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THE JAINA GAZETTE most worshipful attributes of Divinity, so that whosoever is found to be endowed with them must himself be a God, actual or potential.
The difference between an actual God and a potential one is just the difference between the life of Pure Spirit and embodied existence. This means that every soul has the capacity it it would but rid itself of the clogging influence of matter to become an actual God. But if it does not exert itself in this direction, its embodiment is eternally perpetuated and renewed by the absorption of the subtle invisible material which is constantly pouring into it through the media of the senses. Now it is upon the nature, the states and the conditions of the modifications which result from the fusion of spirit and matter that the future forms and prospects of the individual depend. The disposition that is engendered in this way becomes the seed of future life and will drag the soul by the force of a subtle magnetism residing in its inner constitution into surroundings that are conformable and congenial to it. Hence, when we act in such a way that the seat of mercy and love becomes atrophied and clogged in our disposition, and the centre of hatred and egotism is developed we must be prepared to find ourselves falling into the lower kingdoms in the hereafter. In the heart of him, let me add, who slaughters an innocent life, whether human or animal, are developed three of the most undesirable attributes, namely, selfishness, hardheartedness and utter thoughtlessness. He is selfish, for he kills another simply for his own momentary pleasure ; he is hardhearted for the instinct of mercy which keeps one from killing is dead in his soul; and he is thoughtless for he has no idea of the effect his action will produce on himself! With a disposition characterized by such cruel and unholy traits we can easily perceive that the future life of that soul must be cast amongst beings that are cruel, unreasoning and relentless, in other words, amongst beasts and brutes.
You know the taking of life is condemned in very striking language in the New Testament where it is said: “Go and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice." On Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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