Jain Philosophy (2) 08 – Virtues: Kshamä, Vinay, Saralatä and Santosh)

(Forgiveness, Humility, Straightforwardness and Contentment)

The key to achieving a higher level of inner happiness is to get rid of all passions (Kashäya). The basic passions are attachment and hatred; we can subdivide them into anger, ego, deceit and greed.  Nobody is free from these; and, unless checked, they build up in the individual, leading him or her to more and more destructive thoughts and behavior. It can be very hard to get rid of these unpleasant passions. It might take lifetimes and require hard spiritual effort. Even when the individual has controlled them, it is always possible to slip back. The path is still difficult and the individual must be prepared to avoid the most harmful activities: cheating, hurting others’ feelings, killing, lust for material things, and so on.

Kshamä (Forgiveness)

Forgiveness is a very important part of both our religion and daily life. It is an inherent quality of the soul.  Forgiveness is the antithesis of anger, which contaminates the soul. To forgive is a most difficult thing to do. Therefore, it is considered a quality of brave people. It is easy to resort to anger.  Anger demolishes the very foundation of love, rational thinking, and intelligence. Anger is harmful to our physical, mental, and emotional health.  One’s greatness is measured by his/her practice of forgiveness.

There are many reasons why people become angry.  Passions of greed, ego, and deceit brings on anger.  Some key ones can be listed; certain types of anger are due to: the nature of the individual (consequences of his/her past Karma); the outward approach, such as someone else considered responsible when something goes wrong; frustration, like getting stuck in a traffic jam; disappointment, such as not getting desired results; hurt feelings, when someone said or did something which was not desirable; annoyance, when one does not like certain things; harassment; jealousy; ego; greed; lack of knowledge that forgiveness and tolerance are the best responses; and consideration that forgiveness is weakness.

Effect of Anger

Anger makes one forget about the difference between good and bad, and reacts blindly without discretion.  Anger ruins relationships and love in a split second. Some anger causes violence.  Some anger starts verbal war.  Anger can be classified as follows: like a line in water, that goes away quickly; like a line in sand, that takes a little while to go away; like a line on a muddy road, that requires more time before it goes away; and like a line on rock, that stays for a long time. Anger brings in more Karma and Karma brings more anger. This cycle of acquiring Karma continues as long as we do not learn to control our anger.

The upsurge of anger creates several physical reactions that develop in the body of the angry person.  Our sympathetic nervous system is activated.  The brain releases a flood of adrenaline from the adrenal gland, which races through the blood stream and upsets the normal function of the body. Usually 90% of our cell’s energy is spent in building new proteins and building new DNA and RNA. When we become angry, our body needs lots of energy. Sugar is needed to create the energy. First, the reserved sugar from the liver is used. When the liver sugar is used up, stress hormones break down proteins.  Under an extremely stressful condition, additional sugar is released from muscles and muscles are consumed. Anger speeds up blood circulation, breathing becomes shallow and fast, other desires and hunger are suppressed, digestion stops, the brain becomes hyperactive alert, and muscles become tight. Every time the adrenal gland makes stress hormones respond to a threatening situation, it accelerates the aging process. A prolonged stressful situation leads to fatigue, muscle destruction, diabetes, hypertension, ulcers, impotence, neuron damage, heart attacks, and so on. In addition, as mentioned before, anger results in the influx of bad Karma and delays the purification process of consciousness.

Ways to Conquer Anger

During an anger_provoking situation, there are two possibilities: 1) anger is created or 2) anger is prevented.  When anger is created, there is either an instant reaction or a delayed reaction.  When anger is prevented, emotions are controlled, techniques are used to stop anger, and a constructive approach is used to resolve the conflict and forgiveness is exercised. To conquer anger, one should always be aware of the following key points and/or practice the same:

