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89
Letter 14
Agurulaghutva Attribute Letter 14
February 7, 1995. Dear Reena & Mona,
Blessings & Best Wishes. It's a good sign that you eagerly await my letters. It reflects your keen interest in knowing the nature of the things and the soul (Atma) also. It is even mentioned in the scriptures that -
तत्प्रति प्रीति चित्तेन येन वार्तापि हि श्रुता ।
निश्चितं स भवेत् भव्यो भावि निर्वाण भाजनम् ॥ This means one who listens to the discourses about the nature of soul with keen interest and full concentration, has a bright and good future and he is eligible to attain salvation in the near future.
So far, while discussing the common attributes found in all the six substances, we saw the nature and work of the attributes of Astitva, Vastutva, Dravyatva, and Prameyatva. On the basis of this we have started understanding the true nature of things i.e. Vastuswarup ( ar 1964).
in each and every substance there are infinite attributes, which exist all the time. Existence of each substance is one or single and the attributes which tell us about the substance are infinite. Since it is beyond our practical capacity to tell and listen to all the infinite attributes, so to know the nature of the substance, the scriptures discuss and tell about the six common attributes.
Today's subject is Agurulaghutva Guna or attribute of Constancy of Individuality. This is a unique attribute. It is considered as the life of Jain philosophy. This is the Mantra is i.e. mystical verse to understand the nature of existence. Actually speaking no attribute is more important or less important. But by knowing this attribute, we can understand the nature of the substances and their set up, therefore from this point of view, this attribute is considered to be great.
Its definition is as follows, The power or potentiality by which substance maintains its own state of being a substance is Agurulaghutya. It means that
(1) One substance can not be transformed into any other substance, (2) One attribute can not become any other attribute and
(3) The infinite attributes in any one substance do not get shattered, separated and split out from the substance.
Infinite substances are existing since the times immortal. i.e. they are without any beginning or an end. Each of these substances has its
