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Jaina Philosophy and Religion
such as could be altered or destroyed by the special spiritual effort. So, when we do not attain the desired thing or success immediately, we should not think that it is certainly not there in our destiny. We do not know the veils of karmas and their types. Again the workings of the karmas are beyond our comprehension and understanding. Then why should we regard the desired thing or success as obscured and obstructed by the unalterable karma when we do not attain it within a certain period of time? Why should we leave all hopes and discontinue our efforts? Sincere effort with firm determination brings us success. The powers of our brilliant austerity do fructify our wishes and desires.
As time, etc. produce an effect not singly, but jointly mutually depending on one another, they are called 'samaväy?' ('associate') cause. The original pure nature of the soul is constituted of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss. So one should always make continuous efforts to remain equanimous while experiencing fruits of karmas and also to exterminate all desire that is the root-cause of the transmigratory cycle. By doing so one can attain the highest Good, the Liberation. Time will never deny us its cooperation, when we zealously make our sincere efforts to attain our goal. Thus, we see the mutual and joint cooperation of these factors in the attainment of spiritual welfare.
The following is a very nice quotation which denounces the conflicts and controversies in a debate, but at the same time throws light on its good and lovely aspect.
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"Disagreement is refreshing when two men lovingly desire to compare their views to find out truth. Controversy is wretched when it is only an attempt to prove another wrong." "-F.W. Robertson.
Now let us see how knowledge (jñāna) and practice (kriya) mutually cooperate with one another to attain the desired end or thing.
Knowledge and practice are closely related. Attainment of anythingeven Liberation-depends on both knowledge and practice. Mere knowledge is cripple and mere practice is blind. So one cannot attain the desired end or thing by mere knowledge or mere practice.
Let us understand the point with the help of illustrations. There is a man suffering from malaria. He knows that quinine is the sure remedy for it. If he does not take it as medicine in right proportion, he cannot cure himself of the disease. He cannot drive away the disease, if he does not put into practice his right knowledge of medicine. Similarly, in the absence of right knowledge of the proper medicine, if he takes any useless
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