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Jaina Logic
411
according to their true nature, they find no difficulty at all. Not only that, they do not have the slightest thought that they have performed great acts; they do not have any feeling of pride or self-praise. As a result, no activity acts as a cause of bondage in their case.
Though the activity of an ignorant person results in the good of living beings, he has in fact no intention to do good to them. He undertakes the activity with the sole intention of achieving his own selfish end. He desires to eat delicious dishes, to drink fragrant sweet drinks, to enjoy all comforts and luxuries, to build palatial bungalows, to own luxurious car, and to indulge in pleasures of sex, etc., and for fulfilling all these desires he tries to amass wealth by any means, fair or foul. Even if his activity brings good to others, he is afflicted with pride at the time of that activity, thinks that he is putting others under his obligation, and there is a burning desire in his heart for fame, reward and award. Though he performs activities regarded as religious, viz. continuous muttering of a sacred formula, observance of austerities, meditation, study of spiritual works, service of the people, observance of rites of sāmāyika (equanimity) and pratikramaņa (confession), worship of Tīrthankara images, veneration of teachers and elders, etc., he is puffed up with pride, thinks that he performs great many religious activities, and entertains the feeling of selfpraise. On this account, even the activities considered to be religious act as the cause of bondage in his case. The learned and wise mainly intend to do good to others and are very humble, whereas the ignorant are mainly selfish and afflicted with pride and egotism.
The very same activity which acts as the cause of bondage, if performed with ignorance, infatuation and passion, acts as the cause of release if performed with wisdom, discretion and pure feeling of universal friendliness and non-attachment. A wicked man attacks a person and cuts off his hand. A surgeon amputates a hand of his patient. Outwardly both perform the same act. But the intention of the former is cruel and evil while that of the latter is kind and good. The former wants to harm the victim, while the latter wants to do good to the patient. Thus one and the same act causes the bondage of the grave inauspicious karmas in the case of the former and the bondage of the auspicious karmas in the case of the latter. When a man touches a woman with the feeling of devotion, affection and compassion, it is not a defect or sin. But when he touches her with the feeling of lust and passion, it is certainly a defect or a sin.
Two men eat sweet dishes. But one eats with attachment and the other
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