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Jaina Path of Purification (Liberation)
81
There is no doubt that we require water and food for the sustenance of our body. Similarly, we require external objects for our livelihood or happiness and peace. But even in the scarcity of these things, the noble and saintly persons can keep their selves calm and composed and do not allow their internal development to be weak. It is so because they have acquired right understanding and the wealth of contentedness gifted by it.
Generally, we can be happy in this life and this world and can live happily, provided we are satisfied with what we have, earn the necessities of life in a just and honest way and with our own labour, cultivate an outlook of taking care of mental peace, and do not hanker after material happiness and sensual pleasure. In short, mental peace and calmness resulting from the contented innocent living constitute the real happiness which anybody can have—be he rich or poor, resident of a village or a city.
Really one who has conquered mind has conquered all. This statement is perfectly true. The victor of mind is the victor of the whole world.
Attachment, aversion and delusion are the mental states. The wheel of
1. Reflections of Muni Rsabhadeva before the attainment of omniscience:
pradipā iva tailena padapā iva vāriņā/ ahārenaiva vartante sarīrāni śarīriņām // adyāpi yadi vā"hāram atikrāntadineşv iva/ na grhnāmy abhigrahāya kintüttisthe punar yadi// ami sahasraś catvāra ivā' bhojanapiditā/ tadā bhangam grahisyanti bhāvino munayo'pare // svāmi manasikytyaivam bhikṣārthaí calitas tataḥ /
-Trisastiśalākāpuruşacarita, Acarya Hemacandra, I.iii. 239-43 “The lamp requires oil and the tree requires water for their existence. Similarly, the embodied souls require food for the sustenance of their bodies. Till to-day for one whole year I lived without food. And if still further I do not take any food and I take the vow to that effect, then the monks in future in their attempt to follow me) will break their vow on account of the unbearable pain of hunger just as those four thousand monks in the past broke their vow on account of the unbearable pain of
hunger." Thinking so, Lord Rşabha started his tour for begging food. 2. A great philosopher Milton writes: "A mind can make heaven of hell and hell of
heaven. We may be unhappy even while sitting on a mountain of gold and happy even without a pie in our pocket. I think that true happiness comes when we are neither rich nor poor, but just able to meet our requirements and reasonable comforts of life. The struggle of existence kills the joy of life. Easy life makes life dull and inactive. I think true happiness consists in working for needs but never in becoming greedy."
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