Jainism Christianity and Science

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: The Indian Press Allahabad

Page 23

ALLEGORY
13
what is hidden to the many, shall appear manifest to the few. For why do not all know the truth? Why is not righteousness loved, if righteousness belongs to all ? But the mysteries are delivered mystically, that what is spoken may be in the mouth of the speaker; rather not in his voice, but in his understanding."-A.N.C.L. vol. iv. p. 356.
"And we profess not to explain secret things sufficiently-far from it—but only to recall them to memory, whether we have forgot anght, or whether for the purpose of not forgetting. Many things, I well know, have escaped us, through length of time, that have dropped away unwritten. Whence, to aid the weakness of my memory, and provide for myself a salutary help to my recollection in a systematic arrangement of chapters, I necessarily make use of this form. There are then some things of which we have no recollection ; for the power that was in the blessed men was great. There are also some things which remained unnoted long, which have now escaped ; and others which are effaced, having faded away in the mind itself, since such a task is not easy to those not experienced; these I revive in my commentaries. Some things I purposely omit, in the exercise of a wide selection, afraid to write what I guarded against -speaking : not grudging-for that were wrong-but fearing for my readers, lest they should stumble by taking them in a wrong sense; and, as the proverb says, we should be found reaching a sword to a child.'... .. Some things my treatise will hint; on some it will linger; some it will. merely mention. It will try to speak imperceptibly, to exhibit secretly, and to demonstrate silently."-Ibid. p. 357.
“But since this tradition is not published alone for him who perceives the magnificence of the word; it is requisite, therefore, to. hide in a mystery the wisdom spoken, which the Son of God taught. Now, therefore, Isiah the prophet has his tongue purified by fire, so that he may be able to tell the vision. And we must purify not the tongue also, but also the ears, if we attempt to be partakers of the truth.
" ......Such were the impediments in the way of my writing, And even now I fear, as it is said, 'to cast the pearls before swine, lest they tread them under foot, and turn and rend us.' For it is difficult to exhibit the really pure and transparent words respecting the true light, to svinish and untrained hearers. For scarcely could