286 Pratikraman
Where There is No Anger, There is Forgiveness
People will say,‘ Lord Mahavir had to suffer a lot. He had to suffer internally as well as tremendous bodily pain. He had to endure a lot in penance.’ Moksha is not attained by enduring such physical suffering. What is such talk like? What people say is that the Lord has forgiveness for one, no matter how bad a deed he does. The Lord does‘ have’ forgiveness, so he can‘ give’ it to others; it may appear so to people. What does forgiveness( kshama) mean? There is no such thing as forgiveness. Absence of anger in itself is forgiveness. Hence one does not have to forgive. The Jain sadhus( ascetics), not having understood this, claim how wonderful the Lord’ s forgiveness is. There is no forgiveness. It is a different matter where, through the ego, one says,‘ Go! I forgive you!’ One can understand that forgiveness, but that is on a superficial and a gross level. The absence of anger is forgiveness in itself.( 270)
Kashay is Not in Our Control but Pratikraman is
In Akram Vignan, true control( saiyam) is the cessation of anger, pride, deceit and greed. If any of these kashays occur, one has to do pratikraman, because that is atikraman. Sensual enjoyment( vishay) is not atikraman, but these kashays( anger, pride, deceit and greed) are atikraman. You have been taught to do pratikraman for the atikraman. The world has arisen because of atikraman and it will end with pratikraman. Worldly interaction with kashays have given rise to life-after-life world; not the worldly interaction in vishay. Worldly interaction with kashays has given rise to the worldly life, and that is the atikraman which can be washed off with pratikraman. Occurrence of kashays is not under Your control but doing pratikraman for it is under your control. Therefore, effort( purusharth) towards liberation is through pratikraman.
Has your ego( ahamkar) and pride( maan) gone away