Page 56 - Courage Redifined

worldly affairs can lead to numerous sins. Now, let’s see how
the mind gets disturbed. We lose some money and the mind
gets hurt. Arre! We realize that a little handkerchief fell from
our pocket and our mind gets hurt that, “Oh, my hanky! ”
Someone spoke just a little rudely that, “Can’t you see and
walk ? You are walking so vaguely.” Even if the opposite
person is right, we cannot tolerate his words and the mind gets
upset. We taste the dal and realize that salt is less, we take
a sip of tea and realize that sugar is less and our mind gets
disturbed. We immediately start yelling, “Arre! What kind
of dal is this ?”, “Who has made this tasteless tea ?” Also at
times when the opposite person does not greet or respect us,
we get upset and feel, “I am greeting him so warmly and
he is not even concerned.” If it so happens that the opposite
person asks us, “How come you are here ?”, in such a case
we will get extremely disturbed and think, “I came here out
of affection and he is not even bothered. What an insult! ”

This means that the mind gets disturbed in small and baseless
things because it is extremely undetermined.

Q. : But if something unpleasant occurs, isn’t it obvious that
the mind gets disturbed ?

A. : No. No such universal rule exists. Many people in our
neighbourhood may be in trouble. But this does not
disturb us. Don’t wealthy Jain merchants know that
many sadharmikas are facing problems and struggling
in poverty ? Don’t they know the difficulties they are
facing in trying to make meet ends ? But does this
disturb the minds of the affluent class ? If their minds
would get disturbed, then they would surely feel, “These
people are in so much misery and distress. Let me use
my wealth for their welfare. Religion has given me this
wealth and comforts. If I do not utilize this for the cause

46 Courage Redefined