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not differ in their nature of spiritual experience. These two tendencies of the perfected mystics or Arahantas may be compared with the 'activistic' and 'quietistic' tendencies of the mystics. Therefore, the attainment of Siddhahood without passing through the stage of Tīrthankaraship has been conceived to be a possibility. Thus the life of Activism in the sense of Tīrthankara, according to Jainism, can not be the universal rule of life.
The Isopanisad tells us that “a man should try to spend his life-span of a hundred years only in the constant performance of actions. It is thus only that he can hope not to be contaminated by actions."" Prof. Ranade remarks, “The actions that are here implied have no further range than possibly the small circumference of 'Sacrifice', and further, the way in which, even in the midst of a life of action, freedom contagion with the fruit of action may be secured is not here brought out with sufficient clearness."" According to the Bhagavad-Gitā, Karma-Yoga or the life of activism constitutes the supreme end to be aimed at. It is no doubt true that we can find passages in the Gītā where Jñana is superior to Karma, where Karma is superior to Jñāna, and where they are at par. But "the law of the body, the law of society and the law of the Universe indicate and even vindicate activism." "The Niskāma Karma is the natural accompaniment or result of a spiritually illumined life; it simply cannot exit, if egoism is not completely annihilated."57
AGENCY OF TRANSCENDENTAL BHĀVAS AS THE HIGHEST GOOD: Eighthly, Kundakunda, the prominent exponent of Jaina spiritualism, has bequeathed to us the philosophy of the doer and the deed. He proclaims that in
Spiritual Awakening (Samyagdarśana) and Other Essays
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