Book Title: Equanimity Philosophy and Practice
Author(s): Nanesh Acharya
Publisher: Agam Ahimsa Samta Evam Prakrit Samsthan

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Page 178
________________ Self interest: The Indomitable Enemy of Equanimity : Hobbs, an European Philosopher has called man a wolf. Perhaps this may be his idea that if no voluntary or social control in proper proportion is exercised on the selfish tendency of a man, then he would be like a wolf. If a man be given full freedom to accomplish his own selfinterest, then it cannot be said how much unjust, oppressive and hard hearted he would be for this selfishness. To corroborate this truth, we shall find hundreds of such historical instances, where a man being embroiled in power, property and self-interests has spared no atrocities what-so-ever. This self-interest is the germinator and nourisher of the poisonous creeper of inequality in the individual and social life. Having born in a man's mind this self-interest expands in so many different activities that it can be similised to a Bottle's goblin. If this self-interest be kept in the bottle of efficient individual and social control then the size of this demon will be very small and also not dangerous. On the contrary as it exists today, this demon has flung himself outside the bottle and has shadowed the whole atmosphere. As much this influence is, that much complicated is unevenness-this fact should be considered. Self-interest can also be compared to a dam so that if there is even a slight slackness in its efficient control, it will like a disrupting the embankment and spreading of water all round, drown the morality of a man. Therefore, if we have by deviating from unevenness, to proceed forward on the path of evenness, we shall have certainly to explore the devices through which we can durably bring Jain Education International 153 For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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