Page 67 - Desire to Disaster

“O prabhu, if this is the case, then what will happen to me?
Chasing sensuous delectations has been my life’s pursuit! I
have never curbed my sensual desires! What will happen to
me? Is there a way to atone for my sins?”
The monk was wise enough to realise that the king was
asking this question out of a genuine desire to break out of
the trappings of hedonism that dominated his life. The desire
to seek such answers is indicative of the desire to break out
from the bonds of transmigration. The desire to learn new
things is essential for progress to happen.
How does True Curiosity arise?

When one is truly keen to improve himself, curiosity arises.
He becomes eager to look for answers and sincere enough to
implement the answer. To live the values he has understood.
As a consequence, he attains spiritual growth.
The problem arises when there is no genuine regret for all
the flaws, wrong actions, violence and hedonistic actions that
one has committed. A person may listen to various religious
discourses, reads the scriptures, and realise that the Jain faith
is the best path for liberation. But if he is not keen to know
the self, if he is lazy about making spiritual progress, he will
not be able to make spiritual progress. One should not merely
want to know the right path out of academic interest. One
should walk the path and achieve self-purification.

(For further enlightenment on this topic
refer appendix 2 on page no. 99)
Seeing the king’s sincerity, the monk replied to him in detail,
in order to help the king achieve spiritual purification.

The learned monk said, “O king! How could there not be a
remedy? Certain reasons led to your attachment. When you
get rid of them, in fact, pursue the opposite reasons, your
attachment will lessen. When you change your direction
Desire to Disaster 67