Gandhi Before Gandhi

Author(s): Bipin Doshi, Priti Shah
Publisher: Jain Academy Educational Research Center Promotion Trust Mumbai

Page 72

GANDHI BEFORE GANDHIA
There is no readymade path for us. The first step is to realize the difference between the real and the unreal, between spiritual and non-spiritual. No man can progress until he learns to distinguish between himself and his body.
This whole philosophy requires knowledge of the law of cause and effect so as to determine beforehand what will be the result of our actions. There is no secrecy about this philosophy in the Hindu thought. We have a popular saying that one who keeps knowledge secret when he supposed to give out, will be born next time as an alligator.
There different kinds of souls.
First, there are souls that identify themselves with the external, souls that believe that the body is the real self. Observe a man and see if he identifies his consciousness with his body. If he does he belongs to this class. As long as he clings to this idea he will have to live in an embodied condition and he cannot be liberated. They are known as "Bahiratmas".
Second, there are souls that deal with the subjective state. They know that the real self is different from body and different from mind, but they are not totally liberated from the body. These are known as Antaratma.
Third: Supreme Souls or Spirits. The process of growing out of the external to the Supreme condition is this: Give up the external and through the internal or subjective state reach the supreme state. This contains a volume of meaning. The growth must be from within; all other sciences and outside influences are only help and are auxiliaries. To give up the external is no easy thing. These are called "Parmatmas".
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Incarnation, according to all the Oriental schools, is to be avoided above all things. Some people in this country have an erroneous idea that incarnation is a good thing. It is not good in itself, only as a means to an end.
Four difficult things to obtain as described in Jainism. There are four things difficult to obtain by the soul.
चत्तारि परमंगाणि, दुल्लहाणीह जंतुणो ।
माणुसतं सुई सद्धा, संजमम्मि य वीरियं ।।
First: Human life. This takes millions of years; to purify the soul for such achievements.
Second, "Hearing the truth". Truth here means path of liberation. Truth speakers are few because there is usually some personal end to gain. The majority of human beings are so engrossed with worldly aims that they have no time to listen to the truth.