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Karma Philosophy
269
flavours') does not enter man's mouth per force and come in contact with his tongue; attractive tunes do not enter his ears per force to infatuate him. Similarly, the objects of senses do not forcibly yoke him to the enjoyment of sense-pleasures against his will. Though it is a fact that objects of senses do not forcibly cling to man, it is also a fact that their gross experience is inevitable so long as he is living. His life is impossible without their gross experience. But the point to be ever remembered is that in this gross experience, it all depends entirely on his will as to whether or not to give way to the rise of passion for sense-pleasures, to indulge in their inordinate enjoyment and to be infatuated with them. The only means for keeping one's mind calm and composed even in the midst of sense-objects presented to one by the fruition of one's karmas is the extermination of the longing for sense-pleasures by means of the fire of knowledge.
The objects of sense-pleasures are present before a man; even then if he remains firm, steady and calm on the strength of his internal spiritual power and does not move from his seat, will those objects move towards him and embrace him? This means that he can refrain from joining the enjoyment of sense-pleasures and remain aloof from the objects of sensepleasures by his strong will. But if he loses patience, courage and selfconfidence, he will surely slip into the deep valley of degeneration. It is, therefore, more proper and meaningful to blame one's own spiritual weakness than to put a blame on one's karma.
Although a wise man may eat sweets, etc., drink fruit-juices, etc., he would not bind harmful karmas (i.e., inauspicious karmas), because he is ever vigilant, not overpowered or agitated by them and experiences them without any attachment. This is illustrated by the lives of the learned wise men of the past and the present. One has nothing to fear if one utilises the objects of senses with equanimity, sense of justice and that of propriety.
ni Mili.
1. In the first chapter of this work, while treating of pudgala (matter), five (basic)
flavours are enumerated according to scriptures. They are: bitter (kadavo), pungent (tikho), astringent (tūro), sour (khāto) and sweet (mitho). Then what about saltish flavour (lavana rasa)? In answer to this question, Gunaratnasūri writes in his commentary on Acārya Haribhadrasūri's Şaddarśanasamuccaya as follows: lavano madhurāntargata ity eke / samsargaja ity apare/That is, some include it in sweet flavour, while others regard it as a mixture of two particular basic flavours.
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