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Bhagawan Mahavir )
[ 529
The principles preached by the Lord can be assorted under two heads:-(i) Philosophy (Metaphysics), (ii) Moralily (ethics) To study these two intimately it is necessary to master different books. Here a brief review of these will be given. The ideal of the teachings of the Lord has always been to point out the means to be adopted to attain the infinite peace. Therefore the flow of the cooling nectar of his teachings generally leads to renunciation. All outward inclinations that are expounded as duties in Jain scriptures are direct help to this “ Nivriti " ( renunciation ). All those duties which do not lead to this Nivriti are always denounced. The immortal words of the Lord that form a prologue to the chapter of duties are clear indication of the great ideal he wanted to preach. These are like this:
Shri Sudharma Swami says to Jambu Swami that he had heard the Lord say, " Some beings of the world do not know from whence he (Soul) has come, whether from the east, south, west, or the north, whether from the upper or lower regions or whether from the subdirections like southwest, north-east or the north-west. Many are unaware whether the soul is born or not, what it was in the past life and what it would be in the next. These can be realised by intuition or understood by the authority of the all-knowing or hearing from the mouths of others who know. Some do not know that the soul has rebirth and that it comes from a particular direction or subdirection. That which has come from all directions and subdirections is the soul. That being who knows this becomes acquainted with the secrets of the self and the universe and with the philosophy of duty and action. I had done, caused to be done and supported the door;
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