Mysteries of Mind

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Today and Tomorrows Book Agency

Page 44

THE PLAYGROUND OF CONSCIOUSNESS
of the eye does not lie merely in perceiving things which lie near us. It is much more. Those experienced in sadhană
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know this.
The actual power of all the five sense-organs is limited. It can, however, be further developed. There are and have been persons who possess and possessed unlimited potential powers of the sense-organs. The arhats, the tirthankaras and kevalis were possesssors of extra-ordinary power of the sense-organs. One who makes his body light and subtle and develops his mental powers extra-ordinarily is known as a manokāmi. He can achieve whatever he desires in no time. There is no time-lag between his desires and their fulfilment. If he desires to eat some thing, he need not put it into his mouth. He can satisfy his hunger without actually eating anything. Any one can develop such powers although it is not an easy task to do so. Gods satisfy their hunger imaginatively. They do not eat material food. Those who possess vaikriya bodies (counterparts of material bodies) also do not eat material food. Such persons possess immense potential powers. Others may also develop such powers.
The sense-organ of speech also has actual and potential powers. When the tirthankaras speak, their voice can be heard at a distance of four yojanas (about eight miles). Their speech can assume the form of several languages at the same time. This is quite natural for them. Others may also develop such powers.
Kṣīrāsrava labdhi (literally to taste milk) and madhvāsrava labdhi (literally to taste honey) are the two powers associated with speech. When a person possessing the former power speaks, the hearer feels as if he is actually tasting kṣira or milk. When the person possessing the latter power speaks, the hearer feels as if he is actually testing honey. These powers may be acquired by others also and are not the special privilege of any particular person.
A certain king approached his preceptor and asked, "The gods live an eternal life. Do they not feel life to be boring?" The preceptor replied, "The gods live a happy life, and, therefore, time does not become a burden to them. Those who lead an unhappy life feel time to be boring." The king again asked, "How is it possible to forget the sense of