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sufferings or other beings have much more sufferings; compared with such conditions when someone has lesser sufferings we call him happy. Only in this context a person having lesser sufferings considers himself happy. In absolute terms he is not happy. The degree of misery does not always remain low. With passage of time it increases. For example someone is suffering from high fever. His body temperature is as high as 105 degrees. At that time he is in great pain. When the fever comes down to 102 degrees the pain is reduced. He considers him-self well. People also say that he is well. But as long he has fever he is not well. In the same way a worldly being suffers from mental stress due to intensity of fondness. Sometime it is more and sometime it is less. When the stress is less, he considers him-self to be happy. People also call him happy. But as long as the stress is there he is not happy. Stress is caused by fondness and misery is caused by stress. A being considers reduction in stress to be happiness and increase in stress to be sorrow. This increase or decrease in stress is not due to any outside thing, it is due to increase and decrease in passions. For example if someone has little wealth but he is contented, he suffers from lesser mental stress. Someone has enormous wealth but he still hankers for more, he suffers from more mental stress.
Living is also an art. To spend life somehow is not living. To fill joy in life is an art. Only that individual who understands and believes that he is a sentient soul knows this art. The body and other such coincidental outer things as well as passions and other such illusive feelings neither belong to him nor are attributes of his true form. He does not seek happiness in material things, he seeks happiness within his soul. He only gets true happiness. His inner agitation and miseries are removed.
MY PRESENT STATE
I am not aware of this secret of life. If I am aware I have not absorbed it. If I have absorbed it I have not moulded my life accordingly. Since time immemorial I continue to hear about things that enhance my desires for carnal and sensual pleasures and attachment. Other than that I have never tried to know about things that enhance the bliss of my soul. I have been considering mundane enjoyments to be bliss. I have yet to come out of that state. Even today I believe that material things give me pleasure. Therefore, I remain
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Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
| SR No. | 001605 |
| Book Title | Introduction to Jainism and its Culture |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Balbhadra Jain |
| Publisher | Kundkund Gyanpith Indore |
| Publication Year | 2002 |
| Total Pages | 334 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English, Religion, & Culture |
| File Size | 21 MB |