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HISTORY AND TIRTHAMKARAS
45
cannot recognize each other on the basis of their unique essence, answering to the same laws? My humble intelligence at least is unable to answer these questions satisfactorily. In our day, the spiritual teachings of Theosophy insist that such a thing as “non-living” or “non-life” does not exist. Every atom, every subatomic particle, including those of subtler, (for us and our mechanical instruments) imperceptible phases of matter, every unit of energy, every planet, solar system, galaxy, every entity whatsoever, is alive, and is composed of a core of life, called atom (anu), which means that all are centers of consciousness, atoms of consciousness, one with the All. But there is a difference between “dead” and “nonliving.” Even infinitesimal subatomic “particles” are, according to Theosophical teachings, subject to the process of incarnation and excarnation of their souls, which thus always leave behind a dead vehicle.24 Though abstract entities such as space and time, motion and non-motion may be regarded as non-living – as Rishabha and the Jains did and do (even though such abstract entities can only be recognized by the grace of conscious entities) - my personal mind is unable to conceive of lifeless matter which even in its deepest essence differs from life.
“Then, on the exhaustion of his karma ... sitting on the top of Mount Astapada, in the presence of 10,000 monks... in the early part of the day, in meditative posture, he passed away, went beyond the bounds of karma, was uplifted after having left the world, cut asunder the tie of birth-old age-death, and became perfect, enlightened and liberated, the concluder, and the terminator of all misery” (Kalpa Sūtra 227).
The other 23 Tīrthamkaras
At fixed times after Rishabha came the other 23 Tīrthamkaras,25 and each has virtually the same life history and tasks. Each of them ended his existence on earth definitely and for ever, and all did so in the same way. All of
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