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MOKSHA MARG PRAKASHAK
knowledge become purer. And so long as Upayoga remains engrossed there, passions remain feeble and it results in increase of passionlessness. How could then such activities be believed as useless?
He further says that only those Shastras should be studied in which the spiritual discourse is found. Nothing is achieved by study of other Shastras.
Our answer to him is- "If you have attained the right vision (right belief) than all Jain-shastras are useful. There also, chiefly in the spiritual Shastras, the nature of the soul is mainly discussed. But on evolution of right belief, the true nature of the soul has been ascertained. Thereafter, for the sake of purity of knowledge and for keeping the Upayoga engrossed in pious acts (of feeble-passion), study of other Shastras is chiefly desirable. And if you have ascertained the nature of the soul then for maintaining it you should study the spiritual Shastras also; but you should not have disliking for other Shastras. One who has disliking of other Shastras does not possess true liking for the soul. For example, one who is a sensualist, he listens to the stories of sensual persons also with interest and also knows the details of sensual pleasures and believes to be useful all those means which are instrumental in sensual pleasures and also understands well the nature of sensual plesures. Similarly, he who has developed liking for the soul, should also know the mythology of the Tirthankaras, etc., personages who have realised the soul, and for knowing the various details about the soul, he should know the Guna-Sthanas (stages of spiritual development), etc. also. Further, he should believe vows, etc. which are the means of soul's pure conduct to be useful and should also understand well the distinct nature of the soul. Therefore, all the four Anuyogas (branches of scriptures) are useful.
Further, for the sake of gaining thorough knowledge of them one should also study the books of etymology and logic. Therefore, it is desirable to study in small or big measure all relavant Shastras according to one's own capability.
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