From IIM Ahmedabad To Happiness

Author(s): Vijay K Jain
Publisher: Vikalp Printers

Page 53

FEAR KILLS; GRIEF TAKES LIFE
grieved; the mind at once begins to picture to itself all sorts of unpleasant and distasteful scenes and consequences.
That grief, and other like emotions, is a potent source of unpleasant feelings is brought out clearly in the following scriptural direction:
दुःखशोकतापाक्रन्दनवधपरिदेवनान्यात्मपरोभयस्थानान्यसद्वेद्यस्य ॥
- Acharya Umaswami, Tattvārthādhigama Sūtra
Suffering, sorrow, agony, moaning, injury and lamentation, in oneself, in others, or in both, lead to the influx of karmas which cause unpleasant feelings.
Suffering is the feeling of pain. The feeling of sadness at the loss or separation of a desirable or useful thing is sorrow. The feeling of distress owing to disgrace is agony. Moaning is weeping loudly out of anguish. Injury is depriving one of life, the senses, strength or vigour, or respiration. Lamentation is the loud outcry (wailing) of an afflicted person by recalling the achievements of the departed and giving expression to these in order to evoke sympathy in others and secure help to oneself and others.
By entertaining such emotions in our minds we not only make our present unpleasant and distressing but also make our future liable to suffer from the same kinds of feelings due to the influx of karmas.
It may be noted here that sufferings caused by internal passions, such as anger or greed, alone can lead to the influx of karmas which cause unpleasant feelings. When a compassionate surgeon operates a boil on the body a patient, since there is no evil feeling or wrath or anger involved, even in the presence of suffering, there is no bondage of demerit.
There can be no doubt whatever that emotions affect the
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