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BRAHMESHANANDA: ACARANGA
possessiveness, relinquishes possessions. That sage has indeed seen the path who has no sense of ownership' (1.2.5).
Hence the scripture exhorts an aspirant to purge his mind of all desires and willing. 'O wise one, reject hope and desire [and willing]; you have yourself kept this thorn in your heart and [hence you] suffer' (1.2.4). And it is but natural that a person running after pleasures would suffer and cause suffering to others.
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Pleasures are difficult to reject, life is difficult to prolong. That man who loves pleasures is certainly afflicted [by their loss), is sorry in his heart, leaves his usual ways, is troubled, suffers pain (1.2.5). Those who are impatient for enjoyment cause great pain to [creatures] (1.1.2). Many are attached to something in the world-be it little or more, small or great, sentient or non-sentient. Thus some incur great danger. Desirous of pleasures they heap up Karma (1.5.2).
Need for vigilance. Therefore a spiritual aspirant must be extremely careful in his conduct. Lord Mahavira specially warns his disciples to guard against pramāda, which means loss of vigilance. Another expression often used is murchā, living in an illusion of happiness created by favourable circumstances, oblivious of their transitory
nature.
Thus spake the hero. Be careful against this great delusion. The clever one should have done with carelessness by considering death in tranquillity, and that the nature of which is decay i.e. the body. These pleasures, look! will not satisfy thee (1.2.4).
Carefully abstaining from pleasures and ceasing from bad works he is a hero who, guarding himself, is grounded in knowledge (1.3.1).
Thus understanding [and renouncing] acts, a man who recognizes the truth, delights in nothing else (1.2.6).
He who conquers one, conquers many, and he who conquers many, conquers one... Faithful to the commandment, such a man is without danger from anywhere. There are degrees of injurious acts, but there are no degrees of control (1.3.4).
Conversely, the Acaranga is replete with denunciation of careless aspirants and points out in unmistakable terms the danger to which those lukewarm monastics are exposed who, after accepting the way of life; indulge carelessly in contrary acts. Some practise that which is not instructed. Some, though instructed, do not practise it. Let that not be your case' (1.5.6).
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