Ahideva and Mahideva were two
brothers. They both went abroad on a business errand. They amassed
enormous wealth and bought a precious diamond with the money. The diamond
proved so inauspicious in its effect that a vicious feeling to kill his
partner took possession of the mind of its holder. But the two brothers
had great mutual love. So any, how they put reins to their evil feeling
and did not kill each other. Soon after they returned home and handed over
the diamond to their mother. Instantly, on getting the diamond an evil
thought flashed into her mind, "Why not kill both my sons by giving them
poison in food, so that the diamond may remain in my possession for ever?"
She went on pondering thus
throughout the night. In the morning her mind changed on hearing the holy
sermon of a monk and she began to reproach herself:
"Cursed am I, that I plotted to
assassin my own flesh and blood - my dear sons -for this petty stone.
Condemned be this devil 'Parigraha' (attachment for possessions)."
On coming to her senses, she told the whole truth to her sons. She at once
instructed them to cast away the inauspicious diamond into some
unfathomable pond or deep sea. What to say of keeping it with her, she
disdained even to look at it. The sons obeyed her and acted accordingly.
Thereafter, all of them began to live with love and peace.
While describing the virtue of
non-attachment (Akinch Anya Dharma), the great poet Reidhu writes:
Akinnchnru bhavhu apyu jhavhu,
daihhu bhnru nranrmu
Nrruvam gye vnru, suh sanpnru
param antidiye vigybhu
Akinchnru bu sangah nriviti,
akinchnru bu suhjhanr sati
Akinchnru bu biyliye bhamti,
akinchnru rynrtye paviti
Akinchnru anuchiyi chitu, pasrantu indiye bnri vichitu
Akinchnru dhaihu nraih chatu
akinchnru jn bhav suh vistu
Tinrmitu prighu jath nrthi,
akinchnr so nriymainr athi
Apaparjath viyar sati, pydijyi
jhim parmaithi bhti
Chhndijyi jhin sanklp duth,
bhoynru vnchhijyi jhin anrith
Akinchnru dhamu ji aim hoyi, tn
jhayijyi nriru ith loyi
Aihu ji phavain ladh shavain
tithaisar siv nryri gya
Gye kam viyara punr risi sara
vndnrij tay tainr sya
1. Imagine of the virtue of
non-attachment taking the soul as different from the body; soul is a
storehouse of knowledge; it is unique; it is colorless; it is blissful; it
is superb; it is devoid of senses and is fearless. Such evaluation of soul
is 'Ahnchanya Dharma' i.e., virtue of non-attachment.
2. To get rid of attachment from
all worldly possessions is the vow of non-attachment. To be endowed with
the power to meditate upon the four auspicious virtues; viz. (i) Maitri-friendship
with all living beings. (ii) Pramoda - delight at the sight of
beings better qualified or more advanced than ourselves on the path of
liberation. (iii) Karuna -compassion for the afflicted. (iv)
Madhyastha - tolerance or indifference to those, who are uncivil or
ill behaved; is the vow of internal non-attachment. To be free from the
feeling of allurement for something is the vow of 'Akinchanya'
(non-attachment); and to have no feeling of possession is the vow of
external non-attachment; and to be dedicated to the three jewels - Right
belief, Right knowledge and Right conduct, is the vow of 'Ahnchanya'.
3. The vow of non-attachment puts
reins to the mind, which roams, in the strange forest of senses. To give
up love for the body is the vow of non-attachment, and to be averse to the
worldly enjoyments is also the vow of non-attachment.
4. Where there is not the least
attachment equivalent even to a straw, as a rule there is the vow of
non-attachment. Where there exists the power of discrimination between
self and non-self; where devotion for the five divinities is revealed;
where the evil pledges are discarded and where ambition for delicious
dishes exists no more, there lies the virtue of non-attachment. A man
should meditate upon these in this world
5. The Tirthankaras have
attained salvation as a result of and with the assistance of, this virtue
of non-attachment. On account of this non-attachment virtue the saints who
are devoid of the evils of vicious passions are venerated forever.
Hence, O Mortal Man! Be
non-attached, be non-attached and be non-attached to all worldly
allurements in order to enjoy the true and eternal bliss available in the
heavenly abode of the celestial beings i.e., enlightened souls, who became
liberated as they were endowed with the supreme virtue of non-attachment.
All sadness arises from too great attachment to
this world. As soon as you are free from it and consider yourself a
stranger therein, you will perceive that everything you behold or taste
cannot abide with you, and that you must go to another place; therefore
you will no longer feel any anxiety.
