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CHAPTER-VII
287
one angages himself in virtuous acts then the attachment, etc. are assuredly partially reduced.
Question: In Shastras it is advised that knowing even in a smaller measure the purposeful object is fruitful; therefore, why should one involve oneself in different Vikalpas?
Answer: Such advise is given to those Jivas who either know much about other things and do not know the purposeful things or whose capacity of knowing is limited. But whose capacity of knowing is more, he is not advised that knowing more would be harmful. The more he would know about the aforesaid objects the greater will be the clarity in his knowledge of purposeful things; for in the Shastras it is stated thus: "सामान्यशास्त्रतोनूनविशेषोबलवानभवेत्" This means that “The detailed (comprehen-sive) knowledge of Shastras is more efficacious than their general knowlege”. A detailed (comprehensive) knowledge alone is good for right ascertainment; therefore, one should know in detail.
Further, he considers observing of penances as useless torturing of the body. But on becoming a true believer of liberation path one's conduct must be just opposite to that of a mundane being. The mundane beings develop feelings of attachment-aversion in agreeable-disagreeable objects. But this person (so-called true believer) should not develop the attachment-aversion feelings. For giving up the feelings of attachment (Raaga) he, the true believer, forsakes agreeable things like food, etc. and for freeing himself of the feelings of aversion (Dwesha), he accepts disagreeable things like fasting, etc. If such means are adopted independently with self-control then even on coming across with unwanted agreeable-disagreeable things the attachment-aversion feelings would not arise. This is what should be; but you have malice towards fasting, etc., that is why you regard it as distressing. If this is distressing then automatically taking food is regarded as pleasant. This generates Raaga (attachment). So, such kind of proclivity is already existing in mundane beings, what did you achieve by becoming a true follower of the liberation path?
If you argue-“many true believers also do not observe penance".
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