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Philosophy of Ācārānga Sütrá
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exploiter and plunderer, takes uncalculated risks and feels uneasy. He grows full of deceit and greed and thereby enmity for himself. One has to face troubles before and after a sex event, (for) company with women results in friction. Death may separate him from sense-pleasures for an untold length of period; more so a person is under an illusion, he is unaware that even fulfilment of his wishes may not result in happiness. Besides these, the sense-objects are the basic cause for wandering in this world a man involved in them accumulates a heap of karmas which consequence in the cycle of births and deaths, grief, hell etc. Thus, one who looks for pleasure in these sense objects ultimately get unhappiness and miseries only due to his own mistaken acts.
B4. One who knows the true nature of these sense-objects knows the Self, Vedas, religion, Brahman; and being enlightened comes to know this universe with his super intellect and is called a 'Muni' (a candidate for nirvāna) and that master of religion with sterling transparence recognises them as the root cause of roaming in the world.
B5. Doubtless, it is difficult to win over these senses but realising the futility of sense-pleasures, people with right understanding conquer them, reach a higher stage which lies beyond them, cross the worldly bondage and free themselves from the transmigratory cycle. Whether agreeable or not, it makes no difference to them; rather they have no preferences left and bear with all types of smell etc. While eating, they do not even change jaw sides for the sake of tongue or the taste. As the case of sexual pleasure is most disastrous, a wise man should avoid woman as of no use; and to overcome this urge one should reduce his diet or stand right up on the top, change his abode and even fast but never allow himself to be subdued by this passion. He denies the consumption of pleasant things though coming in the routine and forbids in advance the non-user thereof. Once having given up the use of attractive items, one should never go back to them ( it is something like licking the spit ) and should not even recollect those past incidents when he had enjoyed worldly pleasures. Knowing the true nature of disease, body and death, a Muni, when sick or weak, does not show any eagerness for treatment and avoids the remedial measures involving violence.
B6. This world is full of troubles; miseries of birth, old age and of 16 types of diseases; torturing by fellow-creatures and (many) other ( kinds of ) pains; all mean this little happiness here. Inspite of that, people are not serious enough to track the path for getting rid of it.
B7. One must fully realise that 'I am all alone here, none is mine nor am I of others.' 'Man ! You alone are your ally, why hanker for outside help'. Do not crave for popularity with people. One should not be sensitive to public opinion and criticism by common folk. Should not be guided by the ruts of ill-informed mob-traditionalism. Cut down worldly attachments as well as intimate associations. That is the path of Justice. The 'wise one' disregards the irreligious people. One without attachment in this life shall be free of bondage in the next life also,
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