Jainism Abroad

Author(s): Pratap J Tolia
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation

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one is higher than a human being. If a human upholds humanity, even the gods stay in his feet at his disposal!" "Therefore man should insist and stick upon AHIMSA (Universal love or Non-violence) SATYA (truth), ASTEYA (nonstealing), BRAHMACHARYA (Celibacy) and APARIGRAHA (non-possession) etc........
"My chief message is of this Non-violence, Non-enmity, Universal love, the AHIMSA".
"My second message is of understanding each other of appreciating others' points of views to find out the absolute truth of non-insisting open-ness, of the "ANEKANTAWADA" or "SYADAWADA". "O Human beings! Do industrious, be aspiring, Be PURUSHARTHIN........!! Through PURUSHARTHA you become what you want, you achieve what you think......... No, not the God, but you yourself are the architect of your fate because there is a store of infinite energy and potentiality hidden within you."
". This ATMA (the soul) of yours is the source of Infinite Powers............"
And several such soul-awakening super sermons are following like a stream from the lotus-mouth of Arihanta Bhagawan Mahaveera in the Divine Samosarana ..... at this juncture enters along with his disciples Indrabhuti Gautama, then Chief priest and invoker of violent YAJNA in the same city, with an intention to test, challenge and defeat this "socalled omniscient, new saint".
But to the surprise of all, the very entry of him in this "new saint's" Samosarana is greeted by Bhagawan Mahaveera by uttering his name in sweet voice, dispelling his doubts even before his asking of the question.......! Says so the Bhagawan :
"O Gautama! You have the doubt about the existence of the Soul isn't it? But why don't you think minutely, deeply and correctly over the meaning of the VEDAS?" And astonished and wonderstruck Gautama, who had come to scoof but remained to pray, getting his doubts dispelled immediately became the disciple of the Bhagawan along with his 500 disciples. To him followed and got initiated the other 10 scholars with their disciples, whose doubts also had been removed, as described vividly in the "GANADHARVADA" Chapter of the Holy KALPASUTRA. ("GANADHARVADA" - which much coincides with the contents of the "ATMA SIDDHI SHASHTRA" by Srimad Rajchandraji, which, in simple Gujarati describes the secrets of the nature and form of the soul and self-realization). Here, Bhagawan Mahaveera gives "TRIPADI", founds four-fold "Sangha" and establishes the 11 Ganadharas, the chief of his disciples being Gautama. The 11 Ganadharas then compose the "TRIPAD" into "DWADASHANGI". THE SANGHA AND DHARMA SHASHANA:
And thus started Bhagawan's great "SANGHA", the great religious order, the great mission, which covered a big span of 30 years of his remaining life. In this four-fold SANGHA, comprising of SADHUS (monks), SADHVI (nuns), SHRAVAKA (house holder man follower) and SHRAVIKA (hose holder woman follower) having the respective heads as GAUTAMA, CHANDANA, SANCHASATAKA and SULASA & REVATI respectively in the end of Bhagawan Mahaveera's life. *"THE ATMA SIDDHI SHASHTRA" : Srimad Rajchandra.
During the long course of his Dharma Shashana (that of 30 years during his life time and 21 thousand years after his life time) Bhagawan Mahaveera toured on foot a lot & reoriented the true religion, everywhere, removed inequality, untouchability and Casteism, prevented the animal and human sacrifice, raised the status of women, converted lacks of hearts and uplifted innumerable persons varying from the thieves like ROHINI, youths like MEGHKUMAR and former disciple-turned opponent like GOSALAKA to kings like SHRENIKA and above all proved and established the importance and supremacy of HUMAN LIFE, PURUSHARTHA and SOUL POWER over the Matter of Material life.
THE EVE OF LIFE, THE LAST SERMON AND THE PARINIRVANA
After the indescribable long Divine life of 12 years of Rigorous Sadhana and that of 30 years of religious order, Bhagawan Mahaveera came to end his remaining mortal life consisting of 4 karmas out of the 8 and to spend his final CHATURMASA (the rainy season) at PAVAPURI in Bihar. He was then 72. The month of ASVIN ........... The four-fold assembly of the Sangha ....... Bhagawan with waterless fasting of two days, sitting in PADMASANA - the lotus posture on