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वत्थु पडुच्च जं पुण अज्झवसार्ण तु होदि जीवाणं । पय वत्थु दोदु बंधो अज्झवसाणेण बंधोंत्ति || वस्तु प्रतीत्य यत्पुनरध्यवसानं तु भवत्ति जीवानाम | न च वस्तुतस्तु बन्धोऽध्यवसानेन बन्धोऽस्ति ।।
"Though an empirical self is always conditioned by an object in the external world, it is not that external object which is the cause of bondage. It is by thought that bondage is caused'. The direct cause of bondage is thought and not any external object though this is the cause of thought itself. Then why should external objects be tabooed? It is for the purpose of condemning the thought based upon the external objects. Thought without the basis of an external object never occurs in the consciousness of Self. If it is possible to have thought without the basis of an external object, then thought corresponding to non-existing object must also appear. In the case of a person born of a real mother you can entertain the thought "I am going to kill her son“. But in the case of a barren woman, this thought would be meaningless as there can be no son to her. Hence it is certain that there can be no thought without a basis in reality. Hence it necessarily follows that condemnation of evil thoughts leads to the condemnation of corresponding objects of reality. For it is only by preventing the cause that the effect can be prevented from occuring. Could it not be maintained that because the external object is the cause of that cause which produces bondage, therefore the external object is itself the cause of bondage? No, for the real condition of bondage, ths conative idea is lacking. If the external object were by itself capable of producing karmic bondage, then it would have identical effect in the case of a saint who moves about with gentleness and caution actuated by the ideal of love and mercy and of a hypocrite in the garb of a saint who roams about rough and tough without any care. That is both of them must have the same reaction in the environment which is common to both. It is not so as a matter of fact. The saint pure in heart in
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