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Jaina Path of Purification (Liberation)
87
youth lasts for a few days, wealth and possessions are transient like thoughts, and enjoyments are like flashes of autumnal lightning; old age frightens men like a tigress, diseases attack men like enemies, and life flows away like water flowing out of a leaky jar. This is contemplation on the transitory nature of things.
The things for the acquisition of which we employ unfair means and do injustice to others are transitory. And life is as short as a flash of lightning. So it is wrong and unwise to lead an unjust, dishonest and irreligious life. We may partially conquer nature, subdue other peoples and states, but we can never vanquish death. Death snatches away all our victories, conquests and gains from us. Life is very short. Why should we defile it with evil thoughts and acts? And if we defile it, there will be no end to miseries. The body is invaded by diseases, it is impermanent and fragile, it turns into ashes when burnt at death. So, why should we indulge in unwholesome acts for the sake of this body and its pleasures? It is foolishness and not wisdom to perform unvirtuous acts of violence, immorality and injustice for this transitory life and as a consequence to fall down to the terrible state of degradation. This type of reflection saves us from going astray and keeps us moving ahead on the path of justice and morality. This is the usefulness of the reflection on impermanence. If we realise that like prosperity or fortune, even adversity or misfortune does not continue for long, we shall not be perturbed and distressed when adversity or misfortune befalls us and we are separated from our beloved ones. This is also the usefulness of the present reflection.
But we should not use this reflection to be inactive and idle. This is
1. What the great poet Kalidāsa has said in his Raghuvamsa (Canto 8, verses 87-90) is
very useful in the context. The gist is as follows: 87. Death is the nature of the embodied beings, while life is a passing phase (maranam praktiḥ śarīriņām vikytir jāvitam ucyate budhaih). It is God's grace that they can have a short momentary life. 88. On the death of the beloved ones, a deluded person feels and thinks that his heart is pierced with an arrow, while a wise man feels and thinks that the arrow has been removed from his heart. 89. If man has to abandon even his own body (at death), then why should he shed tears over the separation of external things that takes place during his life-time? 90. What is the difference between a tree and a mountain, if both were to be shaken by a gust of wind? (A tree is shaken but a mountain remains unshaken and firm). (druma-sānumatām kim antaram yadi vāyau dvitaye'pi te calāh).
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