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व्यवहारचारित्राधिकार
4 - THE EMPIRICAL RIGHT CONDUCT
determining (gotra) – achieving the ultimate goal that the soul may aspire to reach, i.e., liberation (nirvāņa). Liberation signifies that there is nothing left to strive for or look forward to. His soul is purged of all karmic impurities and becomes pristine like pure gold, free from dirt and alloys. He crosses the worldly ocean of transmigration. His soul darts up to the summit of the universe to remain there for eternity as the 'Siddha’with eight supreme qualities (see p. 110, ante). The liberated soul has no material body and assumes the size that is slightly less than that of the last body. One may argue that since the soul in transmigratory condition is of the extent of the body then, in the absence of the body, the soul should expand to the extent of the universe as it is as extensive as the universe with regard to spacepoints. But there is no cause for it. The expansion or contraction of the soul is determined by the body-making karma (nāma karma) and in its absence there is neither expansion nor contraction. Robed in its natural garment of bliss, the liberated soul rises up to the topmost part of the universe, called the Siddha silā, and resides there forever, free from transmigration, i.e., the liability to repeated births and deaths. Following description of the Siddha silā is given in Acārya Nemicandra's Trilokasāra, verses 556,557,558:
At the top of the three worlds is the eighth earth called Īşatprāgbhāra which is one rajju wide, seven rajju long, and eight yojana high. In the middle of this earth is the Siddha ksetra (Siddha silā) in the form of a canopy (chatra), white like silver and with diameter equal to that of the human region (45,00,000 yojana long and as many broad). It is eight yojana thick in the middle and decreases towards the margins like that of a bowl kept upright. In the upper layer of rarefied air (tanuvātavalaya) of this Siddha kşetra reside the liberated pure souls, the Siddha, endowed with eight supreme qualities. The whole of the region below this abode of the pure souls is the region of transmigration, known as the samsāra, which is to be crossed with the aid of the Supreme Teacher.
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