Jainism Christianity and Science

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

Page 59

THE HAPPINESS OF GODS
the place of combat! I would have you answer me this question : Can we not live without pleasure, who cannot but with pleasure die? For what is our wish but the apostle's, to leave the world, and be taken up into the fellowship of the Lord? You have your joys where you have your longings. . . What greater pleasure than distaste of pleasure itself, than contempt for all that the world can give, than true liberty, than & pure conscience, a contented life, and freedom from all fear of death."-(Tertullian) A.N.C.L. vol. xi. p. 33.
"... (for the serpent allegorically signifies pleasure crawling on its belly, earthly wickedness nourished for fuel to the flames), ..."(Clement of Alexandria) A.N.C.L. vol. iv. p. 100.
"... After that there is no pain, there is no grief, there is no groaning; there is no recollection of evils, there are no tears, there is no envy, there is no hatred of the brethren, there is no unrighteousness, there is no arrogance . . . slander ... bitterness, there are none of the cares of life, there is no pain from parents, there is no pain from gold, there are no wicked thoughts, there is no devil, there is no death, there is no night, but all 18 day"-(Apocryphal Gospels, Acts, etc.) A.N.C.L. vol. xvi. p. 502.
"... Virtue, therefore, is not as they say, to be sought on its own account, but on account of a happy life, which necessarily follows virtue .. But this present and corporeal life cannot be happy, because it is subject to evils through the body ... For a state of happiness ought to be perfect, so that there be nothing which can harass, or lessen, or change it. Nor can anything be judged happy in other respects, unless it be incorruptible. But nothing is incorruptible but that which is immortal. Immortality, therefore, is alone happy, because it can neither be corrupted nor destroyed .. The chief good is, therefore, found to be immortality. In this one thing alone can we be happy in this life, if we appear to be unhappy; if, avoiding the enticements of pleasure, and giving ourselves to service of virtue only, we live in all labours and miseries, which are the means of exercising and strengthening virtue; if, in short, we keep to that rugged and difficult path which has been opened for us to happiness. The chief good therefore which makes men happy, cannot exist, unless it be in that religion and doctrine to which is annex. ed the hope of immortality."-(Lactantius) A.N.C.L. vol. xxi. pp. 162 165.