________________
I am the Soul
799
a fresh one. For, they have been absorbed and released by somebody or this jiva itself. How can that, which has been used and discarded by one, be ever called fresh? That is to say, a jiva never gets fresh stuff. Here Srimadji's statement is proved true. He has said -
सकल जगत ते एंठवत What is aintha – left-over?
In our practical world, if someone leaves behind half-eaten food, and it remains in the plate, that is called ainthu. If one uses it, touches it, eats a little of it and leaves the rest, then it is ainthu – left-over. Now the leftover may well be very tasty, may be something that the mind loves, may be very expensive, but once it has become a leftover not even a common man would eat it. It is consigned to garbage. There some beggar or a crow or a dog might eat it, but no worthy person would ever. Why, howsoever hungry one might be, one will not eat leftovers.
Brothers! I ask you, if you are passing by a marriage hall and out there in the garbage is lying a piece of a sweet or savoury that you like very much, would you pick it up and eat it? No, never! Looking at it, instead of your mouth watering, you might even develop nausea. You may not even like to see it. Ah! Not just that! You take lunch in the morning and leave behind some food, and if the same plate is brought to you in the evening with the same leftover food along with some more fresh ones, would you like it? No! Leftover is absolutely discarded. Whether it is left by us or by others. It is not eaten at all. You train your young innocent child the same way, don't you? "Son, never eat leftovers!
If you really think over, even a beggar would not be as pleased to eat leftovers as he would be with fresh food that you offer. The poor fellow is helpless, the fire in his stomach is raging, does not get any food anywhere, cannot bear the hunger, so he
Jain Educationa International
For Personal and Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org