Jainism Not an Atheism

Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

Page 24

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dissimilar things as ink, pens, and blotting paper, into stationery, and such different BEINGS as worm, angel, tree, man, into living beings, so we finally unify all real things, stationery, living beings, oceans, planets, solar systems, nebulæ, space, universe, into one category which we call substance.
Substance, then is a class, just as fish, for instance, is a class ; and just as there are different kinds of fish so there are different kinds of substance. Consequently in taking some one thing for consideration, such for instance as a brass band, it may include more than one kind of substance ; so too in speaking of man we are speaking of more than one kind of substance. As soon as man understands that he is composed of two things sentient substance and insentient substance, most of which latter goes into the grave at death, and which is not the conscious individual at all, he begins to part company with all that isn't himself, to detach himself from all that isn't himself.
In proportion, as he does this his life becomes a right life; what he does will be right; his doings will be those very activities that are called nioral, his life will not be mere obedience to commands that are but irregular whims and caprices of individuals and nations; his conduct will be based upon a rational understanding of the universe and will have some solidity and strength.
Thus we see the use of thinking about the six dravayas. Moral and spiritual conduct is the natural life of the soul Cruelty, untruthfulness, dishonesty, greed, fear, ignorance, pain, weakness, are all unnatural, they are the death of the soul, due to moral uncleanliness.