Where There Is Stability, Lies The Solution To Every Problem
“Living with purpose is the reason why I chose the path of renunciation,” said H.H. Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni, a versatile thinker, writer and poet while addressing the audience at The Festival of Spirituality of BW Wellbeing World in Mumbai.
He said that ethical principles and spirituality are fundamental to human existence. "For living a happy and joyful life, stability is the prerequisite condition," suggests Muni. Balance and stability are the things which have been widely discussed all across India’s cultural history. “This balance was also discussed by 24th Jain Teerthankar, he also adopted five principles that are needed to establish a healthy society,” Muni mentioned during his session.
Jain Agam talks about simple ways of livelihood. Similarly, Purushartha also talks about Dharm, Arth, Kaam and Moksh. “When we leave the purpose of life and start focusing only on arth and kaam, this balance gets destabilised,” said Muni while highlighting the importance of stability in life. While addressing the audience primarily consisting of businessmen, Muni recalled the tale of Anand Shravak, a businessman who is often talked about in Jain Agama. In the discourse, he said that everybody does possess different levels of talent. But this talent needs to be inherited in such a way that it is utilised for the betterment of society and not to destabilise it.
Muni also mentioned that Shankar Mahavir said “If your brother sleeps hungry but you fill your entire belly, then you don't deserve to get Moksha. Satjeevani principles were propounded by Mahavir Jain because he knew that mother earth can fulfill the needs of human race, but it can not fulfill demands of greedy. Limited resources can not fulfill infinite needs,”
Further he emphasised, “Happiness is not a function of material or circumstances but it is a function of mental health.” He also added that Humans want to achieve happiness, but the path they choose will only take them towards grief and sorrow. This is the biggest contradiction of this world. In his address, he also mentioned three states of universal good namely:- Swarth, Paraarth and Paramaarth, considering Paramaarth as the way for achieving universal good. He also advised that CSR should be utilised in the manner of Paramaarth.
He recalled one of his discussions with the American President Joe Biden, where they were discussing the issue of gun regulations. In the discussion, he made a point that the issue is not with guns. The real issue lies in the mind and mental health of people. Guns are merely a tool to showcase the anxiety, stress, depression and frustration that is in the minds of people.
“You can put a ban on guns but not on mental problems,” he pointed out. He questioned the current education which focuses on physical and mental education but doesn't focus on spiritual and well-being education. He also delivered a moral lesson, while mentioning a story between Dronacharya and Yudhishthira.
Dronacharya once asked all his students to remember a shlok which was, “Satyamvad Dharmam Cha Krodham Maku”. Dronacharya asked for three consecutive days but Yudhishtira did not remember the shloka. On fourth day, Dronacharya slapped Yudhishthira, but Yudhishthira did not become angry and said. You have slapped me but still I did not become angry. Now I can say that I have learnt the lesson of the shlok.
The point that Muni wanted to make was that there are no values of lessons or words if they are not inculcated into one’s personality. As a concluding remark he said, “The solution is not medicine but meditation.”
