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I am the Soul
So beware! Be on the look out! Do not get into such bad company! You may even lose sight of the shore. For -
ए पण जीव मतार्थमां, निजमानादि काज, पामे नहि परमार्थने अन्-अधिकारीमां ज
३१
Such a jiva is not fit for attaining the paramartha the supreme essence. Hence he is a matarthi. He does everything to feed the ego of the self. He would have adopted the means of Dharma and all the rest, but the intention would only be to feed the feeling of 'I am something'. And in spite of this he calls himself a Dharmi. There is so much ego lying within that it keeps raising its head every now and then, and yet we show off to the world saying I have no ego at all. The human who tries to project his humble countenance is filled with ego down to the bones.
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Ah! A man expresses his own anger. He tells everybody - "I have a great anger. Once I am angry, I do not care for anybody". He is not much bothered about people knowing about his anger, but he goes about hiding his ego. He is very careful that nobody should know, and hence even pretends to be the humblest of all. But deep within the feeling that I am somebody' is never forgotten.
Brothers! This ego is the one that makes the jiva wander. We not only express it in the usual activities of life, but even when we learn something in the field of Dharma, we go about day and night harping about the same with pride. We tell everybody and keep feeding our ego. Such jivas are not worthy of attaining the paramartha - the supreme essence.
Jain Educationa International
Moreover, the speciality of an egotistic jiva is that they keep comparing themselves with others. He keeps on with the effort to prove to himself and to others that he is much above the others.
There were three tailors in France. All three had their shops on the same street in Paris. There always would be a keen contest among them all, in which sometimes one would lead, sometimes
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