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Similarly, a person who does not wish to die but enjoy the so-called worldly pleasures of sense, with the hope of doing so for a considerable time, walks along a path lead- ing to a place where ghosts dwell. No sooner than he reaches the place, his blood is drunk and flesh eaten by die ghosts. In the same manner, one who has erroneous perceptions, ideas and views, hoping to enjoy everlasting happiness, treads a wrong path, leading to the four planes of misery, wherein much suffer- ing has to be experienced for a considerable period till the exhaus- tion of the particular kamma that conditioned rebirth there. 7. CONCEIT Conceit (mano ©jcsSTs) is a state present in consciousness which makes one high-minded and conceited. There are nine types of conceit, namely : — (1) one considering himself to be superior to others (seyyo- hamasmi @avscCBDacS)C;C^). (2) one considering himself to be an equal of others (sadiso hamasmi C5^>S000QK)® xS). (^) one considering himself to be inferior to others (heeno- hamasmi (^®:5;}3QJ5^COi). (4), (5^, (6) same as above with reference to the past. (7), (8) & (g) same as above with reference to the future. The characteristic feature of conceit is a manifestation of superiority and a desire to be elevated like the hoisting of a flag. The causes of conceit are beauty of body, riches, age and possession of good qualities, class and creed and also paying heed to one's good kamma, that is actions by body, speech and thought. ss It is also classified under the three heads of i) community by birth; (2) fortunate sense experiences occasioned by previous good kamma; (3) good cjuaHties possessed. Conceit arises by thinkmg that one is descended from a royal family or belongs to a particular community. Secondly, he thinks that the enormous wealth in his possession is due to good kamma m a previous existence. Thirdly, he thinks he possesses such and such good qualities occasioned by xMorality, Concentration, and Insight. Again an inferior person may consider that he is superior to others conventionally superior to him ,'"S©:533 ®D<95553 heeno mano). Secondly, he considers that he is an equal of others in respect of wealth, creed, class, morality and so on (sadiso mano ®®aa @D®a3D). Thirdly, superior people such as kings, ministers and others of a high status consider themselves to be the same as people conventionally considered as inferior (<sa@cOj 03 C4sSi&fS)9 ®3®aO) seyy5 or panito mano). When the mental property of conceit is not associated with •consciousness, consciousness will not make one tliink that he is superior, inferior or an equal of others. He does so only when conceit arises in consciousness. It should be noted that error and conceit never occur together in a state of consciousness, as tlicre is a dissimilarity between the two, just as two lions never dwell in one cave. 8. HATE Hate (D6s5 ®^®) is a state, associated with con- sciousness, ot anger and aversion. It causes the arising of anger in consciousness on perceiving impressions from unpleasant objects and so on, just as a snake coming out of a hiding place and attacking those that pelt stones at it, or strike it with sticks and so on. The mental property of hate lying dormant in the heart-base like a snake m a hiding place, until a person reaches the path of Never-Returning, when irritated by any of the ten causes which produce consciousness rooted in hate or aversion and accompanied by grief, suddenly arises and does harm to himself as well as to others. It may go to the •extent of even killing one. Just as the rust arising m iron erodes same, even so the individual getting angry docs harm to himself and ultimately destroys himself and is reborn in the four planes of misery. 89 9. ENVY Envy (issa (g)COo) is a state of not tolerating others' success associated in consciousness. The characteristic feature of envy is frowning at others' success in life. 10. SELFISHNESS Selfishness (macchariyaii ^^80^0) is a state concealing one's possessions associated in consciousness. It is not greed. When selfishness is associated with consciousness, one does not even tolerate or wish that others should know that he is poss- essed of so much wealth and so on, nay, less that he would be willing to give some to others. He does not desire to share his possessions with others who are in want. Envy arises in respect of external objects, and selfishness in respect of one's personal belongings. Envy does not tolerate others' wealth, dresses, jewels, retinue, and so on, and frowns at them, whereas selfishness, whenever occasion arises to give some of his wealth to others, never divulges the worth of a person and conceals it. These two mental properties are like two friends of hate. When either of them arises in a state of consciousness each is accompanied by hate. II. WORRY Worry (kukkucca t!^£SS^0©) is a state associated with consciousness which makes one worry about the bad acts done in the past and not having done any good acts such as giving charity and so on. During one's young days having lived a life performing such bad acts as fishing, hunting, stealing, giving false evidence and so on, and in his old age associating himself with good friends such as priests and clever and learned people fit to give advice to others, if one were to give up all those bad acts and take refuge in the Triple Gem and hear the preaching of the doctrine, whilst so doing, he thinks and exclaims " Oh I shall be born in such and such a place of misery for the immoral acts done," and worries himself and repents over it. When he hears the doctrine, and the fact that those who had done good acts such as giving charity would be reborn in the six heavens and so on, comes within his knowledge, he again worries himself exclaiming " Oh what a pity, I was not able to do such and such good acts ". C)0 There is another type of individual, who worries himself about not doing good acts in the past. He is born of a very wealthy family, and inherits abundant wealth which is misused for the purpose of drinking intoxicants, leading an unchaste life gambling and other bad acts. When at a later stage of life and when his wealth is exhausted, he has a desire to give charity but not in a position to do so and therefore he worries himself. This mental property always and invariably refers to the past and never to the present or future. It is hke a slave, who has so become owing to his wrong acts. When this property exists in a very high degree, it prevents one from engaging him- self in any good acts. Only Buddhas and Arahats, and other good friends can save him from his unfortunate plight and make him do good acts through the three doors during the rest of his Hfe. The mental properties of envy, selfishness and worry originate in the two classes of immoral consciousness accompanied by grief and rooted in hate or aversion. They arise separately and never togetlier. In one state of consciousness only one arises, and never two or three. All the three may be absent. 12. SLOTH Sloth (thina 3^253^ is a state retarding consciousness and making it lethargic. 13. TORPOR Torpor ^middha §^) is a state retarding the mental pro- perties of feeling, perception and volitional activities and making them lethargic. Sloth and torpor arise in the five volitional classes of immoral consciousness. They always arise together and never separately. They do so only when the mind and mental properties are lethargic and not at other times. Sloth and torpor are compared to a fire, and mind and mental properties to a feather. Just as a feather held near a fire gets shrivelled, even so the mind and mental properties associated with sloth and torpor are like the teather held near a fire. These two properties of sloth and torpor always exist together in the Pali Text. What is the reason lor it ? They so exist, because their functions are the same, and their contrary properties too 91 are similar. Their function is to make the mind and mental properties lethargic and shrivelled, so to say. The state opposite or contrary to them is effort. They are categorised under the Hindrances as Thina middha nivarana (^2© ®© ^^64^), Of these two, middha (f ®) torpor is of two varieties viz.