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view-points, instead of considering the body as a means and looking after it as such, we have almost begun to consider the body as an end. Hence the attachment towards the body has become very deep. On the other hand, as a disease causes pain to the body, our dislike for disease has existed since ever. Due to this, when inflicted with disease and pain, we lose our equanimity spontaneously. Thus love for the body and hatred for disease has become our nature.
Judging from another angle, we can say that we love it when the body is fit or healthy and have become habituated to hate diseases.
An athlete will never neglect the shoes with which he has to run; at the same time he cannot carry them tied around his neck. Just as an athlete knows the place of shoes in his life, a wise man should know the importance of his body in his life.
We have to enlarge our view-point of looking at the body and the disease. Alternately, we need to accept the view-point which has been developed by the enlightened. Now recollect the reply given by Swami Ramkrishna Paramhansa mentioned above. Both these expanded view-points are present in his reply. Consider the body to be a buffalo's horn and the disease to be a floral garland.
A common belief is that the horn is an unwanted crooked burden and the floral garland is a whiff of sweet scented perfume. Hence it is difficult to get attracted to the horn, while we can easily find something good in the floral garland. If both these view-points are nurtured further, then our perception of pampering our body and our contemptuous view towards
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MIND YOUR mind: 37
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