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IMMORTALITY AND JOY
129 and courage to defy such powerful foes as sickness and death, that enable it to attain to unsurpassed splendour, in short, that turn puny, miserable mortals into omniscient blissful Gods, the object of worship and adoration for all times to come ? As said in the Ratna Karanda Śrāva kāchāra :
“Those whose hearts have been purified by Right Faith become the Lords of Splendour, Energy, Wisdom, Prowess, Fame, Wealth, Victory and Greatness; they are born in high families, and possess the ability to realise the highest ideals of Life; they are the best of men!
"Those who are endowed with Right Faith are born in the Heaven-world, where they become the devotees of Lord Jinendra, and endowed with eight kinds of miraculous powers and splendour, enjoy themselves for long millenniums in the company of devas' and devanganas ! 2
“By virtue of Right Faith men acquire the supreme Status of a Tirthamkara, the Master who knows all things well, whose feet are worshipped by the Rulers of devas, Lords of asuras and kings of men as well as by holy saints, who is the Support of Dharma,' and the protector of all living beings in the three worlds !
"They who take refuge in Right Faith finally attain to the Supreme Seat, i.e., moksha, which is free from old age, disease, destruction, decrease, grief, fear and doubt, and implies unqualified perfection in respect of wisdom and Bliss, and freedom from all kinds of impurities of karma !
“The bhavya who follows the creed of the Holy Tirthamkaras acquires the immeasurable glory of deva-life and the discus of a chakravartis before whom kings and rulers of men prostrate themselves, and attaining to supremely worshipful status of Godhood finally also reaches nirvana."
Sri Jaina Dharma ki jai.
1 Male residents of heavens. ? Wives of devas. S Religion. Salvation.
5 He who possesses the realizable potentiality of Godhood. One of the twelve great emperors of the cycle.
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