Mahavira Life and Philosophy

Author(s): Sumeruchand Diwakar Shastri
Publisher: Jain Mitra Mandal

Page 66

Central Truth
The central teaching was that the wandering soul should have right knowledge and should adopt the life of non-injury and purity to attain Nirvana. The attachment for evanescent and alluring objects of the world and the physical body is the root cause of all miseries and transmigration. Right faith and renunciation pave the way to perfection, everlasting bliss and God-hood. One must have distinct idea and firm faith in his mind, that he is a soul endowed with consciousness and the non-soul is quite separate and distinct from his self. This unswerving faith in the soul-force is the first requisite for Nirvana. Queries
Once GautamaGanadhar asked the world Teacher, "What is the most precious object in this world ?"
The reply was, “Compassion, renunciation, the vows of non-injury, non-stealing, truth, chastity and possessionlessness are the most precious objects and amongst them the faculty of concentration upon the soul is the quintessence of all virtues. It is pure and supreme concentration ( Shukla Dhyana ) that burns the huge forest of karmas within 48 minutes
Antar-Muhurta ).