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CHAPTER-VII
347
Meaning: The Jivas, who, being covered by the darkness of falsehood, believe themselves to be the doer of the activity related to embodied modification, may even be the aspirants of liberation; but as the ordinary people belonging to non-Jaina faiths do not attain liberation, similarly, these Vyavaharaa-bhasis also do not attain liberation because of the parity of faith of doership.
And in this way, he, treating himself to be the doer, constantly engages himself through mind, speech and body in the activities of householder's or monks' religion; practises these rites in such a way that there is no transgression in them. But such thoughts are Saraaga (tinged with auspicious attachment feelings) whereas the Charitra (conduct) is a Veetaraaga Bhava (an attachment-less disposition of the soul). Therefore, believing such means to be the path of liberation is false belief.
Question: The Charitra (conduct) is described to be of two kinds: Saraaga, i.e., with attachment and Veetaraaga i.e., without attachment. How is it so?
Answer: For example, rice is of two types: one is with husk and one without husk. There, one should know that the husk is not the nature of the rice, it is a blemish in rice. Some wise person was collecting the rice with husk, seeing him, if some ignorant person, considering husk itself to be the rice, starts collecting husk only then he will uselessly become miserable only. Similarly, Charitra (conduct) is of two kinds: Saraaga (with attachment) and Veetaraaga (without attachment). There, one should know that the Raaga (attachment feeling) is not the nature of conduct, but is a blemish in conduct. Further, many true believers observe conduct with auspicious attachment; see-ing them, if some ignorant person considering the auspicious attachment (conventional vows, etc.) itself to be the conduct, adopts it (conventional conduct only) then he will uselessly become miserable only.
Question: Someone may ask here- “By indulging in sinful activities intense passions were caused, now on observing the aforesaid religious activities, feeble passions resulted; therefore, to the extent to which passions are reduced, you should term it conduct and to the extent to which passions exist, you may call it passions. In this way, the conduct with auspicious attachment is possible.
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