________________
104
Soul Science : Samayasara by Jain Acarya Kundakunda
Question: Does it mean that an enlightened (SamyagDrști)
householder never experiences any anxiety? Does it mean that he is not afraid of a tiger or a snake or fire...? Does an enlightened person (SamyagDrști) not take any measure to
avoid or minimize any danger? Answer: An enlightened (SamyagDrşti) householder as a person
may have anxiety and may try to protect his physical body from tiger, snake, fire, etc. He, as a person, may plan in advance to avoid or minimize the probable losses. However, he is called fearless or non-apprehensive on the basis of his conviction and firm knowing that in reality he is an eternal soul and as a soul neither he owns nor experiences the fear, anxiety, etc. In other words, an enlightened person is internally fearless but may have fear in his actions of body and mind, i.e., as a person he may have fear, but as a soul he
does not have any fear. Question: What is the advantage in saying that an enlightened
(SamyagDrști) person is fearless when he as a person may
have fear? Answer: In this treatise, specially, in this chapter, Ācārya
Kundakunda intends to explain the vision of an enlightened person (SamyagDrști) from the soul's point of view. An unenlightened (MithyāDrşti) may not have even an iota of such visualization that a person may be fearful but his soul may be fearless. A MithyāDrşti does not have such realization because he identifies himself with his body, mind, and their actions. But a SamyagDrști is well aware of his true identity which is beyond any fear, insecurity, sickness, death, etc. Thus there is a large difference between a MithyāDịşti and a SamyagDịşti. Besides the spiritual peace, this realization and awareness of one's true identity may also prove beneficial to the personality of the SamyagDrști.
