Reflection on the Life of Mahavira

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Z_Anandrushi_Abhinandan_Granth_012013.pdf

Page 11

A Reflection on the Life of Tirthankara Mahavira
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in him as a result of purity of heart and practice of austerity. Many people think that knowledge and learning cannot be acquired without studying books. But the listening to the holy teachings is better than the study of books, the seeing of an object with one's own eyes is better than the hearing about it from some body.
Mahāvīra had purity of heart and he practised austerity to attain Kevalajñāna and Kevaladarśana. He saw the vision of the realities of the universe as a result of his austerity and meditation. He became the great Tirt hankara by attaining spiritual knowledge and power through austerity and meditation without studying books in his ascetic life. All Āgamas were bis teachings issued from his mouth. Many persons make long talk and say that they have performed all actions according to the sastras. But their mind is attached to the worldly objects, wealth, honour and physical pleasure. They are busy with there objects. One may teach them religion thousand times. If time is not ripe for them, there will not be any success in these efforts to reach them religion. Pandits and Spiritual Men. Just as the kites and the vultures soar high up in the sky, but their eyes are fixed on carcass (sava deva), just so the so-called pandits soar high up in the intellectual horizon, but their minds are set on Kāmini and Kancana. Only pendantry is unreal and useless similarly wealth, richness, honour and social position are also unreal and false. The words and teachings of those who are only pandits but have no faith in religion and paramātmā are confusing. Mahāvira was not like the so-called pandits, for he had spiritual realization of knowledge and power. So his holy teachings were clear and concise and easily comprehensible to the people. Classes of Men
There are two classes of men, viz. baddhajīvas (men in worldly bondage) and muktajivas (liberated men). The latter is not attached to any illusion nor to any worldly object. The ascetic who is born free because of the knowledge and consciousness attained in his previous birth has his spontaneous flow of devotion, detachment to worldly objects and divine love in him like a fountain suddenly opened up from its concealed state by a little effort. Mahāvīra attained Kevalajñāna and Kevaladarśana by observing austerity and meditation as he had some progress in the path of his spiritual knowledge and consciousness acquired in his previous birth.
Pilgrimage and Mahavira Mahāvīra never made pilgrimage for attaining punya (merit) like householder. He realized the truth that there was no need of going to the places of pilgrimage, if one acquired faith in his heart about reality i.e., paramātmā. At these places there existed the same trees with the same leaves as are found at other places. If one cannot attain bhakti (faith) by making pilgrimage, what is the utility of going there ? Faith is only real and essential element for spiritual knowledge and truth. Mahāvīra had samyag darśana (right attitude of mind or faith) which led him to samyagjñana (right knowledge) and samyag-caritra (right conduct).
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