Book Title: ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04
Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies
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Affluence Religious Austerity and Person having strong or comely body
2.2 The eight Limbs of Right Faith The eight kinds of limbs of Right Faith are:
Unshakable faith in the nature of substances Entertaining no desire for sensual enjoyment Loving the virtuous persons and monks for their excellent qualities without feeling disgust to see their soiled impure bodies. Non-recognition of the authority of false creeds and senseless acts at the name of religion. To remove the ridicule raised by ignorant and incompetent persons on the naturally pure path of Jainism. And also not to expose publicly the weaknesses of a layman or of a monk who is trying his best to be free from all faults & weaknesses. To help and re-establish therein them who, due to whatsoever reason, are wavering in right faith or conduct Entertaining love and proper respect for one's co religionists with pure heart and by crooked motives To establish the glory of the Jaina doctrines by removing in all suitable ways, the dense clouds of ignorance
Now, coming back to our main topic of omniscient, we must know the true characteristics of an omniscient God. Samantbhadra in his 'Ratnakarandr vak c ra' has described as per below:
Naturally, in the nature of substances, the true God must be
Free from all sorts blemishes / faults and weaknesses which are found in all mundane beings:
The knower of all things (omniscient) and the revealer / expounder of Dharma (true religion/path of liberation); else in no other way can Godhood / divinity be constituted. He alone who is free from hunger, thirst, senility, disease, birth, death, fear, pride, attachment, aversions, infatuation, worry. conceit, hatred, uneasiness, sweat, sleep, and surprise (18 blemishes) is called a God.
He who is the enjoyer of the highest status, who is of unsurpassed splendor, who is free from all kinds desires and impurities of sin, who is endowed with omniscience and devoid of beginning, middle & end and who is a friend savior of all kinds of living beings - such a Teacher is called 'Hitopde i' (who gives useful discourses showing the path of liberation).
Just as a drum gives you out sound in consequence of the contact of the drummer's hand, but without any desire on its own part, so does the teacher reveal the truth without any personal motives of his own.
That one is true scripture which is the word (revelation of omniscient Tirtha kara, which cannot be over-ridden in disruption, nor falsified by perception, reason or testimony, which reveals the nature of things, which is helpful to men, animals and all other kinds of beings and which is potent enough to destroy all forms of falsehood.
That preceptor (monk) is praiseworthy who has no desires for sensual pleasures, who has renounced all worldly occupations and possessions and who is always absorbed in study, meditation and selfcontemplation. (Only such a capable soul-monk with right faith knowledge & conduct can attain omniscience and none else).
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0
