Istopadesa The Golden Discourse

Author(s): Vijay K Jain
Publisher: Vikalp

Page 58

Verse 13
दुर]नासुरक्ष्येण नश्वरेण धनादिना । स्वस्थंमन्यो जनः कोऽपि ज्वरवानिव सर्पिषा ॥
(13)
The man who considers wealth, which involves hardship in its acquisition and protection, and perishes ultimately, as a source of well-being is like the man who, down with a fever, erroneously imagines to have regained vigour after consuming clarified butter (ghee).
EXPLANATORY NOTES
Modern-day behavioural scientists, on the basis of studies involving sample groups, have concluded that money, at least up to a certain level, can make one happy. Divergent views have been put forward about the level of income after which money seems not to contribute much to an increase in happiness. Suggestions have been made about the way one should spend disposable income to buy happiness. These include spending money on others in the form of shared experiences, buying all sorts of insurances, going on stress-free vacations, having expensive and lavish dinners, and gaining more leisure time by hiring people to help around. All these suggestions presuppose that the main purpose in life is to make it ‘rosier' through pleasant experiences, and retaining fond memories to live with. There is absolutely no vision beyond the present life. Profound ideas like acquiring faith and knowledge, observing vows such as non-injury and limiting possessions, fasting, giving up of external and internal attachments, selfrestraint, enduring afflictions, austerities, concentration and meditation are foreign to these studies. Those who proclaim that
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