12. Wealth of the “Sarnyaktavd” (Right Belief); Detachment

Chapter -12

Wealth of the “Sarnyaktavd” (Right Belief);Detachment
> Pure heart is a dawn of samyaktava. And the wealth of samyaktava is detachment.

> Once Achharya Shri asked a symbolic question, “Do you feel pain when the hearth is burnt?” “Not at all Maharaj! What is there in this to cause pain? The hearth is different from us.” Achharya Shri told, “Similarly soul should be regarded different from our body just like the hearth.” Just as a guest who comes to our house, remains unattached while using all goods of the house, does not consider the things as his own, we must also have such a guest-like un­attached vision towards our body.

> Infatuated person is like a wet coconut while a dry coconut symbolizes a detached person.

> If the body suffers from any disease, then recourse to cure it must be taken but not by suppressing the soul.

This incident took place two months before the adoption of “Yam Sallekhana” by Achharya Shri (‘Yam Sallekhana’ is a pro­cess of making the physical body and internal passions emaciated by abandoning all resources gradually at the approach of death.) A Shravak, while coming to Kunthalgiri saw that ring worm disease was spreading on the back of Achharya Shri. He respect­fully asked Achharya Shri “Why don’t you take medicine for the ringworm?” Maharaj Shri replied smilingly “Enough medicines have been applied but the disease is not leaving me (my body). Now only one medicine remains to be applied by which this dis­ease shall go away and the body shall also be free from all dis­eases.”

‘Shravak requested, “But Maharaj Shri! Why are you not applying that medicine just now? Kindly tell me the name of medi­cine and I shall try my best to bring it.”

Achharya Shri became serious and said, “You at present do not know that medicine-1 shall make the body free of disease within two months by applying that medicine. This body has been troubling me for many days. First of all teeth discarded me and they left me. Then one eye wrangled and its light departed and that of the second one is about to leave me. I did not accept any servitude in my life. I have been exhausted in trying medicines. Now I shall acquire new body by restoring to “Samadhi Maran.” (i.e., courting death when the body is about to perish and does not assist in observing vows. His incli­nation for ‘Yam Sallekhana’ was obvious in that speech of Achharya Shri. A marvelous detachment towards the body!

All this is understood through intelligence but usually the con­science would not allow the feeling of perceiving the radiance of “Samyaktava” (right belief). We fail to link perception with the stream of samyaktava". We also fail to include the feelings of detachment in our conduct. We lead our whole life on the surface of body and take care of our health even if the soul might remain seriously ill. Non­attachment in life can save us from the karma-bondage.

Our vision towards the body should be non-attached; just as a patient remains on the disease-bed. He talks to nurses, makes merry with them but does not want to reside there. He wants to get relief from the disease. As soon as he is cured, he wishes an imme­diate discharge from the hospital. He does not take hospital as his home. Well! He may give donation for its development but does not accept to make it his residence. Keep this kind of perception towards our body. We must aim for a soul adorned with “Ratnatrya’ (Tri-jewels). A person de­spite having both eyes is blind if he is devoid of seeing self.

>Detachment to body makes us detached from licentious­ness and worldly enjoyments.

>Detachment is strengthened by ‘Discrimination Science’. Just as lotus remains in the water but does not sink in it, a similar attitude should be developed towards the body.

If the lotus sinks in the water it shall rot and if separated from water, it will dry up. Striving hard for inculcating the feeling of detachment of life from worldly pleasures and licentiousness, like a lotus remaining unblemished while in water, is the principal distinguishing mark of the saint.