Light Of Life

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

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greatest Jain Acharya, Meruprabha Soori is a brahmana. So we feel grateful to that caste. Very great scholars and men of intellectual incisiveness became our Acharyas and composed many of our Dharma Grantas,
Lord Mahavir accepted the importance of actions. You must become noble by conduct. If your conduct is ignoble, you cannot claim any importance by your caste. Only those who are ignobl : in thought belong to a low group because they do not have even the power of understanding great truths. Such people are not fit to carry out spiritual activities. Lord Mahavir has made this point absolutely clear. He gave all importance to action and conduct. But somehow importa ce has been attached to birth.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND DHARMA ?
Knowledge is radiance and Dharma moves in the light of Knowledge. Knowledge is light. Dharma is to proceed in the right direction only in the light of Knowledge. Dharma can move properly and in the right direction only in the light of Knowledge. If Knowledge is lame or dim. Dharma becomes blind. Once a conflict arose between the two. This conflict could not be digested by knowledge but Dharma liked it. It said, "I am something. How can there be any movement without me." By chance, the two kept away from each other. Once a fire broke out in a forest and surrounded them. Dharma and knowledge were caught in the fire.
There was a gentleman. Every day, he used to pick quarrels with others. He also went to court. The judge said to him, "You seem to be always picking quarrels with someone or the other and with the members of your own family. Were the members of your family united at any time ?"
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