• Holding one’s breath, doing deep breathing exercises, counting up to 10, or reciting one Navakär Mantra when faced with an anger_provoking situation gives one time to calm down and reassess the situation rather than quickly respond to it.
• Anger is harmful to our body, mind and emotions, and to the purification process of our consciousness.
• Anger destroys hard_earned relationships and the fabric of love in a split second.
• Forgiveness is the sign of heroes and bravery. It is more difficult to express forgiveness than to express anger; thus, forgiveness is strength and anger is weakness. Anger brings more anger in the future.  Experiment with forgiveness in daily life.  Make a resolution to experiment with forgiveness x times a month and avoid getting angry y times a month.
• Let some time go by. Time is one of the best healers.
• When we are criticized, we should look at the situation from others’ viewpoint (multiplicity of viewpoints, Anekäntaväda). We should look for any truth or partial truths in their criticism that can help us improve.  Try to get their positive message even though their method of expressing it may be uncomfortable to us.
• Let the other person steam out.  Be an active listener.
•  Anger provocative situations are external and often not in our control and in these situations anger will not solve anything and may only make matters worse.
• Anger provocative situations are due to our past Karma. We are responsible for everything – good or bad – that happens to us, including anger provoking situations. We are the masters of our destiny.  Anger leads to influx of bad karma resulting in miserable destiny.
• Develop clear spiritual understanding, including the understanding of the Kashäya and separateness of soul and the body.  Develop the right knowledge.
• Develop equanimity – look at the things without attachment or hatred.
• There are constructive solutions to conflicts. Take the challenge to find an appropriate solution.
• Some Äsana Yoga exercises are also effective in developing a forgiving nature from outside but to really achieve forgiving nature; one must have Samyag Darshan (right faith).
• To get relief from such situations, we need to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system brings out calmness in our bodies. Käyotsarga mediation activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
• Contemplate this thought regularly: “I will not subject myself to anger; anger is not my quality. Forgiveness is my quality. I will exercise forgiveness.” Take advice from a spiritually advanced person on what and how to contemplate.

Obstacles to Developing the Nature of Forgiveness

The obstacles to developing forgiveness include: not knowing, being ignorant of, being unaware of, or forgetting the items mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Summary

By exercising the virtue of forgiveness, one experiences inner happiness and an increase in positive energy levels. The individual improves his/her physical, mental, emotional, social, professional, and spiritual health.  The virtue of forgiveness creates an atmosphere of peace and freedom from mental sadness, external conflicts, quarrels, and abuses. Kindness and friendship, and not arrogance, must accompany forgiveness.  Absence of anger and jealousy enhances the atmosphere of friendship and unity.  The influx of new Karma stops and past Karma can be shed or reduced.  The purification process of consciousness speeds up.

Vinay (Humility)

Humility is external and internal respect towards all living beings. In fact, humility is an inherent virtue of the soul (Ätmä), with other virtues like knowledge, faith, contentment, forgiveness, and so on.  Humility is the king of all spiritual characteristics.  Humility denotes humbleness, modesty, decency, politeness, courtesy, kindness, reverence, admiration, honor, and respect. Many popular sayings such as “Ego is the source of sin,” “One who bows is liked by all,” and “Even the pride of King Rävan went to dust,” points out that pride is a vice while humility is a virtue. Pride makes all our fame and great work useless.  Without humility, the right knowledge, the right faith, and the right conduct cannot be obtained; hence, one cannot improve oneself and cannot achieve liberation.

Developing Humility

Bhagawän Mahävir has said, “Become victorious over ego by humility.” Bhagawän was once asked, “What do we achieve by practicing humility?” The Bhagawän replied, “With humility, our inner feelings become purified and such inner feelings eradicate the eight types of ego.”  

The following is a brief description of eight types of ego:

• Pride of Knowledge: One may acquire vast amounts of knowledge because of studying scriptures, discussion with other aspirants (Swädhyäy or Satsanga), and the practice of meditation. If one prides him/herself on this learning and looks upon others as inferior, it is pride of knowledge.
• Pride of Worship: When several types of human and superhuman attributes become manifest within oneself, when one’s fame spreads all over the world, and when one wins regard, honor, and worship from leaders, wealthy people, great ascetics, and scholars, and if he looks at himself as high and great, it is pride of worship.
• Pride of Family: Suppose one’s relatives had been honored with a high government position, a high position in some other profession, a high spiritual position, and so on. If this individual boasts of his own greatness due to that, it is pride of the family.
• Pride of Race: Suppose one’s ancestors are of a high and noble family, or from some other respectable race, or so on. If this individual boasts of his own greatness due to that, it is pride of race.
• Pride of Power: One might be in the full bloom of youth and endowed with unique physical power; one might have cultivated grand eloquence that pleases and amazes thousands; one might have a sweet resounding voice; one might be blessed with the willpower by which one can stick to the activity until he is victorious. If one becomes arrogant due to one or more of these, then it is pride of power.
• Pride of Accomplishment: One might attain a super human achievement, like far seeing, far hearing, flying, and victory in a particular sport, and so on, through self_control or other means. If one becomes proud of it, then it is pride of accomplishments.
• Pride of Austerity: While practicing various types of austerities such as fasting, reciting prayers, meditation, Swädhyäy and overcoming of taste (Rasa), if one starts feeling that he/she is an unparalleled Tapasvi and experiences the sense of vanity, it is pride of austerity.
• Pride of Body: When various parts of the body such as the eyes, ears, nose, chin, chest and so on are quite handsome or beautiful and well proportionate, and the elegance of the body is eye catching, if one becomes proud, then it is pride of body.

