________________
201
therefore, bis preaching must be re r Utsätra mitrita, mixed up with a wrong belief. But bis contention is inappropriate. Because, there is no fixed rule that persons preaching a wrong belief have necessarily an endless wandering in this world. Besides, according to Śrt Bhagavati Sūtra and other standard works, even the great heretic rites Jamāli, who was the chief propagator of a wrong belief, had a limited number of future existences. Also just as the poisonous effeot of food mixed with a poison is not lost, in the same manner, the injurious effect of Mario's preaching of a false belief does not disappear, even if we were to call his preaching as JETTA FT Utsūtra misrita, a mixture of a false belief. But, let it be remembered that
मनः एव मनुष्याणां कारण बन्धमोक्षयोः Manaḥ dva manusyāņām kāraṇam bandha-moksagon
Mind alone, is the cause of bondage of Karmas, and of freedom from them, among human beings.
Meritorious deeds are rewarded with freedom from evil Karmas, while wicked actions are fottered with evil Karmas for numerous future lives.
The preaching of a wrong belief is disastrous not only to the person propagating it, but to persons to king advantage of it, and it is equally disastrous to numerous other persons who are acting according to it.
Preachers should always look to the spiritual advancement of the people, and they should sorupulously avoid preaching against the prescribed tenets of any religion and also against the teachings of the Tirthańkaras.
A spirit of toleration and mutual belp will win numerous adherents if the underlying principles are sound. Do not believe in what-ever I say because it is traditional. Do not believe in
26
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org