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steadiness of the vratas like non-violence etc., it is deemed necessary that defects be viewed as belonging to violence etc. This viewing of defects is here described in two ways-viz. a thisworldly viewing of defects and an other-worldly viewing of defects. A this-worldly viewing of defects is an ever present realization of the this-worldly troubles that are experienced by oneself or by others as a result of resorting to violence, untruthfulness etc. Similarly, an other-worldly viewing of defects consists in a realization of the other-worldly undesirable contingencies that might be envisaged as possibly resulting from violence etc. To nourish the mental impressions pertaining to both these types of 'viewing'-that makes up the bhāvanā appropriate of the vratas like non-violence etc.
TATTVĀRTHA SŪTRA
In an exactly like manner, when constant practice has been made of viewing the character 'being of the form of misery' as belonging to the tendencies that are to be renounced, then alone can a renunciation of these tendencies be particularly lasting. Hence instruction is here offered to the effect that constant practice should be made of the tendency to regard violence etc. as things of the form of misery (the practice being called duḥkhabhāvanā). The person accepting the vratas of non-violence etc. thinks of the misery caused to others by violence etc.-just as he thinks of the misery caused to oneself by them-that practice is duḥkha-bhāvanā. And this bhāvanā is useful too for rendering these vratas steady.
As for the four bhāvanās friendliness, gladness etc., they being of utmost use in the practice of any virtuous merit whatsoever are doubtless of particular use in the task of rendering steady the vratas like non-violence etc.; hence it is that instruction relating to these four bhāvanās has been offered here. The respective referential objects of these four bhāvanās are to some extent different from one another; for in case each of these bhāvanās is practised in relation to its specific referential object then alone is it able to bring about the mental state aimed at. Hence it is that these bhāvanās have been described through mentioning their respective referential objects.
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