This Eightfold pride disturbs the social, intellectual and spiritual progress of the aspirant. One should therefore know fully this Eightfold pride, abandon it in the daily routine of life and resort to humility. If this is done, humility as a virtue will reveal itself in a short time. Humility is the ladder that leads to true philosophical thinking and a happy life.

Types of Humility

There are numerous types of humility.  A few important ones are:

• Humility of right knowledge (Jnän Vinay); a) treating knowledge and those who have acquired knowledge with devotion, b) honoring them, c) noble contemplation on what our Tirthankar has said, d) putting in self effort to acquire knowledge and e) putting knowledge into practice.
• Humility of right belief (Darshan Vinay); respect for the right faith, respect for people who have the right faith and, the self_effort needed to acquire the right faith.
• Humility of right conduct (Chäritra Vinay); respect for right conduct, respect for persons who have the right conduct and, self_effort to practice the right conduct.
• Humility of right austerity (Tapa Vinay); respect for right austerity, respect for persons who practice right austerity and, self_effort to practice right austerity.
• Humility towards the spiritual leaders and great people (Upachär Vinay), one must be polite towards elders and spiritual superiors. One should bow (Pranäm) to them. One must offer them a seat. When they are passing by, one should stand up with respect. One should behave him/herself in their presence, with decency.

Fruits of Humility

There are many fruits of adopting humility in daily conduct. Some are as follows:

When one becomes considerate of other people’s inconveniences, speech becomes softer and courteous, not authoritative, not aggressive, and without hidden intent.

A loving conduct and a spirit of tolerance are developed.  We learn to apologize when a mistake is made.

Real greatness starts emerging, and boasting ends.  We start seeing  the positive side of others rather than the negative side.   We learn to respect others as our equals. We give up the habit of comparing ourselves with others.

“I” is replaced by “WE”. There is no presumption about what is right and wrong.

Just as trees rich in fruits hang low, similarly, people with true humility always look humble.

Like sugar in milk, if humility is associated with knowledge, one attains real greatness. Humility is the root of the process of purification.  It is the necessity for social, professional, intellectual, mental, and spiritual prosperity.

Summary

Humility is the king of all characteristics.  Ego destroys everything we work for. Vinay should be synchronized in all three phases: in action, in speech, and in thinking. Without humility, one cannot have right knowledge.  Without right knowledge, one cannot have right faith. Without right faith, one cannot have right conduct.  Without the right conduct, one cannot achieve Moksha. Let us develop this great virtue.

Saralatä (Straightforwardness)

Deceit implies falsehood, cheating, dishonesty, trickery, corruption, bribery and crookedness. The opposite of deceit is Saralatä (straightforwardness).  The virtue of being straightforward (candid, forthright, sincere, straight or frank) is the virtue that we sometimes refer to as “simplicity.” It entails consistency in the activities of mind, speech, and body. To make progress, say exactly what is in your mind, and do exactly what you say.  Discard negative tendencies such as complexity, crookedness, deception, trickery, and so on.  Straightforwardness is the basic virtue of the true self.

Why We Should Not Be Deceitful:

Let us pause here for a moment.  What is the object of all this? Why try to get rid of deceitfulness? Why try to break the chain of birth and rebirth? Sometimes we are unhappy, true; but sometimes we are happy being deceitful.  Is it really worth the effort to get rid of deceitfulness? Many individuals have never got around to thinking of this seriously or even to considering it. They seem to be happy, as they are.

First, no one likes a deceitful person.  Even his/her family members, friends and co_workers view him/her with suspicion. Whatever promises such person may give, a constant fear persists that a breach of trust will follow. As we know, a person who subjects himself/herself to ignorance and greed, and follows the path of deceitful conduct, tells himself/herself, “Who can read my mind? I will make sure that nobody knows what’s in my mind and I will achieve what I desire by deceptive talk and unreliable behavior.” Such people create a situation of deception around them that will eventually entrap them. Such people will permanently lose the respect from friends, family members, and society. They do not succeed in professional, social, or spiritual life.   A person with deceitfulness is always fearful, restless, and lacking peace of mind. Therefore, one should try to avoid a deceitful approach. All other virtues fail completely in a deceitful person.

Like anger, ego and other passions, deceitful acts, thoughts, and speech attract more Karma and Karma creates behaviors that are more deceitful.  The deceitful therefore undergoes miseries and stays trapped in the cycle of birth and rebirth.  

