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THE ESSENCE OF JAINA SCRIPTURES
the view of the pure, which is simply consciousness, discerns only what is no more than that, and it alone, because of its being eternal (dhruvatva), is to be taken to: what of other unstable things, which correspond to the numerous shadows of way-side trees coming in contact with the limbs of the traveller?
Now he teaches that on ground of unsteadfastness nothing other than the self is to be resorted to:
II.101. Neither bodies nor possessions, neither pleasure nor pain, neither enemies nor friends are steadfast or eternal (dhruva) for the soul; the self, which is constituted of psychic-attention, is steadfast or eternal. (193)
Nothing else whatever is steadfast or eternal (dhruva) for the soul, because it has beginning and end, inasmuch as something impermanent (asat) has produced it and because it is brought into being by another thing; for everything (with the exception of self] results in impurity, since it is not distinct from the other” substance and is distinct from the self's own properties, which are infected by the “other”. The self alone, which has psychic-attention for self, is steadfast and pure. Therefore I do not resort to the unsteadfast, impermanent body, etc., although they are resorted to; but I resort to the pure self, which is eternal (dhruva).
Now as regards the question "what results from this resorting (upalambha) to the pure self?” he explains:
II.102. He who, having thus discerned the pure self, contemplates on the supreme reality of that self, whether he is a householder or an ascetic,"11 destroys the evil knot of infatuation. (194)
He who in the manner described approaches the pure steadfast (dhruva) self attains, through his activity in regard to it, pureness of self. Being then the supreme reality of self and nothing else than consciousness with unlimited energy (shakti), he attains contemplation, which is characterized as deep, attentive thoughtfulness. Then, since in one activley occupied with formed thought (sa-sakara) there is an arising of an attentive thoughtfulness without deviation, he attains the unfastening of the coil-knot (granthi) of infatuation, bound very tightly throughout his transmigration. Thus a breaking of the knot of infatuation is the fruit of restoring to the pure self.
Now as regards the question "what happens from the breaking (bheda) of the knot of infatuation?" he explains:
