Light Of Life

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

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to be the nature of the substance.
"Vastu Sahao Dhammo" Bhagwan Mahaveer has expounded the truth that Dharma is but the nature of a substance. The Dharma or nature of fire is to burn; the dharma or nature of water is coolness. In the same manner, the dharma or the nature of the soul lies in beneficence and noble conduct.
The explanation of Dharma is very wide and extensive. We people have begun to supply Dharma packed in words. The fault lies with us. The Paramatma did not say that Dharma is any religious sect or community. He never said that it could be packed in words or bound in Shastras; nor did he say that Dharma means any caste. The Paramatma expounded Dharma for the spiritual welfare of all jivas; we have defined Dharma thus. "Antahkarana Shuddhitva iti dharmatvam" Dharma is nothing but the purity and the sanctity of the soul or the inner self. On the level of lofty thought all are equal whatever be their caste, community, creed, race or nationality or birth. We should not care for these divisions or differences. We should think about humanity from the point of view that all are human beings. We should realize that all are essentially souls. If we treat them with love and know them through love, that is Dharma. Dharma does not mean merely going to the temple and offering prayers; nor does it mean merely fasting. This is a very narrow and limited definition. You have to see Dharma first with the lens of minus power. Every religion of this world has some uniqueness or speciality. Different religions have different kinds of ideas and ideologies, They differ in respect of their thoughts and reflections; and Paramatma Mahaveer has amalgamated all those ideas and ideologies from the Anekant point of view.
Once there were some frogs. It was the rainy season. Since there was a heavy rain, the whole town was flooded with water. The four frogs sat on a log of wood. Of them, one was profoundly contemplative; very sagacious and
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