Jinamanjari 2001 04 No 23

Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

Page 16

In our opinion, Śrīmad's two dilemma remain unreconciled until the end of his life. We will try to substantiate this presumption in the following pages. For example in his wonderful letter to Jūṭhābhai Ujamśī in 1889 (V.S. 1945) Śrīmad
observes:
There are no two path-ways leading to liberation the path is one and the same in all times. Śrī Kṛṣṇa would attend liberation by following the same path that was adopted by Mahāvīra. An aspirant may attend 1 iberation by following the same path irrespective of geographical location, time, status (śreņi and yoga). Then he would experience non-sensory (atindriya) bliss of that eternal state. This path is universal ... what to say more? This path exists in the self itself. When a person or ätman, free from external and internal ties, realizes this, then all differences (such as sects, religions, philosophies, etc.) would be no more.
From the passage quoted above, it becomes quite obvious that here Śrīmad stands above all dogmatic and sectarian approaches. But unfortunately this spirit did not last long, and ultimately he turned to Jainism without challenging its dogmas. Though he raised doubts here and there, he finally accepts the authority of Tirthankaras such as Mahāvīra and the teachings which are ascribed to him. For example, in a letter written in the same year to Khimaji Devaji, he takes again recourse to one of the received dogmas of Jainism and asserts that in this age the highest type of meditation namely śukla dhyāna, leading to final liberation, is not possible, only dharma dhyāna, the lower form of meditation.
In our opinion, the inner conflict between his external
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