Freedom is the great gift of philosophy.
Ali people desire
freedom of thought, of writing and of speech. No one wants
to live in bondage to another. Toe word, "Raja" (meaning
king, monarch or prince) had become a subject of history and
lexicology. Likewise, the word "naukar" (meaning servant)
is gradually becorning obsolete, a thing of the past. It means
Anupreksha :: 275
individual wants the whole of creation to merge in him, but
such a person will never realize the truth.
Toe individual is like an ocean in which are frolicking
waves of attachment and aversion. A vision of truth is not
possible there. Only a person who transcends these waves can
possessa clear vision; but he who remains immersed in waves
cannot.
ln the socialistic system, power is concentrated in the
hands of a few individuals. Toe general public finds itself to
be utterly helpless. Those who depend upon their own
resolution, never Jack refuge.
Toe word 'arms' contains within it a suggestion of
security which is not real. Even those who possess awful
weapons, do not feel secure and are filled with fear.
Dasharanbhadra set out to visit Lord Mahavira with
great pomp and show. Indra formed an army. Dasharanbhadra
was defeated. He was lost in considerations of salvation and
non-salvation, because he had crossed into the sphere of other.
Ultimately, he sought refuge in Lord Mahavira and was
victorious. Now it was lndra's tum to fali at the feet of the
Lord.
He who was defeated under another's rule, was victorious
under self-rule. He who lives in society, must keep within the
bounds of the self. With the development of self-rule, there
would be no disorder in society, rather a special kind of order.
There will be no artificial laws but natural. Toe source of
inspiration will not be fear but dutifulness.
How to pray to the Almighty
Toe secret of prayer is complete identification, the
awakening of the power to be fully engrossed in the master
spirit. Unless there is complete identification with the Master,
nothing is gained. Toe man who rouses his valour, awakens
his capacity to be fully identified with the Master, has his
prayer anwered. Without valour and complete identification,
praying for years together will be of little avail.
Acharya Hemchandra says : "It is better for an individual
to obey the Master than mereiy worship and pray before him.
Anupreksha :: 277
the seats of power. Various allegations of financial
rnisappropriation are brought against them and sometimes
that an mct1v1ctual allows tumselt to be rmposect upon by
another. During the transitional period, everything appears
to be small; even a grea t thing is contained in the mirror. An
276 :: Abstract Thinking
A son who salutes his father everyday, but does not obey him
is not dear to him; the father !oves a son who carries out his
will and lives a disciplined life
On!y he who follows the Master's discipline, obeys him
and carries out his will, is qualified to pray before him. He
who does not obey the Master's comrnands and acts in
contradiction to them, is not entitled to offer prayers. Toe
master comrnands-"Be pur;", but a man's thoughts and
conduct are unclean. Toe Master comrnands-"Beware of
wrong conduct; Be honest", but a man behaves badly and
is dishonest. Such a person is not worthy to offer prayers.
By disobeying the Master's comrnands he loses his capacity
to be identified with him. Toe prayer of such a person is sheer
hypocrisy, self-deception.
Ali the unique personalities of this world-Rama,
Krishna, Mahavira, Budhha, Christ, etc. chose a path for
themselves which led to the heights, to salvation and final
ernancipation. Traversing that path, they became great.
Freedom and Self-Discipline
Toe fundamental basis of democracy is freedom and
freedom is founded on self-discipline. On!y he who can keep
hirnself under control, can ignite the flame of freedom. ln an
age of dictatorship, terror reigns, and an individual's self-
discipline is little valued. ln an age of democracy, fearlessness
reigns, and the value of self-discipline on an individual's pari
is greatly enhanced.
lndia is the world's biggest democracy. Toe question as
to what kind of self-discipline should the citizens of lndia
display, willy-nilly comrnands attention. No satisfactory
answer to this question has been forthcoming. Prominent
people in the government should display the greatest self-
discipline, but it is not so. 0n the contrary, they misuse their
position. Nor do they lack partiality. They are very generous
to their favourities, but most illiberal to those who have failed
to ingratiate themselves into their favour. They take up the
reins of government supposedly for the good of the people,
but ali their efforts are designed to preserve for themselves
278 :: Abstract Thinking
individual does not function only on lhe levei of the body,
senses and intellect alone, he functions on the levei of feeling.
Whatever action an individual performs is being conducted
from within. Arjun said to Krishna, "O Lord! A rnan commits
a sin. What makes him do it?" Krishna answered, "Lust and
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