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138 / Lord Mahavira
Spiritual knowledge helps us to swim across the sea of the world, those who are bereft of this knowledge are deluded by wealth, they die, not knowing, how to swim across the sea of the world. The tragedy can be averted by man continuing his education from the knowledge of the perishable to the knowledge of the imperishable self.
Education is the manifestation of divine qualities already inherent in man. A spiritual teacher imparts that knowledge by which karmas are destroyed. Lord Mahavira says-By spiritual study, one acquires knowledge, is fixed in religion and helps others to be so fixed. Thus by studying multifarious sutras he becomes absorbed in the contemplation of what is expounded therein.
Among the twelve internal and external austerities which are experienced by a wise person, there is none that equals or will be equal to the study of scriptures. Just as a blind person cannot delight in the presence of moon light, so also the knowledge of an ignorant person who studies the scriptures over and over but is unable to experience the truth, is insignificant.
Study of scriptures is of five types :
1. Vacana : Careful and thorough study of scriptures. 2. Prechana : Clarification of the doubts aroused on
studying scriptures. 3. Parivartana : Repeated recitation. 4. Anupreksa : Refection upon scriptural knowledge
acquired. 5. Dharma Katha : Preaching of the doctrine.
