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Chapter Thirteen
A PATH-WAY OF LIFE
The principles stated in the foregoing chapters are the bare outlines of The Path-way of Life which was preached by Arhats and now known as Jainism. It is wrong to call Jainism a religion. It is rather a way of thinking which shows a path of life, a life without tension, a life of positive thinking and attitude, a life of understanding, a life which is not a living death. Root Question
The question at the root of all questions is : whether we are living a life of realities, a life full of consciousness and intelligent awareness, or, we are aimlessly dragged on in this existence, always open to the push and pull of the outside for ces having no will of our own and hankering after one object to another in search of ever-eluding happiness? Whether we are the persons without personality, men without manliness, knowing nothing about our ownself, though pretending to know much about all that is not our own self? In our conceit, and in our ignorance, we may put aside these pertnent questions as mere philosophical flourishes, but if we have patience to delve deep into our day to day problems, and if we genuinely try to understand their root causes, we are bound to notice that inspite of our worldly success in gathering power and pelf, we seriously lack something which leaves in the deeper recesses of our sub-conscience, a streak of unhappiness and dissatisfaction- What is the cause of all these sufferings and discontentinents. We have always tried to find out their cause from outside us. We are always ready to blame others - some outside forces to explain our pleasures and paids - Jainism says this is our ignorance. It goes to the root of the problem and points out to us that we are our own friend and foe, and all
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