Lesson for juniors(12)
PUNYA AND PAP
Why are some people in more favorable situations than the others? Why are some rich, while the others struggle? Why do some suffer more sickness than the others? Why is science unable to explain all these questions? The answer to such a disparity lies in the understanding of the punya and the pap. What are the punya and the pap? A punya is earned when our activities are good and comforting to others while a pap is earned when our activities are bad and cause suffering to the others. When the punya mature or give the result, it brings worldly happiness and comfort, and when the pap mature or give the result, it brings nothing but the worldly suffering.
Now, it would be obvious that what we see in the world is nothing other than the result of our past actions. Knowing this would remind us that our activities should be wholesome if we want happiness and comfort in life, otherwise we should be ready to accept the unhappiness and discomfort. When talking about the activities, people mostly think of physical activities, but we should not forget that verbal expressions, and mental thoughts are also considered the activities. For this reason, not only our physical activities be wholesome, but our speech and thoughts should also be pure. We should also remember that we accumulate punya and pap (karmas) by asking someone else to do something for us or by encouraging someone else to do something.
Lord Mahaviras message is "Live and let live". Everybody desires to live and enjoy the comforts of life. Therefore, we should not come in the way of anyone seeking the same. If we can properly understand the implications of this message, it will go long way in molding our attitude towards other creatures. But, around us we see and hear that many people hunt or fish and they eat meat, chicken, fish, eggs, etc. Some meat eating people argue that they do not actually kill animals or these creatures were created for our food. Therefore, eating meat or other animals foods would not affect them. However, they do not realize that by eating meat or other animal foods they are directly or indirectly instrumental in killing animals, birds, fish, etc., The more they eat, the more killing there will be. They are not realizing that their direct as well as indirect actions bring pap or punya. Unfortunately, because most of paps do not show their results immediately, the people do not care about the consequences.
We also hear about the riots in which people plunder, hit, and kill the others and set fire to the shops, the homes, and buildings. By doing so, they put a lot of people through unnecessary suffering. These people undertaking such heinous activities may think that they are getting even; however, they fail to realize that by causing suffering to others they themselves will have to suffer the consequences of their evil acts at some point, if not in this life, then in coming lives.
Consequently, our actions should not involve disturbing the comforts of other living beings, hurting or killing them in any way, directly or indirectly. By providing comfort and security to others, we gain punya. Punya brings happiness during this life or following lives. On the other hand, if we cause suffering or unhappiness to the others then we acquire P�p. Such P�p brings the unhappiness in this or future lives. Let us understand from the following examples how we accumulate the punya and the pap.
From these two stories, we learn that if we want happiness and comfort, then we should offer comfort to others. As the saying goes you reap what you saw.
The following is a list of some activities that can bring comfort to others and can ultimately provide the same for us. They are:
1) offering food to the needy (only vegetarian food)
2) offering clothes to the needy
3) helping the sick
4) helping others to acquire knowledge
5) giving charity (be sure that the money is used for a good cause)
6) helping parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and others in need
7) helping animals or organizations that help animals
8) studying religion and following its precepts in our daily lives
9) worshipping Tirthankaras like Lord Mah�vira.
Here is a list of some of the activities that can cause discomfort to others and can ultimately cause discomfort to us. They are:
1) being cruel or violent to the others including the humans, animals, birds, bugs, etc.
2) killing the humans, animals, birds, bugs, etc.
3) showing disrespect to parents, teachers or others
4) speaking harsh words or planning violence
5) not following the religious principles in the daily life
6) being angry or greedy
7) being arrogant
8) to be deceptive.