Acharya Mahaprajna
The Spider Is Getting Entangled In Its Own Web
We are well familiar with the two words—limited and unlimited. Space is unlimited. Earth has limits. Wishes are unlimited; the world of objects is limited. If we had the sense of limits we would have tried to restrict wishes. If wishes would get limited, then there would have been revolution in the field of environmental science. One principle of ecology is limitation. Objects are limited and therefore we have not to enjoy them in an unlimited way. Water is not unlimited but we are using it taking it to be unlimited. The potable water is scarce even now. Not only Rajasthan, many provinces are struggling with the problem of paucity of water. Scientists say that if we misuse water like this then one day water-crisis will be grave. In big cities, we may be forced to drink dirty drain water after cleaning it. Mahatma Gandhi was very much alive to this issue. He used to take bath and clean his clothes in small quantity of water. Rupachandji Sethia used to take bath in fifty-two tolas (small quantity) of water. To an intellectual such matters appear to be atavistic or backward. Water should be used like ghee (heated butter). In this opinion one may feel exaggeration. But the merit of any attitude or view is to be evaluated in the context of a problem.
Value of Limits
As the problem of water is getting deepened, the environmentalists start talking of ecological balance, the water-management scientists talk of gravity of water crisis, and they realize how valuable limitation is. A person sits under a tap. He flows out water in taking bath. Is it correct? Such tendency is not correct even from the point of view of science of ecology and cosmic balance. If some work can be performed by lesser use (of resources) then why to spend more for that?
Limitation is necessary both from social and religious points of view. But we do not feel this necessity. Its reasons are internal. A person, who does not know the value of limits, does not practice limitation. Its cause is ignorance. If a person knows its value but still does not practice it, its cause is recklessness (pramāda). A person who wants to live a life of comforts, enjoys conveniences luxuriously fully engrossed in them, he also does not observe limits. Its cause is the tendency of living in comforts.
Obstinacy is very subtle
A lamp ignites. Darkness is removed. By one ray of knowledge ignorance can be removed. By one gentle touch there is awakening from sleep. By touch of one life-aphorism, recklessness gets transformed into awakening. It is not hard to have cessation of ignorance and recklessness. The mentality of comfortable living is very complex. Human is born to enjoy pleasures and comforts. This is a conception, a view, an opinion. A poet has rightly written, 'The hole of a needle is very small. An opinion once formed it is difficult to change it". Perhaps keeping this in view Bhartrhari must have written,
“it is easy to make an ignorant understand, it is also easy to make an expert understand but to one who is puffed up with a little knowledge even Brahma cannot make understand"
Second context
The idea of comforts is not to be taught. It is learnt naturally. To live luxuriously is understood very easily.
Luxury is learnt very easily. But to make sacrifice understand is very difficult. To parody Bhartrhari's verse, Comforts are understood easily, enjoyment of pleasure is understood more easily but to one who does not know a small amount of sacrifice even a well learned person cannot make understand.
This is what is happening. Sacrifice and penance are becoming distant stars, like Dhrūva star. They glitter in the sky, but they are not descending down on the earth of life. Before the rise of awakening of sacrifice the object-enjoyment tendency cannot have limits and without this limitation there cannot be glow of sacrifice. When will this problem be solved? Who will do so?
Let the power of non-acceptance awaken
Comforts and conveniences have become important parts of modern lifestyle. The scientific gadgets have strengthened this attitude. It has become irrelevant to tell modern youth to live a simple life. It has become pertinent to tell him to enjoy greatest pleasure. In such a situation one cannot think of developing will power and mental strength. The tendency to enjoy conceals both. The first step of sacrifice is development of will power and the first step of mental strength is awareness of sacrifice. One who does not know to reject, leave or give up, he can never be mentally strong.
Fallacy in thinking
Mental tension is regarded as the greatest problem of modern world. In the field of medicine remedies are being investigated. These remedial measures give momentary hope. They are not effective further. Mental tension is not a disease. It is an inner conflict of feelings. How can medicine remove it? Its effective treatment is development of mental strength. In the liquidity and infirmity of mind the dirt of feelings gets dissolved, and it becomes weak and breaks down easily. If it is made firm and transformed into solidity of ice then dirt cannot get dissolved in it. It does come, falls on it, and slips away down. It is not possible that in this world there will be no dirt. It is and will be. But it is possible to solidify mind like a rock so that dirt may come, fall and slip away downward. We are thinking of making the impossible possible and ignoring that which is possible. This fallacy of thought is creating a cycle of problems. The spider is weaving a web for itself and is getting entangled in it. Will human being proceed to break this web?
