________________
300
Jaina Philosophy and Religion
The series of a soul's births (i.e., of the different physical bodies assumed by the soul) has no beginning. This is but logical. If we were to maintain that a particular past birth is the soul's first birth, then we would have to believe that before that birth the soul was free from the birth-cycle and only at a particular point of time it was caught in the cycle, that is, it was born for the first time; and this contention would consequently force us to hold that it is possible that even a pure soul which has freed itself from the birth-cycle on account of its attainment of purity will have to take birth some time. This would lead us to further assume that even after the attainment of liberation, the soul will be possibly caught again in the birth-cycle in future. This would render the eternal, absolute and perfect liberation impossible. It would be quite illogical to believe that the soul remains free from births for some time and starts to assume births again. On the contrary, it is logical to hold that the series of births continues, if it continues at all, without interruption and that once it is snapped it is snapped for ever.
There never was a time in the past when the soul was without birth (i.e., without association with a physical body), because if we assume that it was, it would follow that after taking the trouble of freeing oneself from the cycle of births through mental and moral disciplines, after going through a lot of ordeals, one might be caught again in the cycle of births and come in contact with different physical bodies. The fundamental ground of the philosophy is that, so far as the past is concerned there was never a time when the soul was without any physical body or birth, but that there will be a time in future when the soul will be without body or birth, and once without it, will always be without it, perfect and liberated thereafter.
We find difference among the sons and daughters of the same parents. Not only that, but also we find difference between twin brothers born at the same moment. Though parents pay considerable attention to their bringing up and training, they differ in learning, education, intelligence, wisdom, experience and conduct. This shows that the difference in blood, semen and environment is not a sufficient ground to account for this difference. Influences of the impressions of the past births too have their place in causing the difference and inequality. It is proper, appropriate and logical to believe so. Worldly causes do produce their effects, but this consideration need not stop there only. Even these causes themselves beg some further cause governing them all. Underlying them there is some
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
