________________
What is possessiveness?
the freedom in such renunciation? In fact, it is easier to untie the knot of this world than that of what lies beyond.
Who is the master of his own mind? Unlike those who are enslaved by their desires, there are some who have truly overcome desires. These great souls are not sucked into the currents of desire, rather they dictate where and how the mind should travel. They have the power to enslave desires and steer their minds in any direction they deem fit. They are the true masters of the mind and are referred to as 'Jagannātha' in Indian philosophy, which means the master of the universe. As Sankarācārya states:
Who has conquered the universe? He who has conquered his mind.
Verily, he who is defeated by his mind is defeated by the world. The mind is considered the centre of resolves - the commander of the body and the senses. If the mind is restless or sorrowful, then even a healthy body loses its energy. But if the mind is charged with enthusiasm and hope, then even a lean and bony body can cross the mountainous range of life.
Now the question before us - how can we prioritize our desires? Which desires are useful and which are meaningless? When we make such a classification of desires, we can organize our life, bring happiness into it without allowing the burden of desires to weigh us down. So, what we need to do is to remove from the mind those desires which are useless and harmful and then prioritize the remaining desires - those that need immediate attention and those that can be attended to later. If we are hungry, food is an immediate priority, but sweets and savouries are not a must. These are simply a temptation of the mind. Therefore, even without these, one should be able to enjoy the simple food which will help in the sustenance of life. Thus, if one can prioritize wisely, then contentment and simple joys will be in abundance. This is in perfect tune with what was stated by Lord Mahāvīra that we eat to sustain our life, not live for the sake of food. The great seer has stated: 6 jitam jagat kema mano hi yena
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
