________________
278
I am the Soul When he says the site doe here, Srimadji is specific to “inner detachment'. He weighs every word with extreme care before placing it. We get many who observe external detachment, but people within whom an aversion has arisen towards indulgence are rare! Even if indulgent jivas practice detachment, the attachment within them does not diminish. Sometimes it so happens that some Brother has the habit of eating Khiwam with Paan, and for some reason he takes up a vow of not eating it for four months. Well the vow was taken in some inspired moment. But if the interest within is not dried up it begins to bother and the Brother returns to us, saying, “Mahasatiji! The vow is of four months and so far only four days have passed. How am I going to live through it? So Mahasatiji! Please, release me from the vow!”
Now, good Brother! Does Mahasatiji help you perform or provide release from the vow? Can the vow be sent running? So he says, “Mahasatiji, this is possible! You give me some other vow in place of this one!”
Thus, even we are put into difficulty. For we do not force any vow upon anybody. He must have taken it for some reason of his own, and now its a burden upon us!
Brothers! What is this? It is the jiva's indulgence. So if external detachment is tried it does not work. It leads to trouble. If true inner aversion has awakened then detachment comes in naturally. One does not have to be told. Why! He himself will not realise when and how a particular thing was given up. It is not just the matter of indulgence, but how can a jiva engrossed in the sensual pleasures, possibly get detached. Not just eating and drinking, but dressing, covering, walking, strolling and so on, are subjects that appeal so much to the mind.
In the name of social etiquette, one keeps collecting the means of feeding the passions. The end of the feeling of indulgence is never visible. As long as the interest in indulgence
Jain Educationa international
For Personal and Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
