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MYSTICISM IN INDIA
17
years before Christ is reported to have attracted by the sweetness of his musical sermons in parks wild beasts and animals which stood before him in perfect peace and harmony. Even in the present times no wild beast is known to have devoured a Jain in India whose first principle is the protection of life-even of the tiniest insect. Strange to say that the nations of European and other countries attempt to restore peace and harmony among people by sharpest swords and huge man-killing machines.
The second part of this first requirement of forbearance is abstaning from false bood, i. e., from telling what we do not know or believe to be the exact state of things. Theft the third thing to be avoided includes besides actual illegal appropriation even the thought for any such gain. And what are the results of following this course. When entire and unswerving truthfulness is confirmed, all thoughts and words become immediately effective. What others get by hard labour and acts such as sacrifices to deities, he gets by mere thought or word. Even in everyday life we proclaim the truth that honesty is the best policy. We see the same fact realized in the case of nations. We kcow that Spain, Greece and Turkey are dishonoured in the commercial world. Spain was killed by her riches. The gold which came pouring into Spain from her vanquished colonies in South America depraved the people and rendered them indolent and lazy. Now-a-days a Spaniard would blush to work,
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