Why We Should Have Straightforwardness:

Bhagawän Mahävir was asked, “What does a person achieve from straightforwardness?” The Bhagawän replied, “Straightforwardness purifies body, mind and speech. True religion resides only in the hearts of straightforward people.”

Straightforwardness means high ethics and integrity.  Straightforwardness involves freedom from falsehood, cheating, dishonesty, trickery, corruption, bribery, and crookedness. Everyone likes a person with a straightforward attitude.  The life of a straightforward person becomes natural, fearless, worry_free, devout, peaceful, and therefore righteous.  Straightforward people succeed in their professional, academic, emotional, and spiritual lives.  Straightforwardness is another intrinsic quality of our soul that opens the doors of Moksha.

Straightforwardness stops the influx of Karma. Immense peace can be experienced with the development of straightforwardness in life.

Developing Straightforwardness

• Be aware that there should be synchronization of action, thoughts and speech. It is not desirable to think something in our minds, yet express something different through our speech or actions.
• Be aware that greed is the root cause of deceitful behavior. The deceitful approach may have short_term material gain, but in the end, it is a losing game.
• Be aware that nobody likes deceitful people and the most trusted people are the straightforward ones.
• Be aware that straightforward people are fearless, natural, and have a peaceful life.  Deceitful people are always worried, fearful, and restless.
• Straightforwardness means accepting when mistakes are made, not spreading rumors, not blaming others, not telling one’s secrets to others, not lying, not hurting others’ feelings, and so on.
• Be aware that a deceitful nature brings in more Karma and more Karma brings in a more deceitful nature, starting a cycle that is hard to reverse.
• Contemplate: “I want to be a straightforward person and be free from all deceitful activities”

Summary

For young children, it is natural to be straightforward.  Older people should try to be like them. Do what you say and say what you think.  Deceitful approaches put life in more misery. Straightforwardness brings immense peace and success in every area (social, intellectual, professional, academic, mental, and spiritual).  It is a quality of the soul. Straightforwardness stops the influx of Karma and accelerates the process of Nirjarä (shedding of Karma).

Santosh (Contentment)

The state of being content is called contentment.  Contentment also means freedom from discontent.  To be content means to limit or free one’s own self from requirements and desires. Contentment is a pure state of satisfaction.  Contentment is the very basic nature of the Ätmä (soul).

The opposite of contentment is greed.  Therefore, becoming greedy is unnatural. Greed is the lust for wanting more. The more you get, the more you want. A greedy person is never satisfied with whatever he has. Other manifestations of greed are selfishness, miserliness, and stinginess.

Greed is due to being unaware that the self and non_self are different. Greed is not restricted to the lust for wealth; one can be greedy for any non_spiritual object, such as the body, beauty, power, fame, name, use, reuse, pleasures for the five senses, etc.

Greediness is a prison; it is bondage.  Greed is at the root of all miseries and all sins. Greed is the father of all sins. Because of greed, we become deceitful, egoistic, and angry. A famous Indian saint, Kabir, has said, “Because of passions, anger, and greed, human beings drown without water.”

Quotes from Scriptures

Quotes from Dasha_vaikälika Sutra

• Anger (Krodha), pride (Mäna), deceit (Mäyä), and greed (Lobha) add to demerit (Päp).  He, who is desirous of his own well_being, should completely give up these four passions.  (8_36)
• Anger spoils good relations, pride destroys humility, and deceit is detrimental to friendship, while greed destroys everything. (8_37)
• One should suppress anger by tranquility. Pride should be replaced by humility.  Deceit should be avoided through straightforwardness. One should overcome greed through contentment.  (8_38)
• If anger and pride are not controlled, and if deceit and greed are allowed to increase, then these four evil passions serve to water the roots of the tree of transmigration (Samsär, cycle of birth and death). (8_39)

Quotes from Uttarädhyayan Sutra

• Anger causes the degradation of the soul. Pride leads to a low state of existence. Deceit is an impediment to progress towards a better state of existence. Greed spoils both present and the future lives. (9_54)
• Knowing that greed has no bounds – all the rice and barley of the entire earth, all the stocks of gold and all the cattle of the earth are not sufficient to satisfy the desires of a single individual; the wise should practice austerities. (9_49)
• Greed always increases with possessions. The more we get, the more we want. In the beginning, we desire little wealth and think that it will be sufficient for our needs. On acquiring it, we think that even millions will not be sufficient for our needs. (8_17)
• By renouncing passions, the soul attains the state of complete freedom, the state beyond attachment and aversion (Vitaräga). On attaining the state of non_attachment and non_aversion, the soul becomes indifferent to worldly pleasure and pain. (29_36)

By conquering anger, the soul acquires forgiveness.  By conquering pride, the soul gains humility. By giving up deceit, the soul acquires straightforwardness. By conquering greed, the soul attains contentment.

