What is Jainism

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: Champat Rai Jain

Page 55

JAINISM WILL STOP WARS
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Origen amongst the early Christian Fathers spares no pains to explain the doctrine, so far as it was understood by him. He says (see Vol. I, pp. 82-3):--
"The mental acumen of those who are in the body seems to be blunted by the nature of corporeal matter. If, however, they are out of the body then they will altogether escape the annoyance arising from a disturbance of this kind ... at last by the gradual disappearance of the material nature, death is both swallowed up and even at the end exterminated, and all its sting completely blunted by the divine grace which the soul has been rendered capable of receiving, and has thus deserved to obtain incorruptibility and immortality ... It follows that we must believe our condition at some future time to be incorporeal ... and thus it appears that then also the need of bodies will cease ... The whole nature of bodily things will be dissolved into nothing."
I do not think any further comment is necessary by me now as these passages are quite intelligible and plain in themselves.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the substance of the address that it has been my privilege to deliver before you today. It has not, of course, been possible for me, on account of the limited time at my disposal, to give you a deeper insight into the metaphysics of the Science of Life, as Religion undoubtedly deserves to be called, but I should like to add that there are happily now available works which throw adequate light on most of the difficult problems concerning the future destiny of a living being, and I should fail in my purpose if I did not urge you to study them for the obtainment of what the external world never can grant to the soul that is athirst for happiness and peace. And let me add that if you want your own good, you must be prepared to do good to the whole of the human race, and to the entire community of living beings as far as that lies in your power. In this way alone you can have peace in your mind, peace in your household, peace in your community and peace in the world. Let the blessed Gospel of Mercy and Love, consisting of three in the sweetest of words-Ahimsi Paramo Dharmâh (non-injuring is the highest religion)--enlighten and gladden every heart all over the world!