Book Title: Jain Philosophy
Author(s): Virchand R Gandhi
Publisher: Agamoday Samiti

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Page 189
________________ 160 achievement of happiness. The question arises, "What is happiness ?” The solution of this question depends on the idea of life. If life ineans only the organization of the body, the health of the body in this life, then the object of that life would be to keep the budy in a healthy condition, and to use all possible means for that purpose. I have said that as we pass froin what attracts the eye merely to that which attracts the rear, the reasoning faculties awaken, and we pass from this stage to that in which we are attracted by these things which appeal to the reason. But we know that there are other parts equally necessary with the physical organism to the life of a human being, and that the laws connected with all these factulties are real laws and those which advance happiness, but those which advance the happiness of only one factulty cannot be the right laws. If the object of life is merely happiness for the time being we can derive such happiness froin the use of intoxicating liquors; but all people agree that there is no real happiness in this. Sometiines bappiness is defined as the greatest good of the greatest number, and there the question comes in, “What is the good, after all ?" Most of the professors of political economy think that happiness consists in meterial prosperity of the people, and a fanious English philosopher says that a country may be very progressive, but if there is no philosophy there, if the people do not think on higher Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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