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PRACTICAL RULES FOR SOUL-CULTURE
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mental and moral life by harbouring evil thoughts and desires for them. Soul is potentially infinite knowledge, and infinite good, theoretical and practical ; and anything done to thwart the progress of the soul in that line is the violation of the law of universal love. This respect for the life of others must be ingrained in our very being. Mere repetition of the word Love cannot be considered practical love. All our daily acts must be regulated on this principle. Limiting our necessities and sharing our possessions with others is a practical illustration of universal love. The idea in the mind must not be that we are giving something that belongs to us; but that the possessions that we have been fortunate to obtain did at one time belong to some other person and in future it may belong to some other person ; and we have no right to appropriate it to our sole use.
Maitri, Pramoda, Karunã and Upekshâ are the four great virtues which must stand as our guides in all departments of life. The first simply means friendship but it has a very comprehensive idea. Mere oral or verbal friendship is sometimes worse than enmity. To be actually friendly with all living beings means that we should at all times think as to the best mode in which we can advance the real interest of all living beings. A constant thought for the good of others not only makes our own mind pure and elevated but the very vibrations, of kindly and benevolent thoughts influence the good of those whom they reach. And really force in the
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