Mokshamala

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 18

the worldly life. As sea gets deeper by getting more water during the rain, the worldly life also gets deeper by getting water in the form of sin. In other words its foundation gets stronger
2 The second analogy relates to fire. As fire leads to intense heat, the worldly life also leads to three-fold heat of mental affliction, disease and worries. As a person with burns wails terribly, one burnt in the worldly life wails by the infinite distress of infernal existence. As fire devours everything, the worldly fire also consumes those fallen in its mouth. As fire expands by applying ghee and firewood, the worldly life also expands with the ghee of enticement and the firewood of sense objects.
3 The third analogy relates to darkness. As a string gives the illusion of snake in the dark, in the worldly life one tends to treat truth as untruth. As living beings are afflicted by moving here and there in the dark, the infinite number of worldly souls wanders aimlessly in four states of existence. As one cannot make out the difference between glass and diamond in the dark, it is hard to discriminate between discernment and indiscretion in the darkness of worldly life. As living beings cannot see in the dark in spite of having eyes, they become delusion-blind in the darkness of worldly life. As disturbance of owls and other beings goes up in the dark, the troubles of greed, illusion, etc. grow in the worldly life. The worldly life is thus comparable to darkness in many respects.
Lesson 20: Four analogies to the worldly life, Part 2
The fourth analogy relates to a cart-wheel. As the cart-wheel continues to move while in motion, the worldly life also continues to move by indulgence therein. As the wheel cannot move without the axis, the worldly life does not move on without the axis of wrong perception. As the wheel rests on the strength of axis, the worldly life also rests on the axes of doubt, indolence etc. Thus worldly life is comparable to a cart-wheel in many respects.
There is no end to the comparison of worldly life with lowly phenomena; as specimen thereof we have given above four analogies. Now let us see what is to be learnt therefrom.
1 As the sea can be crossed with the help of a sturdy boat and the knowledgeable sailor, the worldly sea can be crossed over with the boat of true religion and expert sailor in the form of a true Guru. As knowledgeable people have earmarked safe routes in the seas, the omniscient Lords have laid the supreme path in the form of philosophy, and that is the safest route.
2 As fire that consumes everything is put out by water, the worldly fire can be put out by the water of detachment.
3 As one can see in the dark with the aid of a lamp, the lamp of philosophy demonstrates the truth in the midst of worldly darkness, and that lamp cannot be put out.
4 As a cart-wheel does not move without oxen, the worldly life does not go on in absence of attachment and resentment.
With these analogies it has been indicated how to avert the disease of worldly life. The truth-seekers should continually contemplate over it and ask others to do so.
Lesson 21: Twelve modes of contemplation