________________
118
THE WAY OF LIFE
extremely rich. Your sons have taken the best rooms in this hotel but you......!”
“What you say is right! Those young men live in a splendid style because their father is a multi-millionaire but my father was a poor man. I do not want to waste money"
The Manager was tongue-tied.
The great industrialist and multi-millionaire, Rockfeller did not like to waste money. If you can learn a lesson from his example there will be a great reformation in your life.
This matter is related to the Arthapurushürtha. Those men who do not waste their money but who spend it for noble causes can give a proper place to the Kamapurushartha and the Arthapurushartha in their life.
ATTACHMENT AND PURUSHARTHA ARE DIFFERENT
The great Acharya who has written a commentary on Dharmabindu says that men should not have excessive passion. Excessive sensual desires bring about ruin in the life of a man. A man should exercise restraint on his sensual desires at least to the extent of seeking a gratification of his sensual desires only from the company of his wife and should not become infatuated with other women. You should not be excessively passionate even in respect of your wife.
When excessively passionate men develop intimacy with prostitutes or with other women they suffer loss and misery financially, physically and socially. Their wealth will be destroyed. Their health will also be destroyed and their prestige in society suffers. Dharma will have no place in their lives. Their minds are full of thoughts relating to sensual pleasures. How can there be Dharma in such minds ?
From the Audience : We see even excessively passionate people visiting temples; and they also carry out some spiritual activities,
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org