Book Title: Samkit Faith Practice Liberation
Author(s): Amit B Bhansali
Publisher: Amit B Bhansali

View full book text
Previous | Next

Page 71
________________ Those texts, which correctly inculcate the true dharma in people whose hearts are overflowing with attachment and aversion and save them from grief are called true shaastras by the wise ones. True shaastras are directly connected to the soul. Their chief function is to help the soul attain eternal perception, eternal knowledge, eternal conduct, eternal power and eternal bliss. They do this by helping the soul rid itself of the veil of ignorance and delusion that impedes its eternal qualities. "Saasijjai tena tahim vaa neyamaayaa va to sattham.” ~ Visheshaavashyaka Bhaasya, Verse 1.1384 (Page 492, Author: Aachaarya Jinabhadraagani Kshamashramana, Publisher: Bhadrankar Prakaashan, (shahibaug) Ahemdabad 3rd edition, year V.S.2053) The text, which helps the soul follow enlightened conduct and realise its true nature is known as a shaastra. “Jam socchaa padivajjanti tavam khantimahisayam.” -Uttaraadhyayana Suutra; Verse 1.3.8 (Page 71, Author: Lilambai Mahasatiji, Publisher: Gurupraana Foundation, (Parasdham, Ghatakopar) Mumbai, year 2009) Shaastra is that text, upon hearing, which enlightens the seeker's soul and helps him immerse himself in penance, equanimity and non-violence. The question that arises before the seeker is that there are many texts in the world. Even within the Jain religion, there are two streams - the Digambara and the Shvetambara. Which texts may be considered Authoritative? This conundrum was bound to occur in the fifth cosmological period of time as per Jainism (5th aaraa). This is why the omniscient Lord Mahavira said: "Whether a shaastra is true or not depends on one's own perception. If the seeker looks inwards and has discriminative knowledge and sound intuitive judgement, any text in the world shall serve his needs adequately. But if the seeker is adamant and immature, deluded, desires sensuous gratification, is selfish and full of attachment and aversion, even the best and most enlightened of shaastras become false scriptures for him." - Samyagdharshana; (Page 274, Author: Ashokmuni, Publisher: Diwaakarjyoti Karyaalaya, Byaawar (Rajasthan), year 1981) In essence, whichever shaastra you have faith in, you have to develop firm conviction in it with the help of discriminative knowledge and intuitive wisdom. Do not let passions, biases, delusion and blind faith cloud your vision whilst choosing the right text. Do not consider what is yours to be right

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447