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592
The Unknown Pilgrims
They have called her: jaina kokilā, the Jaina cuckoo, on account of her melodious voice, the sincerity and convincingness of her words, which, like the cuckoo's song, have enchanted all hearts. Of what does Sadhvi Vicakşana spcak? Why do the crowds flock to hear her? The answer is simple: her language is direct, without pomposity or the slightest affectation; she goes straight to the essentials. It is her deep sincerity, her love for all living beings and the clarity with which she expresses herself that not only captivate all hearts, but transforms them, removing both barriers and prejudices and lessening or even completely obliterating all enmities. On reading her biography, one is struck by the way in which, simultaneously, she resembles a fresh breeze and a blazing fire. A fresh breeze, for in her presence one feels uplifted; a blazing fire, for her ardent words act like a purifying fire.
Sādhvi Vicakşaņa prcaches ahimsā, respect for all beings, an inner attitude which is expressed in concrete form by karunā, compassion and maitri, friendship. The words and expressions that occur frequently in the biography and which convey so well the living message of Sadhvi Vicaksana are: viśvamaitri, universal friendship; aikya, unity; samanvaya, universal harmony; samghathana, meeting, assembly, togetherness; hệdayaparivartana, change of heart, conversion. This clear-sighted sādhvi, thoroughly aware of the accumulation of dissensions, hypocrisy, and schisms that has come about in the name of the dharma, says both powerfully and persuasively: let us leave aside all sectarianism, all doctrinal quarrelling, all ill-will and let us live out the dharma in friendship with all. In a spontaneous way she leads her hearers back to the source, to the message of Mahāvira. She knows the Agamas very thoroughly and well knows how to extract their nectar and put it into present-day language, adapted to her audience.41 With the gift that she has of being present to cach person, she enjoys an immense popularity and is the object of true veneration. This, however, does not affect her in the least, she is nirgranthi, free from attachments.
She addresses herself first and foremost to the Jainas, so little united among themselves; when she arrives in some place, her presence constitutes a unifying factor between the several
41 Ibid., pp. 112-113.
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