Greed

Accumulation wealth and material possessions is greed and attachment to the accumulation is greediness.  Greed is not only related to wealth, but also related to having more power, to becoming more famous, to having others acknowledge/respect your intelligence, your body, and your features. Greed is also a desire to use and reuse material things, desire to please the five senses and mind, desire to get what you like, and so on.  People sometimes spend more money

to get power, a beautiful companion, name, and fame.  Even practicing religion with a desire to go to heaven or Moksha is greed.  Thus, there are many types of greed, which must all be carefully avoided.

What Greed Does

Greed makes people miserable.  Greed attracts more bad Karma and bad Karma makes them greedy in a seemingly endless cycle.  Greed destroys love, humility, and friendship. Wherever there is greed, there is no happiness; and greed has no limits. Greediness is also subtle. Sometimes it is very difficult to notice greediness.  It is more difficult to get rid of greediness.

A person blinded by greediness resorts to not only deceit, treachery, and injustice, but may even go to the extent of severe violence.  When you get what you like, it can lead to attachment (deceit and greed) and when you do not get what you like it can lead to aversion (anger and ego).

Bhagawän Mahävir said, “A greedy person cannot be satisfied even if he accumulates countless heaps of gold and silver the size of Mount Kailäsa (a peak in the Himalayas). Desires are limitless like space.” He also said, “You may annex the entire universe and you may acquire the wealth of the whole world, but even these will not be sufficient to satisfy your greed. Even that treasure will not be able to protect you from the miseries of the world.”

Greed is a very dangerous passion because in the end there is no satisfaction with accumulated goods.  Similarly, it does not allow enjoyment of wealth, power, fame, or name obtained.

A penny pinching, miserly person is not able to use his money even for his own comfort and well_being. He is afraid that in doing so his wealth may be used up and exhausted. In addition, how can a person donate money when he does not use it even for himself? Such a miser is shocked and pained even to see anyone else donating wealth to the needy. A greedy person feels jealous when others have more than he has.

How long does greed last?

There are four types of greed, and therefore, their lasting time is of four different periods:

• Some greed is very mild, like a color that can be washed away by water. This type of greed takes hours or days to get rid off.
• Some greed is mild, like a color that can be removed by soap and water. This type of greed takes weeks or months to get rid of.
• Some greed is intense, like grease that requires special chemicals to remove. This type of greed takes a good amount of time (months to years) to get rid of.
• Some greed is very intense, like permanent dye. This type of greed takes a very long time, even a lifetime or more to get rid of.

What Contentment Is

Bhagawän Mahävir said, “A person who is free from delusion (who understands reality) has no misery.  A person who is without any longing has no delusion. A person without greed has no longing.  A person who does not have possessions has no greed.”

Thus, the absence of greed is contentment.  Contentment, of course, does not mean that we should not make honest efforts to earn.  We should be fairly rewarded for our efforts. However, we should limit the amount we want to accumulate.

Contentment really consists of being happy, even when one has less than what can be obtained. One should make effort to get needed things without feeling discontented. Moreover, even if, after an honest effort, one does not get what is needed due to Karma, they should feel contented. Such a person stays happy. There is a proverb: “A contented person is forever happy.”

We should make proper use of our wealth, power, name, fame, knowledge, and relationships. We should not become selfish, mean, or stingy.  Once we have accumulated up to our limit, we should devote more time to spiritual activities and distribute additional wealth towards worthy causes. Thus, one can be happy if they are contented with whatever they possess.

Ways to Conquer Greediness

Greed is the most difficult of the four passions (anger, ego, deceit and greed) to eliminate. Therefore, first anger, then ego, then deceitfulness must be eradicated; only then, greed can be eradicated.  Methods similar to the “Ways to Conquer Anger” apply here. However, conquering greediness is indeed more difficult than conquering anger. The detection of anger is easy; it can be detected by several external signs.  However, greed is usually subtle and not easy to detect inside one’s self.

Be aware that discontent leads to sorrow and misery.  Contentment leads to happiness. Contentment is a natural wealth. Wealth in the form of cash, land, houses, cars, and jewels, and other non_material items like power, name, beauty, and fame are transitory. Contentment is the highest happiness. Desires on the other hand are the worst diseases.

Be aware that as long as one has greed, he/she is trapped in cycles of birth and rebirth. A person free of greediness is free from all miseries.  The absence of greediness is the only way to liberation.  Let us review a story of Kapil Muni dealing with greed vs. contentment.