Bliss

Author(s): Amarmuni
Publisher: Sanmati Gyan Pith Agra

Page 97

82
Attachment is bondage, detachment liberation
our actions, but if a bad habit exists in many, it still remains bad, does it not?
We all have double standards. But we must be watchful of that. If you cannot tolerate a particular trait in your neighbour, don't tolerate it in yourself as well. It is not criticism of others, but self-criticism that will benefit you in the long run. When you see your neighbour who, despite being wealthy, is caught in the web of desire, you begin to emulate him. Desire becomes your mistress too and you get trapped in the web of accumulation. You justify your desire by comparing it to his. But this is not the ideal of life. It is not in imitating others, but in reflecting on your own actions that spiritual heights can be attained.
The maze of desires is so complex that one can never get out of it unless one adopts the path of non-possessiveness. If you understand that there is no peace to be found in this maze, that not just one lifetime but an endless cycle of rebirths cannot fulfil all your desires, then you will have no need to emulate those ignorant souls who, like moths to a flame, are attracted to the objects of their desires. Therefore, always follow the path of introspection rather than that paved by others. Do not imitate blindly, but be watchful of your own self. For that will be the true enlightened path that others will want to emulate as well.
Peer pressure is the main cause of greed and possessiveness in today's world. Each person is striving to be wealthier than the other. It is this desire that has made the universe a playground for conflicts. It has spread its ugly tentacles of unrest not just amongst individuals, but into entire nations. And the consequences stand clearly before us. There is no peace or joy at any level.
Of course, there are those who say that contentment is the escape route for impotent persons. They claim that contentment makes man dull, lazy and inactive, thereby creating an obstacle to life's progress
But all I say is that the supporters of materialism are unaware of the art of living. They have not recognized the true