Man has an attachment generally towards his own or of someone else: food of his liking: wealth, paraphernalia and luxury.

 

The satisfaction of these attachments brings more and more attachments to surround the man. He is not able to read his needs. He does not know what actually is needed for his body, and what actually would he be needing after satisfying his desires.

 

Addiction is a desire which continues even after casual satisfaction. He is addicted to food if he feels like taking food even after having bellyful of food. He has generally good house, yet he wants a better furnished house; it shows his addiction to a house. This addiction inspires him to be more and more active, thrashing him into dissatisfaction and unrest.

 

The fish is caught in the hook because of addiction. It generally gets food, yet its addiction to food makes it lose its life. The birds are caught in nets because of food addiction. The food grain attracts them and they get caught. The animals prey fall because of their addiction to food. We shall go beyond many difficulties understanding the difference between a necessity andan addiction. Most of the biological diseases are our own of creations.

 

 We create many imaginary situations to get that body or food or wealth which we are addict of.

 

The scene of a graveyard at the time of death of one of our friends or relatives or family members, brings the emotions of renunciation for us, but that emotion does not last long. Yet, though for a few moments. it reminds us of the reality and transience of life. It again shows to us the real end of life. Do. still then, we get rid of attachment? No.

 

Only a few moments are needed to get rid of attachment. Renunciation, whether acheieved or natural, is not possible in all the situations, but minimizing attachment is one situation which depends upon self-control.

 

Being perfect in renouncing or controlling the addiction, we shall turn towards building our character. For this we will have to make a self-study.

 

We will have to look into ourselves, criticize ourselves, then only we shall find an easy way for building character. We will have to change our view towards ourselves. We can be our own guide. The day we learn to know ourselves, we shall experience a big change in ourselves. A new conscience will be generated in our ourselves, quite a new experience. 

 

In an answer to a question Acharya Sri Vidyanand Maharaj told. The body is an earthen pot where based is the flame of light. The flame of light flickers with the flow of air, hence the light also is fickering. Therefore.concentration is needed for the flame of meditation or knowledge of mind. The flow of air from all the four sides should be avoided. Then only it will be unswerving

 

Mind is unswerving only when the senses are controlled. A diamond in the water will be visible only when the waves of water will subside. Likewise the flickerings in mind being subsided, the visualization or experience of the soul will result into concentration.

 

Acharya Kunda-kunda Svami (52B.C. to A.D. 48) wrote, The ascetic. Siva-bhuti by name, obviously attained Kevala-jnana or omniscience by way of purifying his conscience through the constantly repeated words. ‘tusha-masha. that is soul is as separate from the body as the bean from husk. 89

 

The story goes like this: There was a Seth, named Siva-bhuti. He turned ascetic. Being a businessman he knew how to earn money. He did not know anything about religion. The teachers tried much to teach him. but he used to forget all that. Then he was told to repeat the words, ‘the bean is separate from the husk, so is separate the soul from the body. Repeating these words he attained emancipation.

 

We can change any type of character; needed for that. is a balance of theory and practice. We will have to make practice according to the density of attachment and aversion. One with density of aversion will have to concentrate upon the centre of ‘ananda’ or pleasure. while the one with density of attachment will have to concentrate upon the centre of ‘jyoti’ or light. Thus we can change our character.