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INTRODUCTION TO JAINISM
life; universe versus non-universe; souls versus body; and, as the Jains teach, the smallest building blocks (anu – "atoms”) of the universe are physical and have a physical dimension. These ideas are, after long and deep study of Theosophical and Buddhist books, unacceptable to my logical mind. But at least I understand now what they mean.
These monks are completely different from the Indians than the unwary tourist is confronted with in the big cities. What also struck me was their enthusiastic interest in spiritual matters with which they were unfamiliar. One monk wished to know about the Kathars, and was also interested in the original (Gnostic) message of Jesus the Christ, and in the life of Apollonius of Tyana which I told him about.
The miracle temple
We had a so-called miracle temple within our walls. Real miracles sometime happen there, Brahmāchārinī told me. It was one of the temples on the monastery's grounds, dedicated to Santināth (the 16th Tīrthamkara), which daily attracts a lot of visitors who symbolically – by means of rice grains, nuts etc. - come to offer all their good deeds and part of their basic needs to the service of the higher beings. Though Jainism recognizes no creative God, it does recognize many entities which have been humans, but have attained godhood, as well as many “demigods” (and even "demidevils” – as we have discussed earlier). These demigods (and devils) were once men and women, and still have five senses and a highly developed intelligence while residing in their own world. During their existence on earth they may have built a special attachment to a particular place, guru or a statue of a Jina. Also due to the occult consecration of such a place by an advanced monk possessing the necessary knowledge is qualified in that field – possibly centuries ago - several aspects of a good and religious man or woman who has passed away may linger there. An example of this was the three-man-high statue of Santināth in our temple. The
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