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Essence of Jainism
In several middling periods, the direction of both the streams turned and diverted to this or that side. At times even conflict arose. But the introspection that aimed at Āiwā, resulted in the establishment that there is just one life-force ultimately jo the whole universe and naturally the same one element is present in all embodied beings. They therefore observed and experienced the same life-force in earth, water and even plants. On the otber side, the other siream of thought that had nature dominantly in its view, touched several external aspects of the universe and diverted itself to the internal. Consequently, during the period of the Upanişads, it is laid down specifically that Sat and Brahma is the element at the root of the Universe; it is present in the emodjed individual Jivas also. Thus, in the first stream it happened that individual thinking resulted in the equanimity of the entire Universe, and just on its basis the path of conduct of life was framed. On the other side, a non-duality was framed in which it was proclaimed that the Supreme Reality visualised at the root of the Universe is also the individual soul- Jiva and it is in no way different from the Supreme Reality. So many modes of conduct were framed on the basis of this non-duality. The original sources of Ganges and Brahmaputrā are different and yet both the rivers meet in the sa me vast ocean; just in the same way the two streams of thouhgt aimed at Atmā and Praksti ultimately meet on the same groupd. Visible difference, if any, is only superfluous; at the most it is because of the impressions that arose as a result of conflict in the middle period.
View of Supreme Riality that inspires Unity in spite of E erdal Opposition
It it true that the differences and oppositions of thinking and conduct tbat evolved round Brahma and Sama,' were reflected even in soociey, Scriptures and stope inscriptions etc. in the Bauddha Pitakas, Jaina Āzamas as also the stone inscriptions of Ašoka and again in so many works we find that two classes - Brāhmanı and Šramaņa are mentioned. Patanjali, the writer of the Mahābhāsya, sefers to these two classes to be eternally opposed Yet, if we were 10 state, as mentioned above, that both the streams touch upon
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