Page 54 - Courage Redifined
P. 54
Though karmasatta will show its effects in the long run, it
will definitely not ignore or let them go.
In the present era also, why are so many innocent living beings
undergoing terrible pain and trauma ? Why are innocent goats
and sheep being slaughtered in slaughter houses ? What is
the crime of small ants and other insects ? Why are they
dying by being crushed ? Do those who kill mosquitoes and
bugs with pesticides like D. D. T think about the fault of
these little insects to whom they are such a pitiful death ?
If Karmasatta is punishing them for the crime committed by
them in their previous birth, then wouldn't Karmasatta punish
me for my crime of killing others ? What will be my state in
the next birth ? Due to the lack of such thoughts, people use
pesticides and insect sprays freely and kill numerous innocent
creatures.
Kamlata lost her conscience, fell into prostitution and did not
even think about the consequences that she would have to
face in the next birth. A good character Brahmin woman at
one time turned into a characterless prostitute. What a vast
difference! Once a man loses his determination, his downfall
has no limits. Loss of determination in the attraction of sensual
pleasures leads to Kashyas.
She lost her determination once to become the queen which
eventually led her to the terrible clutches of prostitution.
Hence, one needs to be alert in not losing determination
and exercising the wrong even once, because it can lead to
unimagined consequences. Do not become the slave of more
and more sensual pleasures and thus invite vices like anger,
greed, etc. Do not forget that this soul loses its courage and
purity when it gets attracted to sensual pleasures and depends
on the dangerous Kashayas.
Lord Mahavira's soul was a great, non-attached and pure
44 Courage Redefined