| 34· Love and
hate lie towards the object of each sense; let none become subject to these
two; for, they are his enemies.As regards all senseobjects, such as sounds,
there necessarily arises in each sense love for an agreeable object, and
aversion for a disagreeable object. Now I shall tell you where lies the
scope for personal exertion and for the Teaching (sastra). He who would
follow the Teaching should at the very commencement rise above the sway
of affection and aversion. For, what we speak of as the nature (prakriti)
of a person draws him to its course only through love and aversion. He then
neglects his own duties and sets about doing those of others. When, on the
other hand, a person restrains these feelings by means of their enemy, then
he will become mindful of the Teaching only, no longer subject to his own
nature. Wherefore, let none come under the sway of these two ; for, they
are his adversaries, obstacles to his progress in the right path, like thieves
on the road.Now, the man who is led by love and aversion may misunderstand
the Teaching ; he may think that one man may follow the duty (dharma) of
another because the latter is also a duty. But it is not right to think
so: |
