Way of Life Part 2

Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

Page 17

DISCOURSE 25
pleasures, he discards the Sadhudharma. The fascination of pleasures pulls him down from the life of a Sadhu. In the life of a Sadhu, the fascination for pleasures must be dead. A Sadhu should not have any fascination or attachment for pleasures. A man who renounces worldly life on account of sorrows retains his fascination for pleasures. Even in the life of a Sadhu, there appear many temptations of pleasures. If one is attracted by those temptations they will destroy his Sadhudharma. It is not proper to become a Sadhu for the reason that in life, one has not attained pleasures. The man who after experiencing the pleasures of life, attains enlightenment and opens his mental eyes and deems the pleasures of life sorrows, is fit to become a Sadhu.
THE RENUNCIATION OF VAISHRAVAN WAS THROUGH
ENLIGHTENMENT
Ravana defeated king Vaishravan. King Vaishravan who was thus defeated became a Sadhu. He accepted the Sadhudharma after realizing the true nature of Samsar by means of his intellectual vision or enlightenment. He performed rigorous and austere tapasya; and attained salvation, in the same Janma. If his renunciation was prompted by sorrows, he would not have been able to destroy his Karmas; and to attain salvation. He observed and carried out the austerities of a Sadhu excellently; and attained salvation. Therefore, you must understand that renunciation was born out of enlightenment.
Vaishravan saw before himself two Dharmas viz.
(1) The Grihastadharma; and
(2)
The Sadhudharma.
If he wanted to, he could have chosen the Grihastadharma with its twelve vows. But he chose the Sadhudharma. He had no attachment for the pleasures of Samsar; he had no interest in them; when that was so why would he choose the Grihastadharma? As long as one likes the pleasures of the five senses; and as long as one feels that one cannot live without enjoying sensual pleasures, the life of a grihasta appears pleasing and