$JES 401 Jain Philosophy and Practice 2 Level 4 Book

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 95

Contemplate: "I want to be a straightforward person and be free from all deceitful activities"
Summary
For young children, it is natural to be straightforward. Older people should try to be like them. Do what you say and say what you think. Deceitful approaches put life in more misery. Straightforwardness brings immense peace and success in every area (social, intellectual, professional, academic, mental, and spiritual). It is a quality of the soul. Straightforwardness stops the influx of Karma and accelerates the process of Nirjarä (shedding of Karma).
Santosh (Contentment)
The state of being content is called contentment. Contentment also means freedom from discontent. To be content means to limit or free one's own self from requirements and desires. Contentment is a pure state of satisfaction. Contentment is the very basic nature of the Ätmä (soul).
The opposite of contentment is greed. Therefore, becoming greedy is unnatural. Greed is the lust for wanting more. The more you get, the more you want. A greedy person is never satisfied with whatever he has. Other manifestations of greed are selfishness, miserliness, and stinginess.
Greed is due to being unaware that the self and non-self are different. Greed is not restricted to the lust for wealth; one can be greedy for any non-spiritual object, such as the body, beauty, power, fame, name, use, reuse, pleasures for the five senses, etc.
Greediness is a prison; it is bondage. Greed is at the root of all miseries and all sins. Greed is the father of all sins. Because of greed, we become deceitful, egoistic, and angry. A famous Indian saint, Kabir, has said, "Because of passions, anger, and greed, human beings drown without water."
Quotes from Scriptures
Quotes from Dasha-vaikälika Sutra
⚫ Anger (Krodha), pride (Mäna), deceit (Mäyä), and greed (Lobha) add to demerit (Päp). He, who is desirous of his own well-being, should completely give up these four passions. (8-36)
Anger spoils good relations, pride destroys humility, and deceit is detrimental to friendship, while greed destroys everything. (8-37)
One should suppress anger by tranquility. Pride should be replaced by humility. Deceit should be avoided through straightforwardness. One should overcome greed through contentment. (838)
If anger and pride are not controlled, and if deceit and greed are allowed to increase, then these four evil passions serve to water the roots of the tree of transmigration (Samsär, cycle of birth and death). (8-39)
Quotes from Uttarädhyayan Sutra
• Anger causes the degradation of the soul. Pride leads to a low state of existence. Deceit is an impediment to progress towards a better state of existence. Greed spoils both present and the future lives. (9-54)
Knowing that greed has no bounds - all the rice and barley of the entire earth, all the stocks of gold and all the cattle of the earth are not sufficient to satisfy the desires of a single individual; the wise should practice austerities. (9-49)
Greed always increases with possessions. The more we get, the more we want. In the beginning, we desire little wealth and think that it will be sufficient for our needs. On acquiring it, we think that even millions will not be sufficient for our needs. (8-17)
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