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Celebrating Jain Society of Houston Pratishtha Mahotsav 1995
MESSAGE OF BHAGAWAN MAHAVIR
After attaining 'Kaivalya' or omniscience through great penance and meditation, Bhagwan Mahavir,in His infinite compassion, relayed his vision of reality for all those who sought the path of enlightenment.
It is a vision that encompasses all things living and nonliving and transcends the boundries of time and place.
Bhagwan Mahavir revealed to us that our existence is much more beyond this mortal body. The force that powers this ephemeral body is ageless and eternal. He identified this force as 'Atman' or the soul. He showed us the way to unshackle the full potential of the 'Atman' from the bondage of mundane passions through the threefold path of right cognition, right knowledge and right conduct. At the pinnacle of enlightenment on this path, the 'Atman' achieves a state of ultimate bliss and freedom from the cycle of incarnation.
He explored the realm of mind and matter in a most unique fashion. He propounded that reality is not singular but multifaceted; seemingly paradoxical but essentially unified. This unique vision is 'Anekant'.
'Anekant' guides us to the fact that all differences arise out of limitation of our perception.In accepting this limitation we learn to forgive rather than to fight, to synthesise rather than to segregate and thereby achieve understanding and harmony. He said that all things living aspired life and happiness just the way we did. Therefore, we should not inflict pain upon, or kill any living being.
His guidance as to our relationship with our fellow living beings and the world at large shows that His vision envelops every aspect of human life.
He said that our relationship with those better placed than us should be that of delight at their happiness, that with our colleagues should be that of friendlines, that with our inferiors and those in misery should be one of compassion, and with the cruel and incorrigible it should be one of indifference.
In a world torn apart by war and strife, Bhagwan Mahavir's message of love, compassion and nonviolence has eternal and irreplaceable value.
"A life in which we do no good, act no good, and think no good, is no good”
(Dr. S.W. Johanson) Page 26
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