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Universal Message of Lord Mahāvīra
4. Inertia, and 5. Gossip
He said that an indolent person can never be happy and a lethargic person can never acquire knowledge. He further said, “O man! Always be vigilant. He who is vigilant gains more and more knowledge. He who is unvigilant is not blessed. Blessed is he who is always vigilant."
He advised the students to use the present moment most purposefully. He said, "Follow the path of righteousness and waste not a single moment. Life is full of obstacles and so one should not postpone anything for tomorrow."
A student should always keep the company of virtuous people and avoid the company of the wicked. He said, "Just as water loses its inherent nature on contact with fire, so also the pious abandon their virtues when they associate themselves with the wickeds."
Lord Mahāvīra taught spiritual values as explained above, which are an essential part of quality education. Today these values are neglected with the result that we find violence, disorder and chaos in the modern society. Hence, there is a great need for the people to be of sterling character, to realise which of these noble values should be taught to the younger generation.
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