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THE JAINA GAZETTE and an attribute belonging to soul, cannot become an attribute of matter. Touch, tastė, smell, and colour are the attributes of matter, they can never become the attributes of soul. These attributes can never develop the real nature of soul, it is only the attributes of soul which can develop it. Omniscience as stated above is the Pure, Real nature of soul and this can be developed and manifested in the embodied soul not by passions and desires and their consequent excitement and uneasiness, but by setting oneself free from all passions and desires and consequent equanimity and calmness of mind. Just as when water is being agitated by the winds, one cannot see his face through it, so when soul is perturbed by the various passions, affections, and desires, its power of Knowing is dimmed and impaired. On the contrary, when water is in a calm and undisturbed condition, everything above and around is reflected and seen through it; in like manner, when soul is in a calm and quiet state, its faculty of consciousness becomes developed and clear. The embodied soul's inclinings towards other than Pure Self weakens its natural power of Knowing, whilst its disinterestedness in not-self and its remaining within its Pure Self help to manifest its Pure, Real nature. In fact, the manifestation of Omniscience in the embodied soul is caused by dispassion and quietude, and as the latter are impaired by the various passions and desires which are the concommitant factors of Himsa, and as Ahimsa conduces to the extinction of passion and to the acquirement of the True, Real nature of soul, Himsa is therefore condemned and Ahimsa highly applauded in Jainism.
Thus the removal of passion, disquietude and uneasine ss from within the soul and the restoration of dispassion, quietude, and true happiness therein by Ahimsa is its metaphysical basis.
RICKHAB DASS, B.A.,
(Pleader, Meerut).
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
