Book Title: Jains Today in World
Author(s): Pirre Paul AMIEL
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Previous | Next

Page 230
________________ Their Religious Symbols, Drawings and Expressions : 187 If Jains worship so much these eminent beings it is because they are sure they have shown the right way to obtain liberation. They think that in imitating them and in taking them as models, they have the power to gain their same strength, courage and valour. By seeing and contemplating them under various forms, like images or statues, they feel themselves quasi magically pervaded with their benefice influence. They consider they may so already enjoy a tiny part of their own future bliss. In praising and honouring them, they have the feeling that their own efforts and sacrifices will be likewise rewarded. They feel as transported to their future “Paradise“. The influence of these “Conquerors” on their life, on their behaviour and their state of mind, is boundless. They are hallowed, purified by their contemplation (darśana), by their meditation on them and by following their example. These beings are the symbols of those each Jain aspires to be after his (her) life. It is nearly the same for the celestial beings, who dwell, according to the Jain tradition, in the upper world, for variable times. Sure, these ones do not enjoy liberation yet, but they will obtain it after a rebirth as human beings, more quickly if they are in one of the highest heavens. These are the symbols of souls who have nearly attained the so wished aim. Jains regard them as having an existence that is neither totally happy nor absolutely free of worldly worries, but already better than on earth. They also think that these beings have benefice powers. It is why they devote to them a sort of cult, including prayers, to receive various favours just, like Christians from some of their saints. On the other hand, they fear the evil influences of beings they think dwelling in the underworld (or hell), those who, during their lives on earth have been slaves of their passions and have so accumulated bad “karma “in their soul. These are more inauspicious they are suffering for a long time severe pains in a dark and lowest hell. Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360