The Truth

Author(s): O P Jain
Publisher: Veer Nirvan Granth Prakashan Samiti

Page 72

OTHER ALLIED QUESTIONS
63
therefore, only one of the means towards spiritual uplift and is not the objective itself. It is a ladder to go up and one should not stop at it.
6.2 Passions : Desires are mental longings or impulses seeking gratification and they develop into passions (or powerful emotions) when they are actively in operation. An active longing for a thing is termed greed. The state of fury which blazes up when one is thwarted in the obtainment or enjoyment of an object of desire is anger. The cunning that is resorted to, to secure an object of desire, is deceit. The state of intense self glorification which results by the possession of the desired object or state is pride.
Desire is nothing apart from the soul. The state of the soul agitated by a craving is itself the actual form of desire. Same is the case with passions—anger, pride, deceit and greed. They are only, different forms of the agitated state of the soul, and therefore, interfere with the serenity of the mind and the intellectual work. When desires are mild, the soul is thoughtful and rationally inclined. Under strong passions, it is cruel and acts thoughtlessly. When completely free from desires, it becomes all-knowing. Prejudice and bias are also a form of passions with similar results.
Passions are never satisfied. Every satisfaction gives rise to greater passions without an upper limit. The only way to control them is to curb them. This is the only way to lasting peace and happiness.
6.3 Dharma : The functioning of substances according to their real natural attributes is their Dharma. As such, the dhrama of the soul is Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct. Conduct of worldly souls which leads to the manifestations of above attributes is also termed Dharma. In general, a conduct which helps to remove sufferings and takes the soul to lasting happiness is Dharma. Good actions like forgiveness, humility, honesty, straightforwardness, mercy etc., are also termed Dharma Dharma is that which gives inner joy now, immediately on its following, and which also results in a lasting happiness. Any conduct which does not satisfy the above test, cannot be called Dharma even though outwardly, it may appear to be so. This will be the case when a conduct is followed without ' right faith or right knowledge and then it will appear to be a burden