________________
126
THE WAY OF LIFE
necessary things as going to hotels and restaurants? How much money do you spend on tuitions for your children? Until you can cut off these expenses you cannot save money and you cannot spend any money on spiritual activities.
Another multimillionaire of the world Thomas Lipton said, "I do not like wasteful expenditure. Any work that I can do myself I myself will do. I will not get it done by others. I will not spend two and a quarter dollars on anything which can be got with two dollars. I have never wasted money on unnecessary things. To-day Lipton tea is world famous; is it not ? Thomas Lipton who started that famous company earned only ten shillings a week. Even from that mèagre amount he used to save something. Later on, he began to earn millions of dollars a week. At present, in this world there are at least more than ten thousand agencies of this company.
You must save money cutting off your wasteful expenditure; otherwise you will not be able to spend any money on spiritual activities. You must set aside one part of your income for spiritual activities. By means of eating excellent food, wearing fine dress and living in an excellent house, you may get some external delight and satisfaction but life cannot attain fulfilment with such external satisfaction and delight. You have an inner life and for its satisfaction you have to do something. Keep performing some noble activities as inspired by your innerself. Keep your innerself also satisfied and delighted. You must give food and clothes to those who are poor, destitute and maimed. You must arrange to supply drinking-water to the thirsty. You must arrange to provide education to the illiterates. You must render help to Sadhus and noble spiritual heads. You must build temples or you must at least extend your financial co-operation to those who carry out the tasks of building temples or Dharmashalas. You must go on pilgrimages to holy places. You must render help to the sick and ailing. There are many such noble deeds that have to be done. You keep doing whatever noble deeds you like to do. Do not refrain from doing good deeds. We do not know when, at which moment, our life comes to an end; therefore never delay; keep
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org