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acquiring this virtuous state, there can be no liberation. At the very simplest level, it means having an insight as well as conviction to recognize “truth as truth and untruth as untruth” regarding the soul and body and their true nature. Once the truth is known, the vision is clear and the conviction is there, other things start falling in place. Without its presence, scriptural knowledge remains merely the information in one's memory bank; neither does this knowledge nor conduct transform into the instruments of liberation. With rational faith, knowledge becomes rational knowledge. Once rational faith is obtained, one becomes clear about his goal or focus in life and then the right conduct falls in place and finally to liberation.
Mahavira said, "No one is more aware of the extent of his own ignorance than he himself. Everyone knows and thinks about the acute pains of birth, old age and death. Still none develops detachment from sensual pleasures. Oh! How severe is the kind of illusion. Illusion exterminates thousands of truths. As a cart man who intentionally leaves the smooth highway and gets on a rugged road, repents when the axle breaks, so the ignorant one, who transgresses the path of righteousness and embraces unrighteousness, repents at the time of his death over the broken axle of his life.”
Rational faith is devoid of fallacy and illusion. A right believer knows what is to be accomplished and what is to be relinquished. The person with wrong perception is not capable of self-restraint.
Right Knowledge: Mahavira said, “The vitiated mind is like a furious elephant, but can be controlled by the goad of knowledge. Just as a threaded needle does not get lost even when it falls on the ground, so a person endowed with sacred
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