Our Life In The Context of Five Anuvrat And Anekantwad

Author(s): Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: Jaibhikkhu Sahitya Trust

Page 4

Our life in the context of Five Anuvrats and Anekantwad
DEDICATED
TO
DR. DILIP MUKHATYAR
AND SMT. USHABEN MUKHATYAR
NEW YORK
"ज्ञानं शरणं मम्, दर्शना शरणारित्र शरणा तप संयमश्च शरणं, गवान शरणो म-वीर"
Albert Einstein remarked that the eternal mystery of the world is that it can be understood. True religion fastens to this element of being understood and creates a system of thought and action which leads to true harmony and bliss. And it is indeed so with Jainism.
Jainism is one of the oldest living religions of the world. The term Jaina means the devotee of Jinas (Spiritual Victors). Jinas are called so because they have won victory over passions of attachment, aversion, etc. that defile the soul. As a result, they have attained omniscience and supreme bliss. They are enlightened human teachers. They are also called Tirthankaras (Ford-makers). Here in the context, ford means tirthankara's words and teachings which help living beings to cross the ocean of misery or transmigratory existence. In every half-cycle of Time there flourish twenty-four Tirthankaras. The twenty-fourth Tirthankara of the present half-cycle of Time is Vardhamana, known as Mahavira.