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Jainism in a Global Perspective
have wasted valuable energy, which she could instead have used more constructively elsewhere.
Had the girl not obtained the watch, she would have been filled with envy towards the friend with the gold watch, perhaps at the cost of breaking their friendship.
Both anger and jealousy arise from attachment - Rāga. Try to conquer them with detachment. Jainism does not preach that one should not wear good clothes or gold watches. There is nothing wrong with wanting such things. But make sure that you can control your wishes. Do not let your desires control you. If you do obtain the items, then be content. However, if for some reason you are not able to get them, then still be satisfied with what you have. Such detachment will spare your body and soul from selfconsumption, and the disastrous consequences of the burning fire of jealousy and Krodha (Anger).
Finally Māna (ego/pride)
After obtaining the gold watch, the girl may be overcome by a sense of ego to such an extent that she may feel that teenagers without gold watches are simply not worth associating with, and hence sever allties with non-gold-watch-wearers. Yet pride comes before a fall. The gold watch may be stolen, then will the girls see herself as a lessar being without a gold watch? Overcome this nonsense egoism. It leads to nothing but hatred and conflict. Make it your mission in life to spread compassion and peace. Humility is the best means of achieving this.
The example I have given above is neither trivial nor far-fetched. The teenager represents most of us, lost in a world of glittering and yet false objects, forever trying to seek happiness, but never really succeding. Knowledge teaches us to learn to recognise the "new clothes" and "gold watches" of the world, and to live a life of detachment and free from illusion, and ultimately realise that what we are seeking can be found within ourselves.
Hence, know that only by overcoming these internal enemies of Rāga-Dveșa, Krodha, Lobha, Mānaand Māyāwe can be liberated from the cycles of pain and pleasure, and attain Mokșa, and everlasting happiness. This knowledge is germane to what our aim should be.
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