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THE SACRED BOOKS OF THE JAINAS
120, 121, 122, 123. If this be so, there would be no difference between a cat and a young deer. No, it is not so, there is a difference as to the degree of attachinent. Attachment is weak in the young deer who lives on green blades of grass; it is strong in the cat which destroys a host of mice. The effect is certainly influenced by the cause, like the difference in desire for sweetness in milk or sugar. In the case of one who likes milk, which is moderately sweet, the desire for sweetness, is feeble. That desire is said to be intense in the case of one who likes sugar, which is extremely sweet.
Commentary.
It may be said that if all attachment is Parigraha, then there is no difference between a meek young deer, and a ferocious cat both of which have attachment for food, though of different sorts. Difference there certainly is. Internal attachment varies with the nature of the external objects possessed or desired.
A young dear lives on herb, for obtaining which it does not prepare any scheme, or lie in wait long, and quits it also on the happening of a slight disturbance; its attachment or desire is weak. A cat would on the other hand lie in ambush for its prey, wait long. and kill many more than it would require to satisfy its appetite. The Murchha or attachment, the desire to appropriate and possess unto itself is thus much stronger in the cat than in the deer.
nere are thus degrees in attachment to external objects and one should try to reduce this desire for appropriation by degrees, even if he is not quite able to get rid of it altogether.
Again, it is clear that a person who likes milk has a limited desire for sweetness, compared to the one who is fond of sugar. One who amasses goods on a large scale must obviously have a strong desire for them. The lesser your possessions, the weaker must be your desire to possess, i.e. Murchha. The nature of possession is generally an index of the extent of desire for possession.
तत्त्वार्थश्रद्धाने नियुक्तं प्रथममेव मिथ्यात्वम् । सम्यक्दर्शनचौरा: प्रथमकषायाश्च चत्वारः॥ १२४॥ प्रविहाय च द्वितीयान् देशचरित्रस्य सम्मुखायाताः।
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