Yuvacharya Mahashraman
Liberation From Passions Is True Liberation
In the context of spiritual accomplishments, rejection of passions like anger etc. has prime importance. Without this, what is the point of just changing one's appearance? A sage tonsures his head. That is good. But what good is it to get rid of hair without getting rid of passion and distress? He is a true sage who has minimized the passions and distress.
Once a mother vowed that if her son returns from war unhurt, she will offer food to a monk.
Fortunately, the son returned home soon after the vow had been taken.
The cheerful mother said: Son! You rest at home while I go and find a monk to bring home to serve him food.
Son: Mother! Please fetch some dead monk!
Mother: Have you gone crazy? Do dead men ever eat?
The mother ignored his words and requested a monk to come home for a meal. As soon as he got near home, the son started calling him names. He got angry and went away. The mother invited a few other monks. But they also got angry at the abuses and went back. Even after all this, the mother again invited another monk.
The son started abusing him also. But he did not get angry.
Then the son said: Mother! This is a dead monk. You serve him a meal and fulfill your vow.
Mother: How is he a dead man? This person talks, walks, breathes and indeed does everything like a living person.
Son: Mother! A dead monk is he whose passions have died. His anger is dead, his ego is dead, his attachments are dead, his greed is dead, and his desires are dead. This monk is fully free from passions therefore he is a dead monk.
It is rightly said: Salvation lies neither in Digambarism nor in Swetambarism. Neither through logic, nor through any Tattvavad. Nor even in serving ones own ends. Liberation from passions is true liberation.
