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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
97
अहं मुनीनां वचनं शृणोमि
गवाशनानां स शृणोति वाक्यम् । न चास्य दोषो न च सद्गुणो वा
संसर्गजा दोषगुणा भवन्ति । Aham Muneenam vachanam shrunomi
Gavashananam sa shrunothi vakyam! Nachasya dosho na cha sadguno va
Samsargaja dosha guna bhavanthi ||
"I hear the words of ascetics and that parrot hears the words of butchers who eat beef. It is not a fault of that bird (if it speaks bad language). It is not a merit in me (if I speak good language). Merits and defects arise from our company.
If we are in the company of noble people we get noble thoughts and our speech also is noble because of our noble thoughts. Even when he was extremely angry, Mahatma Gandhi never used an abusive word beyond using the expression “mad fellow.”
Disciplined language leads to progress and happiness, while, indecorous language brings infelicity and unhappiness. The tongue (that is speech) that can cool down the fire that consumes life, can also cause rivers of blood to flow. That is why, we should speak after thinking well.
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