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THE ESSENCE OF JAINA SCRIPTURES
modifications or, what is the same thing, the nodes in the mentalchanges (chid-vivartana).
Now, if anyone considers the three times as one and sums up the mental-changes in consciousness only, as pearls in one long necklace; and if he then puts an end24 to the transitory impression of a separate qualifier and a thing-to-be-qualified, and allows the consciousness to be comprised (antarhita) in conscious being, as the whiteness in the necklace; and if he distinguishes merely the self in the manner of the mere necklace, then the differences between agent, object-of-deed and deed in successive moments will die away; and, whilst he thus becomes aware of an actionless state-of-being (bhava), which is only consciousness-as-such, he will resemble a jewel whose spotless light shines motionless, and the darkness of his infatuation will necessarily fade, since it has no longer a basis. If so, then I have acquired the means for vanquishing the army of infatuation.
Then he keeps awake with the thought “though I have obtained this talisman, there is the thief, 'heedlessness”. (pramada):26
81. If the soul, whose infatuation (deluded view) has gone and which has properly grasped the reality of the equanimous nature of the self, forsakes attachment and aversion, then it realises the pure self.
If, by the means thus described in their characteristic nature, one throws off infatuation and receives the perfect truth about the self, and if one then eradicates attachment and aversion, he realizes the pure self. But, should again and again these two (feelings) return to him, then, under the influence of heedlessness robbed of the talisman of the comprehension (upalambha) of the truth of the pure self, he is inwardly troubled. Therefore, I must remain fully awake, in order to expel attachment and aversion.
Now he expounds the view that “this is the one, supremely-real, path towards the Highest Good, shown by the Holy Ones after having experienced it themselves personally."
82/1. All the Arahantas, after having in the manner described, have destroyed the particles of karman and teaching the same, became emancipated. Homage to them!
Since all the holy Spiritual Guides, who experienced their progressive career in the past and who, after their own experience of the destruction of all karmic particles in the one self same way, without