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Well-built Body
healthy body and competent mind (Ärugga Bohiläbho). Physical ailment and weakness of mind virtually constitute death. If one remains careless about his body; he will have to repent for it later in life.
Besides being helpful in spiritual pursuit, the austerities also help in maintaining the competence of body and mind. Fasting within limits helps in keeping the body healthy. Naturopathy has proved that many diseases can be cured by resorting to fasts. Meditation becomes helpful in keeping the mind competent. Practice of staying steadily in a posture becomes helpful in withstanding the wavering and temptation.
It is true that the soul is distinct from the body. It cannot, however, be gainsaid that so long as the soul abides in a body, it is hard to remain indifferent to the body. It is therefore said that the body should be treated as a chariot, the sense organs as horses and the soul as the charioteer. Like a chariot the body functions in defense of the soul. If one uses it in observance of a virtuous life, it would lead to his progress. If however, one uses it in indulgence of vices, it would lead to his downfall. Merits and demerits are thus inherent in every aspect.
Eyes, for instance, are meant for seeing. They are going to witness whatever good or bad comes to the sight. It is left to us to decide whether we should go in for beautiful natural scenes or ugly indecent ones. It is up to us to have the impact of what the eyes see. It is not necessary that one should keep the eyes closed or that he should cultivate grudge against beauty; one has to exercise his discretion. A religious person can remain pleased with whatever he comes across; he would avail the innocent pleasure from all sources.
One needs to remain in pleasure like an innocent child. One may ask, “A child playing in dust is pleased while making palaces of mud; do we need to indulge in such fanciful pleasures?' We, however, do indulge in fanciful pleasures of worldly aspects. The difference is that while the child enjoys the break up of mud-palaces, we feel sad when our dreams of worldly life come to an end. We forget that the worldly pleasures do not last forever and are illusory; we thus remain
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