Way of Life Part 3

SR No.: 006515
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana
Publication Year: 1986
Total Pages: 348
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Religion
File Size: 18 MB

Page 311

DISCOURSE 70
299
These are the principles of propriety regarding the hospitality to be shown to your guests. Propriety requires that you should think of the place, the time, the person and the condition. When you render service to guests, your objective must be that your guests should be honoured and that your feeling of regard for them should increase.
We went to a town once. We were strangers in that place. We did not know where the upashraya was situated. At any rate, we entered the town. A certain gentleman folded his hands and saluted us. We asked him, "Brother! Will you kindly show us the way to the upashraya ?” He replied, “Maharaj, you go straight along this road and then take a turn to the left”. Having said this, he went away. We proceeded on the road, and then we came to a turning. At that point, we asked another gentleman, "Which is the way to the Upashraya ?” He showed us the way by waving his hand and went away. We asked several people on the way to show us the way to the upashraya, and at last we reached the upashraya, but of those whom we asked on the way to show us the way to the upashraya no one had a sense of propriety. They did not know how to treat strangers.
The commentator on Dharmabindu has described the importance of propriety. He says :
औचित्यमेकमेकत्र गुणानां राशिरकतः ।
विषायते गुणग्राम औचित्यपरिवर्जितः ॥ "If we place the sense of propriety on one side of a balance and all the other virtues in the other pan, they are equal in weight. That means, a sense of propriety is as important as all the virtues put together. In the absence of a sense of propriety all virtues are like poison".
NEVER NEGLECT THE SENSE OF PROPRIETY
If you perform tapascharya (any spiritual austerity) with: out a sense of propriety; if you extend benevolence to others or if you give charity to others, without a sense of propriety;