Silent Soil

Author(s): Vidyasagar Acharya
Publisher: Bhagwan Rishabhdev Granthmala

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nimittas, whether they are active or passive. This necessary relation of upadana and nimitta makes the collective presence of six dravyas (substances) a universe. In its absence it will be merely a meaningless jumble of unrelated entities. The upadana's ability to get transformed in the definite shape is basic. In its absеrise the nimitta is in itself helpless. This the potter in the epic shows us by seiving the soil and remove out the stone pieces. The stones pieces are hybroid and can not be given the pitcher shape.
This has been apparently a talk of the nonconscious material world. Soil is an uncounscious being. How does it apply to man, a conscious being ? Putting the clay lump on the disc, giving it the pitcher shape, heating it in the Kiln etc., will definitely turn it into a pitcher in the absence of adverse conditions like the falling of rains, hailstones etc. But in case of man, over and above all the external phenomena, his interest , faith, mental absorpton is a 'must'. In its absence one may return empty handed as did Marici from the Samavasarana of Lord Rishabh Dev. And, in the presence of interest, mental absorption the same Jiva in the paryaya of lion got enlightened by the preachings of carana munis and left hunting, meet eating and took fast unto death. The answer to the above question of applicabilty of the relation of upadana and nimitta causes to man gives this story of Marichi. As Marichi he was over mixed with hybrid element of dense Mithyatva (false faith) so he did not tread the right path. As Lion, he had got much rid of it and become 'soil' proper for the preaching of munis.
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