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attraction of a man for a particular woman should be the outcome touch is also a fancy, not a reality. Neither the fancy nor the touch of his own perception, not a matter of fact. Here, we are not out to is the source of pleasure. The pleasure actually comes from within. pass any judgment over the beauty of women. The intention is Our own Self is pleasurable, but we wrongly believe it as coming simply to analyze the phenomenon of perception.
from without Take another instance. A man gets enamored of the lovely Similarly, the sense of pleasure that one derives from sex is hairs of his girl friend. He cannot stop lavishing praises for that. If also a reflection of the pleasure that lies within but is wrongly the girl is by his side, he would not miss the opportunity to touch attributed to that particular situation. The contact of a body does her hair. But if her hair happens to come in his mouth with the not have any inherent capability to extend pleasure. It is the soul food, he perceives that very hair as irritating. He may even feel like within that is full of pleasure. The body, which we love the most, vomiting. Why does his perception of nicety for the same hair ceases to give pleasure when the soul departs. If we contemplate at disappear? Besides, his perception of beauty and attraction for the depth, we can realize that soul is the real source of pleasure and we same girl does not remain constant. It changes with the time and vainly try to seek it from the sources that are incapable of extending place. It is also noteworthy that the nature of attraction that a it. That realization can end the long-standing trait of attachment man feels for his girl friend is totally different from that felt by the for all worldly situations. We would then turn inward and stop father or brother of the same girl. These factors lead to the seeking pleasure from sensuous contacts. The way of observing conclusion that the attraction is a matter of perception.
celibacy is therefore to gain the realization about the true source Now let us take the aspect of the pleasure being derived from of pleasure. touch. Suppose that we are traveling in a crowded train and feel In Indian mythology there is an interesting story about the the push of someone from behind. While peeping back, if we god of love who is known as Kämdev. He rouses passion among perceive a young girl behind us, we may not feel the pinch of the his targets by darting the arrows of flowers. There is another god push but may actually experience a sense of pleasure. If, however, Shiv, who likes to stay tuned to his Self. Once, Kämdev threw his we properly look behind and find that the push comes from a arrow at Shiv and disturbed his peace. When Shiv realized that the male, our sense of pleasure would disappear. This makes it clear disturbance was caused by Kämdev's arrow, he got enraged; he that the touch itself was not pleasurable. It was the sensation opened his third eye lying in the forehead and reduced Kämdev to associated with the touch that gave the pleasure and when the ashes with fire emanating from that eye. Kämdev thus lost his cause for the sensation was gone, the pleasure also disappeared. body by misadventure. Since body is called Ang, the bodiless To take another example, if a man happens to touch a sensitive
itive
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Kämdev is known as Anang. part of his girl friend, both of them would feel an exciting sensation. The story is symbolic and tells a lot, if correctly interpreted. But when the same girl breast-feeds her infant son, she would not Kämdev is symbolic of sensual instinct and his arrow stands for feel such excitement. Similarly, if a doctor happens to touch a girl sensuality. Shiv means bliss. It is gained by enlightenment, which for medical check up, neither of them would experience excitement is symbolized as the third eye lying in the forehead. The fire from It is also possible that a man happening to touch even the footwear that eye is symbolic of enlightenment. Shiv experiences happiness of a girl sitting by his side may derive a sensation of pleasure. But by staying in his own blissful state and does not hanker for external if the same footwear lies somewhere in his way, he may not feel source of pleasure. When Kämdev tried to divert his attention any sensation by trampling over it or even by removing it with his towards sensuous pleasure, he indicated to Kämdev the nature of hand!
true pleasure by extending to him the enlightenment. Thereby It would thus be evident that touch itself is not pleasurable
Kämdev realized that the body is not the source of true pleasure. and the sense of pleasure does not arise therefrom. The pleasure is
He got rid of the physical sense and became Anang or bodiless, derived from a feeling, from imagining that the touch is from a
which means that he could derive the true pleasure from the pleasurable source. No pleasure is experienced from the same touch, unembodied soul. if it is not associated with that sort of imagination. There is an The story thus shows that the sensuous pleasure is worthless ancient story about Väsavadattä, the most glamorous city girl of and should be avoided for experiencing spiritual pleasure. Once Mathura and of the Buddhist monk Upagupta. The latter happened we realize that all sources, other than the soul, are devoid of true to nurse diseased Väsvadattä and did not experience any sensation pleasure, our mind would automatically turn away from them. even by touching her most delicate parts.
Then it would be easier to observe celibacy, because we know that Imagining of pleasure or displeasure is thus one's own fancy.
we would be observing it for gaining the true pleasure. In order to Similarly, the so-called experiencing of pleasure from any particular
make that observance more effective, we may adopt restrictions that can aid and promote our realization. That is the right way of
JAIN DIGEST. Summer 2004 / 19
Jain Education Intemational 2010_03
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