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Virtues produce freedom, sins enslave you to externals

Let's take an example for this. Let's say you are sitting on a park bench and you are solving a lengthy math problem in your head. Remember your will is only to solve that math problem going on in your head. Now let's say a car passes by and the driver gives you the middle finger. If you get angry, your mind is off that math problem and on to the man who flipped you off, your will is lost, but if you forgive that man instantaneously, your solving of the math problem remains undisturbed. An attractive women passes by, if you lust after her, again the math problem is off your mind, and that woman is now in your head, the lust consumes you and kills your will. You see a beautiful car and you desire it(materialism/greed), now instead of the math problem that car consumes your mind. Solving the lengthy math problem will take time, but if you become impatient, things like frustration will fill your mind and you will never be able to solve that problem, patience would keep you unperturbed.

Now let's come off this example. Vanity is a rather obvious one, in vanity a person thinks he/she is "better than others or the best", now those terms "better" and "best" are comparison terms, hence your whole existence is defined by those around you, so you are obviously a slave to externals. Pride isn't so obvious, let's say you are proud of your math skills while in 3rd grade, and biology is about to be introduced as a specialized subject in grade 6. Now biology might be the love of your life, but since you have already defined yourselves by math due to pride in the past, you won't be able to freely move on to biology and ditch math altogether. Pride in something now kills your options and free movement in the future. Envy is rather obvious, your being is defined by feeling bad for someone what has or has achieved, your being is a slave to something external. Addictions to anything also obviously enslave you.

Now on to love, if you give up your will out of love for others, you become freer than before. It is almost a paradox, but if one applies this they can learn this through experience. That is all I can say about love, you gotta try it.

In short, virtues are the only way to produce freedom of mind and soul, if you have any sin it means you are a slave.