Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 1

Author(s): Nathmal Tatia
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 222

THE ROOT OF RELIGION : INTUTION AND REASONING
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of God was more and more spiritualized. Fear of punishment was tempered with feelings of love, confidence and personal intimacy. With the establishment of prosperity and growth of power for self-defence and national security, satisfaction of temporal wants and achievement of worldly success were regarded as things of inferior value. The philosophers and wise men wanted the fulfilment of higher values. They wanted to transcend their spiritual limitations. And contemplation of the divine mystery was resorted to as the means to higher realization. Man's ambition was not satisfied with the acquisition of temporal prosperity which only satisfies the animal needs. It came to be realized that eternal good and absolute freedom from all limitations were to be achieved. For this a life of contemplation and meditation on the inner mysteries of the spirit was adopted by aspiring men and women. The flesh is after all subject to decay and death and the superiority of spirit over the flesh was realiz ed. No finite power or glory could satisfy the spiritual aspirant. All finite achievements are fraught with misery. These men wanted to be immortal and free from all limitations. The physical passions and weaknesses were to be subdued as the preliminary step to higher life.
The quest of the infinite came to be the ruling passion. All temporal goods, plenty of food, drink, youthful vigour, physical strength were found to be inadequate. These aspiring souls forsook wordly life. The comforts of family, the security of national power and possession of abundant material prosperity were weighed in the balance and found tole wanting in their power to secure the highest value which was not subject to decay and death, wax and wane. Worldly prosperity, powers of arms and ammunition, military superiority are not eternal values and cannot give permanent satisfaction. They are subject to growth and decay. The paths of glory lead but to the grave. Life that is immortal, full in every dimension beyond the ravages of time, perfect security, serenity and plenum of bliss--that is the summum bonum, than which nothing can be greater or higher. This state of infinite perfection is called Mok sa, emancipation from all bonds and limits. The Nirvana is only another name of this highest state. We do not want to enter into the controversy whether this highest condition is positive life or mere negation of suffering. Fits of swoon, epileptic fits and the coma induced by narcotic drugs are free from the visitation of pain. If Nurvāņa or Mokşa were an eternal sleep and a never ending coma, it would not be a covetable state. Buddhagosa in his Visuddhimagga quotes passages from the Pali canon to show that Nirvana is a positive state of bliss in