Page:The Heart of Jainism (IA heartofjainism00stevuoft).djvu/168

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
140
EVEN

MO THE NINE CATEGORIES OF sense of taste, for if that be disciplined, all the other senses can also, they say, be kept in restraint, whereas gluttony affects sight, hearing, smell and the sense of touch. The sense of touch, too, must be carefully controlled [Sparsa dsrava), or the love of touching smooth things, for example, may become such a snare that the toucher may be lulled into unconsciousness through the pleasure of it. The four Karma may enter through the four emotions [Kasdya] ^ Kasaya. ^y^ggg exercise ties the soul to the cycle of rebirth, for if anger be indulged [Krodha dsrava), it burns the soul of him who gives way to it, as well as the soul of the person he may injure, and so both are harmed. Conceit and pride [Mdna dsrava) are a terrible foe to progress and open the door to all sorts of karma, besides they are the deadly enemy of courtesy, by which merit is obtained. Deceit and intrigue {Mdyd dsrava) lead to many kinds of falseness in word and deed, and thus much evil karma is accumulated ; and lastly avarice {Lohha dsrava) leads first to cheating and then to actual thieving, and is opposed to self-sacrifice and self- restraint. The Jaina say that these four evil emotions must be checked on the principle of cultivating the corresponding virtue. Thus the angry man must exercise forgiveness, the proud man humility, the deceitful frankness, and the avaricious contentment ; but how this is to be done is not explained. The five Again, through not taking the five great vows evil karma Avrata. ^^^ ^^^ -^^ -^^ ^^^ ways [Panda Avrata). If a man fails to go to a guru and, standing in front of him, to promise with folded hands that he will not kill, this simple omission to promise, without any commission, will lead to the acquisition of karma ; for the Jaina hold that without the stiffening of resolution that comes through taking the vow one is more liable to do wrong ; this liability leads to instability of mind, through which some karma enters. Of course more karma ^ See pp. 122 ff.