Golden Steps To Salvation

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

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day he had said that he would speak an untruth and so according to his statement he had spoken the truth on this day so, his statement was at the same time true and false. How could the emperor execute a man who had spoken the truth? This problem cropped up. So, finally on account of this conflict the emperor had to accept defeat. The scholar was smiling at the success of his logicality:
Listen to another anecdote. A gentleman had two wives. He used to tell each wife privately that she was more beautiful than the other. This made each wife happy. A child can remain in the womb of a woman for nine months but a secret cannot remain in her heart even for a second. One woman said to the other, "The mulla told me that I am more beautiful than you.” The other woman said, "He told me also that I am more beautiful than you. The meaning of this is that he is fooling us both. Let him come home today. We shall ask him directly to tell us the truth."
In the evening, the Mullā came home. Both the women caught hold of him and asked him, “Tell us now, whom do you consider more beautiful of us two?" The Mulla said with a smile, “This is enough. If you want to hear it from me, hear it. I think that of you two each is more beautiful than the other.” This reply based on the Anekāntavāda (multiple vision) satisfied both the women. They felt happy to hear it.
The emperor, Akbar, had great faith in the Jain Acharya (Preceptor) Sri Hiravijayasuri. One day, the emperor asked him, "Oh great preceptor! When you saintlv men turn the rosary (garland of beads) you draw your minds towards yourselves. But we allow our minds to range out of us. Of these two ways, which is good; and why?
The reply given by the great Jain ächārya (preceptor) was based on the philosophy of Anekāntavāda. He said, “Sir, both the methods are good for turning the rosary (the garland of beads). The significance of drawing your mind towards yourself is that you are determined to