Tirthankar Mahavir and His Sarvodaya Tirth

Author(s): Hukamchand Bharilla, K C Lalwani
Publisher: Kundkund Kahan Digambar Jain Trust

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TIRTHANKARA MAHAVIRA AND HIS SARVODAYA TIRTHA
consciousness which it is 31
The doctrine of the soul is highly interesting In not knowing it, in not identifying with it, the soul remains an external soul in knowing it, in identifying with it, it becomes the internal soul When it is concentrated in self, in its purity, when it is absorbed in it, all the disturbing factors come to an end and the infinite, blissful state of liberation unfolds itself 32
The Doctrine of Non-soul (Matter)
Devoid of knowledge and faith and distinct from the soul is non-soul or matter, but since matter is linked up with the soul all the while, it is necessary to be very careful to understand it
Anything which does not have a soul is non-soul, eg, a table, a chair, a pen, ink, etc, but when matter is in touch with a soul, it is very often called a soul, eg, an elephant, a horse, a cow, a man Although in different species, they are a union of soul and matter. From the standpoint of the science of differentiation, the body of an elephant, a horse, a cow or a man, their touch, taste, smell and colour being made of matter is non-soul and the in-mate of that body which is in the nature of knowledge and faith is the soul It is virtually ignorance to consider the body and soul to be one; and to know the difference between the two is the right knowledge
On account of the ignorance of the difference between the body and the soul, the birth of the external soul or the body is taken to be one's own birth and the annihilation of the body is taken to be one's own death To acquire the right knowledge about the soul and non-soul, it is essential to know the difference between the two, to consider the soul as distinct from the body to be oneself, to lose the sense of ownership of the body, and to have a feel about the soul
31 atah suddhanayattam pratyagjyotiścakästi tat
navatattvagat at vepı yadekatvam na muncatı--Samayasara, Kalaša, 7 32 ahamikko khalu suddho nunmamao nānadansanasamaggo
tamhu thio taccitto savve ee khayam nem-Samayasara, Gatha, 73