________________
many. As such in a majority of cases more wealth can be accumulated by much immorality only. This is the first aspect.
Enjoyment, Selfishness and Disproportion :
Secondly, acquisition of more wealth directiy stimulates the voluptuousness of a man-more luxuriousness, more selfishness and as much selfishness, that much complexity of unevenness. This is a natural process.
As a matter of fact one who is more noble charactered, should also be more powerful in a society, but where the greed of wealth is let loose un-bridled, there the measure-rod becomes, one who is more wealthy is more powerful, one who is more wealthy, he is also more respectable. The poison-tree of heterogeniousness bursts forth from this very measure-rod.
When instead of merit, wealth is reckoned as the source of strength and respect, then in the worldly life all people run after wealth with a strong meum. Such evaluations by the society deflects a man to a wrong direction. Then enjoyment becomes his God and selfishness his revered deity-how can then his discretion get out of these peripheries and how can he adopt the salubrious values of Equanimity? When discretion slumbers, the decisive faculty does not obtrude. Where there is no decision, there is no guidance to life. The world of reasoning then begins to wane. In lack of direction and absence of salubrious thinking, disharmony will prevail every where.
3. That custom, usage, convention, tradition which is held in high esteem by the society.
Jain Education International
14
For Private & Personal Use Only
(Samta Jiwan p. 23)
www.jainelibrary.org
