________________
312
I am the Soul
And Brothers! This son proved his mother true. He got liberated for ever from birth and death cycle. This is the state of detachment - nirveda - in both mother and son!
The fourth virtue of an atmarthi is said to be compassion, mercy. Compassion for all jivas, animals, elements and nature. An atmarthi jiva whose inner eyes have opened up, whose inner sight is activated, looks upon all jivas as having a similar Atma. He knows all to be pure, true to their form as the Siddha. As such, the attachment or aversion exhibited by any jiva is not his true form, but that is the result of his ignorance. Such ignorance can only be looked upon with pity. The ignorance of such a jiva cannot lead an atmarthi to attachment or aversion. Therefore, howsoever the behaviour, speech or thinking of other jivas may be, they do not perturb the mind of an atmarthi. But with a feeling of friendship there arises love towards them. Similarly the sufferings of those jivas due to adhi, vyadhi and upadhi leads to pity.
Atmarthi jiva enjoys the awakened self every moment. As such the utma is fully alert that it does not get bound anywhere, does not get defiled due to papa or get tainted due to passions. Such an awakened feeling of pity - bhava daya -, naturally showers upon other jivas with a feeling of compassion - anukampa, which means there is also pity in action - dravya daya.
Thus with these four virtues of an atmarthi, astha or faith arises naturally. Only the one who has faith in the true form of his self can nurture such virtues. He cannot be without faith as these virtues have appeared in the pursuit of the true form of the self.
How an atmarthi equipped with the ability to acquire the virtues of Sama, sanvega, nirveda, anukampa and astha, gets deeper into the pursuit of the Self will be explained later.
Jain Educationa International
For Personal and Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org