________________
157
Scriptural and other Arguments for Theism in Jainism Pranamami). 104 "Regarding the nature of absolute it says, "O Lord! You have no form, no taste no smell, no touch, no sound, You are abstract and yet you know them all. These are some of the examples to show the writer's treatment towards Tirthankara as Lord and the object of worship.
(10) Argument from Śri Lalita Vistara
The two volumes of Śri Lalita Vistara by Śri Haribhadra Sûri is full of spiritual discussions. In fact the Lalita Vistara is a commentary on "Śri Caityavandan Sūtra' yet it is an independent sastra. Here
Haribhadra Suri has taken each attribute of the Siddhas or Arihant and has discussed each one in a great detail. It is also known the "great light" (Parama Tej). It is full of the mystery that lies behind the worship that brings success. 106 In its first part it discusses the four fundamentals (Bhāvanā) of the Jain religion viz. friendliness (Maitri), activities (Pramoda), compassion (Karuṇā) and equanimity (Madhyastha). These are also called the substratum on which a religion exists. Moreover it discusses the five inevitables' to attain the purity and liberation of the soul and a state of righteousness (Samyaktva). These five inevitables are (i) religious follow up of procedures explained in texts or hymns (ii) while undergoing religious rituals to concentrate on it, (iii) never to keep doubts, (iv) to keep neutral attitude and equanimity, and (v) to be devotional. Again it explains in detail why should we worship. A devotional worship, as it says, is the right conduct (Siṣṭācāra) for attaining the good (Śreya), 109 and the true prayer is always useful to attain what is unattainable Thus we find number of details and elaborative discussions on issues related to Jain theism in these two volumes (commentary) on Śri Haribhadra Suri's Lalita Vistara. (11) Argument from TattvänuŚāsana
107
Tattvānuśāsana is a small treatise comprising of 259 couplets on meditation (Dhyāna) and nature of a liberated soul. It is written by
104 स्तुत्या परं नाभिमतं हि भकत्या, स्मृत्याप्रणम्या च ततो भजामि ।
स्मरामिदेव । प्रणमामिनित्यम्, केनाप्युपायेन फलं हि साध्यम् । - V. S. 31 105. अशब्दमस्पर्शमस्यगन्धं त्वां नीरस तद्विषयावबोधम् ।
सर्वस्वमातारमनेयमन्यैजिनेन्द्रमम्पार्यमनुस्मराभि ॥ ३४ ॥ - V. S. 34
106. Śri Bhanuvijayaji ed. Lalita-Vistara Vivechana (Parama-Tej 1959), Book I p.3
107. Ibid., p. 20 109. Ibid., p. 86
108. Ibid., p. 30 110. Ibid., p. 178
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