe in the Omniscience of the Lord. After that Lord Mahavira instructed him in the following manner:
1. This life, O Gautama ! is just like the leaves of a tree, which, when ripe become pale, and drop down one day.
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