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Jaina Acara : Siddhanta aura Svarūpa
for ever, but the moment you try to own it, your mind gets vitiated. No worldly beauty is to last long. Spring is followed by autumn. A beautiful woman tempts many, but when she suffers from smallpox and her face is disfigured, they turn their gaze from her. A hefty, young man after a few days' fever seems to have become different and not easily recognisable. Sanat kumar was so handsome that even gods lined for looking at his face again and again but when he saw worms wriggling in his spittle he seemed no different from the populace. Monks are neither pleased nor displeased on looking at beauty or ugliness. Doesn't beauty lie in the eyes of the beholder at least partially?
(3) Ghrāņendriyasamvara—There are fragrance and bad odour. People naturally prefer the first to the second. Pandanus, seraspine, jasmine, rose etc., are so sweet-scented that they delight onlookers. On the other hand there are nasty, dirty things which make them turn their nose and knit their brows. To-day's sweets give bad odour to-morrow. Those inclined to spirituality treat both smells as similar, otherwise they would be attached to one and detached from the other.
(4) Rasanendriyasamvara-Tastes may be sour, sweet, pungent, bitter, astringent and salty. A spiritual aspirant's tongue tastes them all. but without relishing them in the least. Moreover all cannot be relished equally. He eats to live and does not live to eat. The wheels of a train have to be oiled and ointment has to be applied to a wound. Likewise the body has to be given food so that spirituality does not suffer in any way.
People are fond of pickles, sauce jam, sweets etc. Their ideal is eat drink and be merry. The good food is not easy to procure, but is always healthful. Energising and lethargy producing types of food are not suitable for spiritual aspirants. While taking food, they dissociate all Karmas. He who has controlled his tongue has gained victory over all sense-organs, since taste is primary.
(5) Sparsendriyasamvara- Some things are hard, others soft; some hot, others cold and some big, others small. In winter heat is liked but in summer cold is relished. He who shivers with cold in winter and perspires in summer and says that meditation is impossible in either condition is not fit for penance of any sort. A spiritual aspirant is indifferent to both, since he is expected to stay in the soul. His Self should dominate over flesh.
Such reflections indicate the hollowness of worldly pursuits and the unfathomable riches of the spirit. The first is transient, the second permanent; the first is shrouded in darkness whereas the second is refulgent.
A monk, even though he keeps some cloth, utensils, broom, filter for the mouth etc., is non-possiessive because he is not attached to any one of them, not even to his body. Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
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