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MOKSHA MARG PRAKASHAK
religion is evolved due to which he should be considered a religious preceptor? Someone wears cap, some keeps Gudari (patched quilt), some others put on a Chola (gown), a few keep their body covered by long cloth sheet, some wear red cloths, some white cloths, some wear Bhagwa saffron-coloured cloth, a few put on hessian cloths, some others put on deer-skin, while others rub their body with ash, etc. - in this way different disguises are adopted by them. But if cold, heat, etc. could not be endured and lacked confidence in remaining nude then why did he forsake the commonly worn cloths such as Pagadi (turban), Jama (shirt), etc.? Leaving the common attire, why did they indulge in aforesaid disguises and what aspect of religion is accomplished? All these disguises are assumed merely to cheat the householders. If they keep their robe like that of a (common) householder, how could then the householders be cheated? Their objective is to earn livelihood, acquire wealth and fulfill pridepassion, etc. by adopting such disguises, that is why they put on such disguises. The ignorant people get cheated by seeing such persons in different disguises and believe that he has followed religion, but this is a fallacy. The same is stated in Upadesha Siddhanta Ratnamala as under :
जह कुवि वेस्सारत्ते । मुसिज्जमाणो विमण्णए हरिस । तह मिच्छवेसमुसिया गय पि ण मुणति धम्म-हिं ॥5॥
As some fellow fond of strumpet feels pleasure even on losing his money, similarly, some persons being cheated by false sanctimony do not realise that their religious wealth is being destroyed. The gist is - “By attending on and adoring such false disguised persons, one's religious wealth gets destroyed but alas! the people instead of feeling distressed feel happy owing to false belief." Some people assume those disguises which are described in false scriptures; but with the perverse intention of establishing their tradition and increasing the number of their followers, the sinful writers of those scriptures have preached in them simple rituals for obtaining higher spiritual status. The thoughtless Jivas, ignorant of their tradition, do not even ponder over the fact that there is some deception because they preach obtaining high spiritual status through simple rituals, rather
move (follow) thoughtlessly in the path shown by them. Jain Education International
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