________________
136
THE ART OF POSITIVE THINKING
person is bound by this principle of pleasure and pain. It is not easy to get rid of it. But it is certainly not impossible. There is a way out.
He who wants to be free from both pleasant and unpleasant sensations, should concentrate on Jyoti Kendra (The Centre of Enlightenment). This is an important and well-tried device. The individual who has concentrated on Jyoti Kendra, with white, red or other colours as directed, invariably finds himself free from anger, pride, love and hate. He triumphs over the passions. Concentration on Prana kendra (The Centre of Vitality) helps conquer negligence. Negligence leads to lack of enthusiasm, it deadens consciousness and renders it completely inactive. A panacea for all these ills is concentration on Prana Kendrit. The man who achieves mastery over Prana Kendra through concentrated attention, becomes free from negligence. His mind is peaceful and free from restlessness. For him the materialistic impulses lose their vigour. Only that remains which is essential for life.
A meditator does not deny himself the necessities of life, but he steers clear of all superfluities. Let each one of us closely examine our life to find how much useful work we accomplish and how much time we spend in futilities. Let alone our whole lifetime, or even a ycar, let us take each day as it comes and note precisely how much work of real utility is done, and how much of our activity is utterly useless. It would not be an exaggeration to say that about 70 to 80 per cent of an average person's time is spent in doing things which are quite unnecessary.
To practise meditation does not mean that one becomes inactive and indolent-rather it means freedom from all that is futile and unnecessary, so that one can devote oneself to that which is essential with all one's energy unimpaired; so that the work in hand is accomplished more efficiently and with greater finesse and each succeeding work with still greater skill. Freedom from the unnccessary and concentration on the necessary is the way to increasing dexterity. It is an indication of our proficiency, a sign of mental health.
The one important means of rooting out negligence and of achieving success is to concentrate one's attention on Prana Kendra (The Centre of Vitality) or Darshan Kendra (The Centre of Intuition).
There is still another problem--that of outward attraction, of temptation. Control of this is necessary and desirable. Attachment with material things must be counterbalanced with concern for inner development. What is required is a balanced approach, so that outward life proceeds smoothly without any inner turbulence. Man must not progress along a path which leads to certain destruction. An achievement which threatens to annihilate mankind itself, cannot be said to be good or desirable. The capacity to control
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
