Way of Life Part 2

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

Page 92

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THE WAY OF LIFE
From the Audience : We would suffer a "heart-attack”.
Maharajashri: Mostly, only those people who are haunted, taunted and tortured by the consciousness of attachments suffer heart-attacks. Even madness afflicts only such people. If you want to be free from such dreadful diseases, you give up your possession-consciousness.
Only when man has a strong attachment for and interest in affluence, he pursues the path of immorality and unlawfulness to attain wealth. Such a man carries out his occupation in a dishonest manner. A man who is immersed in his love of wealth cannot think of the painful consequences of immorality and unlawfulness. Cupidity brings about stupidity. Love of wealth destroys man's intellect and deprives it of nobility and incisiveness.
CONTROL YOUR CRAVING FOR MATERIALISTIC POSSESSIONS
Noble thoughts cannot remain intact in a heart in which there is a strong attachment for wealth and magnificence. The wealth that accrues from the effect of punyakarma is transitory, changeful, harmful and momentary. "I should not have attachment for such mutable, materialistic possessions. I should not love to possess such things”. The attachment for the inert materialistic prosperity ruins the Jivatma spiritually. The jivatma will have to be born as an animal. Endless evil consequences will ensue. "I should not fall into spiritual ruin. I do not want to experience the agonies of spiritual ruin. I will have no attachment for materialistic possessions. I will not be a thrall to the passion for materialistic possessions”.
This is a sublime way of thinking. Does such a stream of thoughtfulness flow through your mind ? Do you have the unbroken farsightedness to visualize the terrible consequences of the ripening of your craving for possessions ? Do you have a strong and sharp intelligence to realise the malignity of the effect of your craving for materialistic possessions ?
Remember the point that as long as you do not discard