________________
... living in obedience!
The pursuit of the three fold path helps attain the unrestrained bliss of the soul. The material happiness attained through Punya may occasionally disappear, there could be a break in between, sorrow may appear even after happiness is attained. But the spiritual happiness attained after a devoted pursuit is bound to help you attain the infinite unrestrained true form of the Self.
Here, in the 'Atmasiddhi Shastra', it has been said that only such a Muni, who is engrossed in the tremendous effort to attain that unrestrained bliss, can reach the status of a Sadguru -
आत्मज्ञान त्यां मुनिपणुं, ते साचा गुरु होय, arast ghools com HT, 3114reif the GMA .....38
A Sadguru is absolutely essential on the path of spiritual pursuit. An Atmarthi jiva is in search of such a Sadguru who is a self-realised saint, who has experienced the soul himself and is capable of guiding others on the path of experience. Swami Vivekananda was in search of such a Guru. And after having met several saints, his heart rested with the self-realised Saint Shri Ramakrishnadeva whom he accepted as his Guru.
Here too, in the Gatha, the same idea is conveyed. Saintliness (9f77v) is possible only where there is self-realisation. Those who have not accepted the separate identity of the soul and the body, cannot be called learned, for sainthood appears only after selfrealisation occurs. In this Shastra itself, where the five indications of a Sadguru were listed, there the very first one is Atmajnana - self-knowledge, self realisation. In the fifth chapter of the Acharanga Sutra too, it has been said -
जं सम्मं ति पासह, तं मोणं ति पासह, जं मोणं ति पासह तं सम्मति पासह Where there is purity (richa) there is Muni Dharma, and where there is Muni Dharma, there is purity.
Jain Educationa international
For Personal and Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
