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HOW TO BE RID OF MATTER
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rigorous self-discipline, severe enough in its ultimate stages to destroy even such natural appetites as hunger, thirst, the longing for bodily comfort and ease, and even sleep. But the commencement is not so frightening. Right Faith itself has a wonderful effect on the mind; it works against lethargy and laziness from within, destroying their roots in an amazingly short time. When the individual eagerly longs for further progress and is inclined to face affliction (suffering), then is the time to encourage him on to the advanced path. This is the hallmark of true practicability. The Jaina conquers pride with humility, anger with forgiveness, deceit with straightforwardness, greed with selfdenial, sex-passion with abstinence (at first qualified by matrimony, then complete), slothfulness and cruelty by universal love and mercy. When all the worldly desíres are gone, the soul is rid of the internal agitations, and matter is eliminated. Partial eradication of passions and appetites will not do, for subdued agitations will still be attracting and absorbing fresh 'matter.
The Christian views on the subject are described below:
1.- (Desires are described as demons allegorically):
“... (for the serpent allegorically signifies pleasure crawling on its belly, earthly wickedness nourished for fuel to the flames), ..."-(Clement) A.N.C.L. vol. iv. p. 100.
“And he taught them thus : My brethren, sons of my father,for you are of my family as to Christ, substance of my city, the Jerusalem above, the delight of my dwelling place—why have you been taken captive by your enemy the serpent, twisted, crooked and perverse, to whom God has given neither hands nor feet? And crooked is his going, since he is the son of the wicked one; for his father is death,' and his mother corruption, and ruin is in his body.
