Acharya Tulsi
George Bernard Shaw said, "Greatness is recognized after two centuries." This has proved to be literally true of Acharya Bhikshu. The life and thought of Acharya Bhikshu are becoming manifest today, but in his own day, these were not similarly appreciated. The way he met the challenges confronting him and reached his destination, makes a thrilling story. The very memory of it gives us an inkling of the height of his achievement. He was such a great man that for the fulfilment of a lofty programme, he shut involved in the mad pursuit of power and position, would never be able to advance along the highway of truth. He discovered that certain human weaknesses overpowered a man's mind even without his knowing. Had their entry been aggressively affected, a man might have been roused to confront them. But these imperfections come like a mother's lullaby to insidiously put him to sleep. The man whose discretion grows torpid, cannot think clearly and he can never use his capabilities in a planned manner.
The example of an organisations strength presented by AcharyaBhikshu is unique indeed. At the time of its founding, the membership of his religious organisation was very small. Today, its membership, surpassing hundreds and thousands, runs into lakhs. Despite an interval of 225 years, the extension of membership extraordinary changes occurring in the country in the course of time, its relevance had remind unaffected what far sighted intelligence this great thinker was endowed with:
AcharyaBhikshu was a highly preceptive person. After having entered monkhood, his wakefulness increased day Thanks to it, he had a new vision at Rajnagar. At the cenotaph of Jet Singhji in Bagri, he achieved total freedom from fear. At Kailwan under the darkened caves, he had a rare glimpse of truth and it was there that he experienced within him the rising of a new sun, the light whereof is spreading today in all directions. Ln that transcendent light, all those who are eager to reach a definite goal with the help of religion or spirituality, have sought their path.
Before Acharya Bhikshu lay waving the vast ocean of Agama knowledge. At the bottom of that ocean lay scattered the pearls of truth. It required extraordinary courage, hard labour and patience to collect those pearls. AcharyaBhikshu started his pilgrimage courageously, lighted the lamp of industriousness and did not lose patience in the midst of endless ebb and flow. The pearls and gems he procured in the course of his deep study of the Agamas formed the trust of the Terapanth Dharam Sangh.
There are many who talk of revolution, but to pass through the process of bringing about a revolution is not easy. Even those receptive to new ideas, shut the windows of their brains as soon as a rough breath fills them with agitation. Acharya Bhikshu did not raise any banner, to be called a revolutionary. An inner restlessness took hold of him and became manifest. lt was that unquiet within which later assumed the shape of Terapanth-that Terapanth which today is identified by the intelligentsia of the country as the soul of Jainism.
Terapanth is a religious institution. An institution is a source of strength; it gives strength to those who place their trust in it. Terapanth is a religious organisation. An organisation is a symbolof power. This power is not the power of law or any penal it flows from the purity of thought and conduct. That purity of thought and conduct is indeed the very basis of the organisation. What strengthens this basis all the more is discipline. Discipline is the test, as well as the hallmark of forceful leadership. The discipline established byAcharyaBhikshu for the smooth functioning of the Sangh has been a big factor behind its remarkable homogeneity and development.
No institution or organisation can work effectively without discipline. The well—disciplined Terapanth Dharam Sangh today is capable of providing spiritual guidance to the whole of humanity. And the sower of the seed of this capability is none other than our revered Acharya Bhikshu. Venturing out of the deep valleys of philosophy, he evaluated truth on the solid ground of conduct. To dispel the gloom enveloping the path If life, he became a light unto himself. He was ever vigilant about the necessity of realizing in actual life the truth of character embodied in the scriptures. That is why he succeeded in making religion relevant by preserving its pristine glory.
