5 Examples from Samaysaar that will bring peace to our soul!
Introduction
All the five examples represented in this blog are depicted in the verse(gatha)-14 of one of the most important Holy book - Samaysara in Jainism.
It has a total of 415 verses, written in Prakrit language. It was written around 2000 years before, in 1st century A.D.
Numerous translations and commentaries are made on that till today.
The learnings that we can take from these examples is - In today's world, we are all living on the surface and looking everything that is on the outside. Be it fame, success, love, hatred, anger and what not.
But instead, looking at the "constant" side of ourselves - our Soul, actually brings internal happiness, satisfaction, bliss, peace and self-realization; and can view the whole world with a beautiful perception.
1. Lotus Leaves
Lotus leaves are special. Even though from outside, one might think that the water is on the leaf and will make it wet, but in reality the leaves remain "untouched" from the water.
Similarly, one (soul) is having infinite karmic particles attached to it. Karmic particle are the reason why we witness good and bad phenomena. But in reality, the soul is pure, blissful and peaceful and completely untouched from external karmic particles.
Thus, no external-phenomena/person/event can actually harm our mental peace and our true self which is pure and peaceful.
2. Clay Vessels
Various vessels such as pot,jug, glass, cups etc. can be made from clay. Here, these vessels are just different forms of the element "clay".
Similarly, there are rich, poor, beautiful, ugly, good, bad, animals, birds, insects, and all the living life around us in "various forms". But everyone are elementally equal - "Souls"; just in different bodies. Thus, there should be no hatred or attachment towards specific life-form or a person.
So, Instead we must be peaceful and have compassion towards all souls, without any hate, anger or grief.
3. Ocean
If one looks at the surface, the inconsistency is seen in the ocean in the form of its waves. But, in its depth; the ocean is still, silent and peaceful.
Similarly, constantly we are having various negative thoughts, anger, attachment, deceit, ego etc. feelings on our surface due to which we get restless and grieved.
But, looking at our own soul's depth; the soul even though having raag-dwesh(attachment-detachment pains), in the depth - it is pure, still, peaceful and filled with bliss. So instead of looking at someone else's anger or love, try to see what is constant - i.e SOUL and there will be no sadness or hatred towards anyone!
4. Gold Ornaments
There is a variety of gold ornaments of different shapes, designs and sizes. But, when one goes to sell those ornamanets to the goldsmith, the goldsmith ignores the shape and designs; and only values the element "gold", which is constant among all the ornaments.
Similarly, instead of focussing on one's success, failure, personality, characteristics; we must see what is constant - i.e the pure Soul. By this perception, we will never feel sad or depressed by ourself, because we know that all these external "adjectives" isn't my "true self" and ever changing with time.
Instead, if we focus on constant element - Soul; we would be embracing our true identity that leads to peace and happiness, and can have compassion towards everyone.
5. Heated Water
When we see heated water, we perhaps would think that water has the true property of being "hot". But in reality, the water was heated by "fire". Due to the external factor - "fire", that actually had the property of "hotness", the water was hot. In reality, without external factor, water would have stayed in room temperature only.
Similarly, due to various good and bad phenomena occuring in our life, we get unhappy, grieved and lose mental peace. But, the good and bad is by our own karmas, which are external factors.
Instead, we must focus on the pure/true identity of ourself- Soul; that is pure, happy and blissful. Accepting our true identity brings eternal happiness; in other words Salvation/Moksh.