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incarnations. The soil of a child's mind is very fertile and if you plant in it the seeds of good thoughts they will blossom forth into good deeds. The wealth of the mind is surely more important than worldly wealth! Unfortunately, today this is too often forgotten.
The man who has spiritual faith is unperturbed on the stormy sea of life. Whether he is lifted up by a wave of good fortune or falls into a trough of bad luck, he maintains a balanced outlook. Material prosperity does not go to his head while adversity does not leave him miserable and in despair.
Once while I was on a pilgrimage in Gujarat I met a man who had on his forehead a very prominent scar from an old wound. This man, though very rich, came from humble origins. In spite of his immense wealth he led a simple life and was known to be of a very charitable disposition. When I asked him about his scar, he said: "This scar is my 'guru,' my mentor. When I was a child we had a very wealthy family living next door. I used to play with the children whose pockets were always bulging with sweets and chocolates which they used to offer me sometimes. One day their mother saw this and forbade them. As you well know, the parents' thoughts
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