Jain Journal 1980 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 19

APRIL, 1980
131
The omniscient soul is the one who has completely conquered desire. Jainism teaches that such a soul is in its last birth, burning or dropping those final karmas of body (nāma), life duration (āyus), pleasure and pain experience (vedanīya), and family (gotra). Such a soul does not acquire new karmas. It does not further bind itself because the force of desire is absent and that is the sticking force.
Now we ask, if he has no desire, why does an enlightened soul communicate at all ? And how does he ? What is the nature of this communication ? We can only speculate about such a topic, basing our surmises on scriptural descriptions and our experiences with highly enlightened teachers and saints. It seems that the Kevalin communicates more with his presence than with words. For example, Mahavira's last sermon was attended by birds and beasts of all kinds, and also devas, devis and humans of many different lands and languages. Yet all were able to understand his meaning and gain inspiration from the experience. If you have been in the company of a highly evolved person, you know how this can be so. It is the vibration of thought, the energy itself that penetrates most deeply and this is beyond the limits of language. Indeed at this highest level, communication is really an exchange of energy. And its highest purpose is to free us of karmic bondage, to "enlighten”.
Here we discover one of the great paradoxes : the soul who has reached enlightenment or omniscience, the Kevalin, has no desire to communicate and yet he is the perfect communicator, the Tirthankara or bridge-builder, the ultimate teacher who is sought far and wide by those in search of wisdom. His knowledge is a clear radiant beacon, uncovered, uncoloured, unblocked by any personal need.
The Kevalin, because he has no desire to please or teach, no desire to speak or answer, desire at all, sees life precisely as it is, and he can communicate directly to each soul in the manner which will be most effective. His body is merely an instrument for conveying soul's energy which is pure knowledge. For this reason his light can remove the darkness of those who come near him, simply by being, provided the lesser soul is open and ready to receive the teaching.
Coming back to our initial question—the dilemma of going inward, being a recluse or living among people and being active in the worldfrom this point of view, it is natural that we ask, “What can anyone do for anyone else, after all ?" If Jesus could not keep even twelve disciples faithful to him, what can any soul do to liberate or enlighten another ? In other words, what can really be communicated ?