Posted on 23.12.2021 07:58
Developing the capacity to endure pain:There are many forms of religion. Forbearance, straightforwardness, gentleness, and freedom from greed are forms Where the accent is on the disciplining of the mind, and not on enduring pain. Therefore, the question of deliberately punishing the body for the sake of religion does not arise. There remains the question of favourable and unfavourable circumstances. Both kinds of situations arise in life. To develop the capacity to face both favourable and unfavourable circumstances with equanimity is religion. An illustration should make this point clear.
A patient goes to the doctor for the treatment of his ailment. The doctor advises him to undergo surgery. Surgery causes pain to the body. It is not the doctor’s intention to cause pain and the patient’s objective, too, is to find freedom from pain, not to court it. Still there is pain and the patient endures it. Just as an operation is not intended to cause pain to the body, similarly the practice of control or meditation is not intended to cause any pain. The operation is actually the treatment of the disease. Similarly, sadhana is the treatment of passions. If to cause pain to the body be the objective of sadhana, salvation in that case loses all meaning. Salvation means freedom from all kinds of pain that is the sole objective of religious practices. In view of this, it is altogether illogical and inauthentic to say that the mortification of the flesh constitutes religion in the Jain tradition.
~Acharya Mahapragya
meditation #spirituality #acharyamahapragya #prekshameditation #yoga #peace
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