Book Title: Rishabhdev Founder of Jainism
Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: Indian Press

View full book text
Previous | Next

Page 206
________________ NIRVANA 177 which they may enjoy but for the short-comings of others! And unless we accord them perpetual life in the flesh which no religion really ever preached, they would also be subjecting themselves to repeated births and deaths from which they sought to escape! The Soul that attains to nirvana cannot be accused of selfishness by any means. Before crossing over to the other shore the Saved Ones impart the True Doctrine to their immediate disciples and followers and to all who care to hear it, and these, in their turn, hand it down to others, thus keeping the torch burning, from age to age, so far as it is possible to do so. Their example is even more forceful than their word, since imagination is readily fired by the one and not so much by the other. When entering - nirvāna the Deified Man leaves three priceless things behind Him for the eternal benefit of those who seek the Way Out. These are : His great Example, His Worshipful Footprints, and His Teaching, which should really suffice for the enlightenment of all who are sincerely moved by a desire to understand themselves and to escape from Death's Domain. If the counter-theory were true, and men did not enter nirvāna because it would be selfish to do so, no one could have obtained salvation thus far, so that nirvāna itself r. 12

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219