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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
Cārvākism
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
and severity of life and development of universal benevolence and love, the materialists proclaim the doctrine of uncontrolled energy, self-assertion and reckless disregard of all authority....Moral rules are conventions of men."1
Ibid. p. 4.
Ibid. p. 4.
109
Thus, they openly preached that one should enjoy wherever and whenever possible. The only happiness that one ought to pursue is that which is derived from the embraces of women and the highest suffering is like that which one gets from thorn-pricking.2 Nevertheless they were not blind to the fact that happiness can never be had in the purest form; happiness is always mixed with pain. They preached the enjoyment of pleasure by avoiding pain as far as possible. They plainly say "It is the part of wisdom to enjoy the pure pleasure as far as we can, and leave aside the pain which inevitably accompanies it. It is not therefore for us, through a fear of pain, to reject the pleasures which our nature instinctively recognises as congenial."3 Thus they advocated the pursuit of pleasure at any cost. Although pleasure does not exist unmixed with pain, yet one should try to derive as much pleasure as possible by wisely keeping off pain and suffering. According to them if one abandons pleasure that one comes across simply for the fear of pain following it, one may be regarded as silly as a beast. From all these passages it be
1 Radhakrishnan S.: Indian Philosophy, Vol. I, pp. 281-82. 2 Sarvadars'anasangraha, p. 6.
For Private And Personal
| SR No. | 020053 |
| Book Title | tman_and_moksa |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | G N Joshi |
| Publisher | Gujarat University |
| Publication Year | 1965 |
| Total Pages | 901 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 12 MB |