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Conflict resolution
He was from Alwar, Rajasthan. He said, "How does a place matter? What one needs is money. If I can earn in hell, I will start a shop there too." All of us burst into laughter at his answer it was a strange reply. He continued, "Mahārāj, the living conditions are pathetic here. But I have to earn my livelihood. It is to fill this stomach that I am staying away from home. Transport facilities are not good here, tribal colonies are so close that anything can happen any time. Life is quite unpredictable. Nevertheless, I earn well here. So I decided to live amidst these insecurities, with my life in my fist, so to speak."
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What a strange state of life! How many sacrifices man is willing to make for the sake of wealth! However, this sacrifice is not for renunciation, but for the reward of enjoyment. The platform of renunciation and sacrifice for a higher cause is not yet achieved.
Are you now beginning to comprehend why the platform of renunciation is such a high and lofty one and why the control of desires is considered such a profound thought? The message is clear. We must learn to overcome desires rather than be enslaved by them.
As long as desires are unrestrained, the state of the emperor and that of the worm are one and the same. Therefore, Lord Mahāvīra says that if you relinquish any object dear to you without expecting rewards for it, only then is your sacrifice a true one.
When one has the will and the power to acquire whatever one desires and yet exercises control over these desires, then such a person is considered a true renouncer. Otherwise, as an ancient proverb states: Helplessness creates many saints. Their sacrifices have no worth. Renunciation exists in the control of desires.
The primary question before us is the control of desires. Imagine that you are hungry. You eat a simple meal to satiate your hunger. Now you go to the market and see a sweet shop. An array of sweets and savouries are on display and your
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