Book Title: Bliss Author(s): Amarmuni Publisher: Sanmati Gyan Pith AgraPage 78
________________ Non-possessiveness and charity Such a list of one's needs and an organized method should be adopted even in life. Whether Lord Mahāvīra was approached by an aspirant, a king or a beggar, his simple message was the same to all - to understand one's needs. This is the vow of nonpossessiveness for an aspirant - icchā parimāņa vrata. However, even up to this day, we have not understood how to list out our needs and so we go about in circles as though blindfolded. Once needs are listed, greed will be harnessed and exploitation will come to an end. Those who walk such a path live a life of enrichment. On the other hand, those who do not harness their needs spend their lives trying to fulfil them, very much like a blindfolded man without direction. Think of a man who starts a cloth store. When he profits from it, he thinks of investing his money in another venture in order to earn more money. He opens another shop; this time a provision store. He begins to earn a lot more and is drawn into the vicious cycle of greed. The more he earns, the more he wants. And thus, one day, the person who began with a humble store becomes the owner of the entire market. He is now like Kubera, the Lord of wealth. There are many such people who tell me about their ventures. I listen to all of them. They think that they are exhibiting their brilliance, and I am always left wondering that if they have acquired so much, what have they left for others? Such is the greed of man that he cannot see beyond his own desires. Have you ever pondered why this is so? It is because man believes that his worldly possessions are the yardstick by which he will be gauged in society. A liar is ashamed when his lies are exposed; a thief is aware that he is a criminal; a pleasure-seeking person is always trying to hide his hedonism. But a possessive person does not consider himself a sinner, nor does he hide his possessive tendencies. On the other hand, he is proud of himself. Society also looks up to such people and reveres them. Great respect is given to those who exhibit their riches and the splendour of their lives. At any gathering, those who exhibit their possessions are treated with more respect. What an irony! Our Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.orgPage Navigation
1 ... 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186