Book Title: Essence Of Jaina Scriptures
Author(s): Jagdish Prasad Jain
Publisher: Kaveri Books

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Page 369
________________ BOOK II: THE PRINCIPLE OF KNOWLEDGE 343 Since all those, the spiritual guides (tirtha-kara), who are for the last time embodied, and the aspirants to liberation, not for the last time embodied, have beem sanctified by following a path towards liberation proceeding in just the manner described and characterized as a striving for the truth of the pure self, and since there has been no other way, therefore it is determined that there is only this one road to liberation and no second. And enough of elaboration! To those who strive towards the truth of the pure self, and to that Path of Liberation which consists in the striving towards the truth of pure self, while the difference between the object of adoration and the adorer has rot yet been superseded, be Homage then in non-essentials (noagama) and in heart. The path of liberation has been determined; the due action is (to be) carried out. Now, carrying out the former pledge contained in the words “I depend on the tranquillity” etc. (PS 5), he sets forth this striving towards the pure self, which striving is the path of liberation: II.108. Therefore, having in this way conceived the self as essentially of knowing nature (jnayak), I relinquish the notion of “mineness," adopting the idea of non-attachment or negation of "mineness.” (200/1) This I, qualified (adhikarin) for liberation, by surrender of the idea of “mine” and adoption of the idea of negation of “mineness," preceded by acquaintance with the truth of the self as essentially something-that-knows,-strives with all its might towards the pure self, since it has no other task. Thus: I now am essentially of knowing nature (jnayaka), and, as only jnayaka, I have with everything a connection characterized as that of naturally knowable and knower, not any other connection, such as that of possession and possessor. For me, therefore, there is in respect of nothing as being “mine,” in respect of everything a negation of “mineness.” The pure self, thenwhich, since the knowing capacity has the nature of realizing all knowables, in one moment intuits, -as it were carved in relief, engraven, implanted, pinned down, hobbled down, actually present, mirrored, – the whole mass of things, deep, of unfathomable, nature, a mountain of variegated modifications, successive, infinite, past, present and future -and which, while assuining uniformity, because of impossibility of discrimination due to the inevitability of the relation of knowable and knower, yet never abandons uniformity in virtue of

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