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Jainism : Through Science
61 Bhagwan Mahavira and Indrubhúti Gautam respectively. This is an illustration of friendship. Hostile relations also accompany us to other births. For that also let us talk of an incident from Bhagwan Mahavira's life. Bhagwan was put to torture by a cowherd who pushed pegs into his ears. What was its cause? Was it not the cause that in the birth of Tripruştha Vašudeva, Bhagwan had got melted lead poured into the servant's (Shayyapalak's) ears ? Also having attained omniscience Bhagwan Mahavira sent his first disciple Gautam Indrabhuti to enlighten a farmer. Gautam enlightened him and brought him to Bhagwan Mahavira. On seeing Bhagwan the farmer said "If this is your Guru, I don't want to stay with you". He ran away. Why ? Even today we have a strong desire to see that great man. We have an earnest longing for paying our obeisance to him. He was extremely holy. But on seeing him the farmer ran away, Why ? The farmer was none else but the lion whom Bhagwan Mahavira in his birth (Bhava) of Triprustha Vasudeva had smashed to death without weapons. The same lion had been reborn as the farmer. Such incidents are many. That is why a great man has said, "A man should know others to be his relatives of a past birth, on seeing whom love arises and anger abates."
यं दृष्ट्वा वर्धते स्नेहः क्रोधश्व परिहीयते । स विज्ञेयो मनुष्येण, ह्येष मे पूर्वबान्धवः ॥
Philosophically speaking, all the relations of saṁsär are transient because they last only till attainment of emancipation (mokşa). These relations are only an external efficient cause (nimitta) of Karmic bondage but the efforts of soul are the material causes of Karmic bondage. These efforts (Bhāva-chitta, tendencies) are the basic cause of Karmic bondage. But external efficient causes also go a long way in establishing these tendencies. Even in the face of these external efficient causes namely the relations of saṁsār, if the soul can be aloof, it is the best. It is these ideologies of transience of samsār that supply the soul with the strength to be aloof. These ideologies are thus capable of destroying even Mohaniya (infatuating) Karma. These ideologies can destroy the state of attachment.
