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Aptavani-2
parmanus. This attraction between parmanus is referred to as
raag or attachment; and the repulsion of these parmanus is called
dwesh or abhorrence.
From the moment one creates separation of, ‘this is mine’
and ‘this is someone else’s’, attachment and abhorrence arise
towards that which is not ‘yours’. When you say it is not mine,
it will give rise to abhorrence. When one sees a mosque, he says
he does not like it. When one sees a temple of Lord Shiva, he
will say, “This is not ours, it is someone else’s.” Abhorrence will
remain as long as one says this, and attachment and abhorrence
will cease when one feels that everything is his. When one
moves from the opposite opinion, the opposition ceases. Some
love the stock market, while others hate it. The one with
attachment (raag) for the stock market says, “Trading stocks is
good”, and the one with abhorrence will say, “Trading is wrong,
this is not a good business.” These are thoughts from two sides
being expressed as opinions. Here when one removes oneself
from the opposite opinions, he ends the opposition.
A man abandons his wife and children in search of
liberation. He leaves his money behind and goes into the forest
to lead a life of an ascetic but he cannot get rid of his
attachment-abhorrence. What is the obstructive force in all this?
Ignorance is the obstructive force. Attachment or abhorrence is
not the obstacle, but ignorance is. Vedanta says that man needs
to get rid of mud, vikshep and ignorance. Jains say that one
needs to get rid of attachment, abhorrence and ignorance.
Ignorance is the common factor between the two. Ignorance of
what?! The ignorance of the Self. Everything goes once the
ignorance of the Self goes. But one needs the knower of the
Soul (Atma Gnani) to help him get rid of the ignorance (agnan).
Wherever there is raag-dwesh, there is the worldly life.
Where there is no raag-dwesh, then it does not matter whether
a person lives in a palace or a shack, he is free from worldly
attachment (aparigrahi). And even if a person is living in a cave