________________
... understanding the true-form of Jina
Devoted practice of the three-fold path, acquaints one with the Self and helps acquire the true-form of Jina. As the Jiva has not recognised the Self, it keeps wandering in the cycle of birth and death. The Jiva is smouldering in the heat of Adhi, Vyadhi and Upadhi. To escape such karmic miseries it is not only necessary but inevitable to know the true-form of the Self.
If we have not been able to understand the true-self until now, it is because we are engrossed in the worldly affairs. So long as the activity is directed to achieve worldly goals, so long as the changes in the soul from time-to-time result in increasing our involvement with the world, the feeling of the Soul does not arise at all within us, and until then we may well talk about Moksa, but Moksa cannot be attained.
What is Moksa? It is not a happening, not a substance that is begotten, it is neither a qualification nor any power or wealth. It is a state of the soul. It is the complete transition into the natural disposition. This transition of the disposition begins with the achievement of the true-self. The path to this achievement is shown by the Sadguru, who takes us to the true-form of Jina by acquainting us with the Self.
That is why Srimadji has said -
सद्गुरुना उपदेश वण, समजाय न जिनरूप,
946 Qui 3401 pt? H467 fattialthy .....p?
Sans the advice of the Sadguru the true-form of the Jina cannot be understood. We have earlier deliberated upon the trueform and tried to know the state of his Atma.
Now let us see what specialities are attributed to Arihant - supreme soul, over and above the Kevalis. Those specialities are termed as “extra qualities' (31fAgra) in our parlance. The Tirthankar is endowed with thirty-four extra qualities. Of those, the basic
Jain Educationa International
For Personal and Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org