________________
Aptavani-9
231
232
Aptavani-9
Which is harmful, lobh (greed) or lalacha
(covetousness or intense greed)?
Questioner: What makes one intensely greedy and covetous? Is it the mind?
Dadashri: It is the mind but it is one of the main attributes of the ego, is it not? Intense greed (alacha) of past life are expressed through the mind in this life, and because of the ego, one will continue to have on going lalacha (intense greed).
Questioner: Which kashayas (anger, pride, deceit and greed) does intense greed (alacha) fall under?
Dadashri: Lalacha is a raag kashaya i.e. it is a kashaya of attachment. When attachment and deceit (raag and kapat respectively) come together, they give rise to intense greed lalacha.
Questioner: Does it not come under illusion (moha) as well, Dada?
Dadashri: You can call it whatever you want, but intense greed (alacha) is different.
Questioner: Is deceit (kapat) like intense greed?
Dadashri: This is not even deceit (kapat). This is all intense greed. Even you would know how to deceive. This is intense greed. The main thing in intense greed (alacha) is greed (lobh).
Questioner: Does that greed (lobh) gradually change to intense greed (lalacha)?
Dadashri: No. Greed (lobh) arises only after intense greed (alacha) arises. There is no problem with being greedy (lobhi). At least a person with greed will win some day but not the person with intense greed (lalacha)
A man with intense (alacha) greed is worse than a man
with greed (obh). At least a greedy person will not let swindlers or con artists starve. Who will make the swindlers go hungry? Everyone except a man with greed (lobh). A person's greed is food for the con artist.
Questioner: Then what is the difference between a greedy man (obhi) and a man with intense greed (lalacha)?
Dadashri: A man with intense greed (alacha) will be tempted by anything that promises pleasure whereas a greedy man is greedy about only one thing, for example, his greed maybe only for money. He will have greed for anything that will help him get money. Whereas a man with intense greed (lalacha) will go after whatever he can. He will go for anything that will give him pleasure. When such a man gets upset, he will throw a tantrum (tragu). He will try to get what he wants by scaring people, he will make statements like, I will kill myself. I will commit suicide.
Questioner: What kind of intense greed (alacha) does he have that he would do that?
Dadashri: He wants pleasure out of something and when he is denied that pleasure, he throws tantrums like, 'I will do this...I will commit suicide.'
Questioner: Usually the intense greed is for sex, is it not? Dadashri: For sex as well as everything else.
Questioner: So does that include other things like pride or the need to be worshipped and respected, etc.?
Dadashri: Yes, that too. He will do the same if he is denied alcohol.
Questioner: Is the intense greed lalacha for the material thing itself or is it for the pleasure derived from those material things?
Dadashri: It is all about pleasure, it is not for the actual
