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A Path-way of Life
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great souls like Sri Rama, Sri Kșşpa and King Janaka who were engaged in worldly activities all through their lives. Thus "Nivștti' in the midst of 'Pravịtti’ is found to be the key to the spiritual progress.
Then the question is how this is possible? The argument would be that Tirthankaras and the personalities like Rama, Krşpa or Janaka were divine, and, as some say, they were 'Avataras' and hence could adopt the attitude of 'Nivịtti' in the midst of ‘Pravștti'. It would, however, be difficult, one would argue, for lay persons like us to develop such an attitude of non-attachment while performing our worldly activities.
Jaina thinkers say that any such argument suffers from two basic misconceptions about the theory of Divine descent and the ultimate power and capacity of each soul to achieve the highest. We have seen in the foregoing chapters how and why the Jaina doctrine summarily and positively rejects the theory of Divine descent. According to it all Tirthakaras and other great souls like Sri Rama, Kșspa and Janaka were human beings and achieved god-hood by their own exertions spread through many lives. The concept of attributing godhood through Divine descent is greatly harmful to spiritual development of every soul because that does not inspire a layman to develop his own latent capacity to achieve god-hood. From this misconception of Divine Descent', the second mis, conception about the capacity of every soul to achieve the highest is generated and prevents the soul from making further progress. The Jaina thinkers, therefore, repeatedly emphasize, the idea that each soul has the potentiality to develop godhood which Mahāvīra and others obtained. What is necessary is to realize that God-hood is not the monopoly of a few chosen individuals and it can be achieved by proper faith, knowledge and action called 'Samyag Darsana, Samyag Jñana and Samyag Cáritra' (vide Chapter 'Journey to Freedom'). Once a soul realizes and is convinced that out of the duality of Jiva and Ajiva, it is Jiva which is eternal, permapent and worti pursuing, it starts treading the path of 'Sam
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