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Mahavira & Conquest of Passions/61
9. Deadly Passions
Anger, pride, deceit and greed are the four powerful enemies which stimulate sinful deeds. Conquer anger by forgiveness. Conquer pride by humility. Conquer deceit by straight forwardness. Conquer greed by contentment. When a sinful deed is committed whether intentionally or unintentionally, one should immediately desist from that with a resolve not to repeat it. Peace can he experienced when the fire of the four deadly passions is extinguished by the water of scriptural knowledge, noble conduct and austerity. A person becomes more insane by passions than by biological inbalances. Anger spoils good relations, pride destroys humility, deceit destroys amity and greed destroys everything. One should not be complacent with a small debt, a slight wound, a spark of fire and insignificant passion, because what is insignificant now may soon become uncontrollable. He who has got rid of delusion has his misery destroyed; he who has got rid of desire has his delusion destroyed, he who has got rid of greed has his desire destroyed and he who owns nothing, has his greed destroyed.
