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This concept is prevalent in the collection of Gadasthi and in the beginning-acceptance, but it is not prevalent in the virtuous acts of non-violence, etc., which are conducive to happiness, and in the non-beginning. Therefore, two well-known examples have been presented here - (1) If someone has scabies, they feel a sweet itch, so they scratch the scabies, but as a result, they get inflammation, and the wound burns. (2) If a person has worms, they believe that they will be removed by non-treatment - roasting, etc., but doing so increases the disease.
Why is it that a living being, tormented by countless physical and mental sufferings, despite wanting to get rid of those sufferings in many ways, cannot be freed from them? This question arises for many living beings, but its true solution is only attained by a few rare living beings. Until the root cause of suffering is truly known, no matter how much effort is made to avoid it, suffering cannot be destroyed. And no matter how much aversion, unpleasantness, and lack there is towards suffering, one has to experience it.
It is well known that all living beings are averse to suffering, unpleasant, and favorable to happiness and pleasant. All living beings strive to be free from suffering and to attain happiness. Despite the efforts of all living beings, it is evident that they experience suffering. Sometimes, some living beings seem to attain some portion of happiness, but due to the abundance of suffering, it is seen. "Etc. - Shrimad Rajchandra, Letter No. 694 (755)
Thus, due to the inversion, there is no awareness of the true nature of happiness and suffering, and therefore, the living being who is attached to the cycle of birth and death has an inverted activity. There is wrong conduct. Explaining the same meaning, it is said -
Just as those who scratch, their minds are on removing the scabies.
So also, in the case of these beings, there is no examination of their desires in the objects of enjoyment. || 81 ||
Explanation - There was a patient who scratched scabies. Due to excessive scratching, his nails were worn out. Then, due to living in sandy land, he could not find a piece of wood to scratch with. He saw a Vaidya (physician) traveler who had taken grass and straw with him, along with his begging bowl, etc. He asked him for a piece of grass, and he gave it to him. So he was very satisfied and started to think - Oh! This is truly blessed! Who has so many tools for scratching? Then he asked him - Friend, where do you get all these? He said - In the Lat country, etc. What is its use? He said - To remove the itch of scabies (by scratching). The traveler - If that is the case, what is the use of this? I will remove your scabies in seven nights. You take Triphala and...