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154
SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
equanimity only after erasing the sentimental relics of having been a monarch or a servanti
The monarch-turned monk was ridden of his ego His ex-servant was now his co-religious brother
Under the Lord's guidance the holy order was stamped with an absolute distinctionless unity A thousand beings resounded it in one voice The malady of ego that afflicated them was gone The principle can be represented thus:
'The liva (individual soul) has experienced high and low castes more than once in different incarnations Hence none is lower nor higher than another Once realizing this truth that the soul has passed through various vicissitudes of incarnations who would believe in casteism or put premium over his caste ?"
The Lord thus, sowed the seed of equanimity in the order, watered and tended it to see it bloom with leaves, flowers and fruit
The Lord generated an immense faith in the principle with the result that it was echoed the world over
Jayaghosh wandered alone his way to Varanası He learnt that Vijayaghosh was engaged in a sacrificial rite He visited the venue of the rites The disciples of Mahavira used to register their impatience with sacrificial sites regularly in a non-violent manner Even Brahmin monks were showing interest in the movement Jayaghosh was Brahmin by caste Vijayaghosh was also a Brahmin One was the master of the ceremonies and the other its virulent opponent One was a great propounder of casteism and the other its denouncer
Shramana and vedic are not two separate castes These are the twin branches of a single caste-tree The difference between them is not caste-oriented but principle-oriented Ksatriyas led the shramanic movement and Brahmins the Vedic And still a good number of Brahmins chose to merge
1 Ibid, 1/2/25 2 'Ayaro', 2/49, 50
