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ASPIRANT'S GUIDE
It is said, "Controlled activities of senses and simplicity, recognition of the instructions of saints and good thoughts, compassion and gentleness these qualities form the prime basis for the realization of the Soul (Atman)."
"Let one ponder over the knowledge acquired. Let us serve the enlightened preceptors this is the resolve of the learned." 2. Thus it can easily be understood that by continuous study of the true nature of the Self, the spiritual aspirant firmly believes that only his true self is, his own, and none others. He does not accept body, anger, lust, and so on as constituting the original nature of Soul. These impure emotional states arise due to a lack of awareness of the Soul in a state of Karmic bondage.
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Such an aspirant has realized that these feelings of anger and so on are the defiled states of the soul and hence are impure and sorrowful. As they are the cause of further bondage, he has resolved to remove them all.
3. Such a wise aspirant knows one thing for certain, that these impure states of anger and so on arise or get inflated only if he entangles his mind in worldly affairs losing sight of his mission. Now, if the aspirant develops indifference and conceives these impure states as worthy of renunciation, he will naturally minimize all those different activities which give rise to or excite these adverse feelings so that, in due course, the force of these impurities will lessen.
In addition to reducing these activities, he enriches his will-power by practicing and participating in activities such as the company of the wise, scriptural studies, devotion to God, observance of silence (Mauna), seclusion, pondering over reality, and others.
Just as the aspirant progresses in his spiritual life (Sadhana) of reflection and meditation by enhancing his vows, he will progress towards spiritual enlightenment. One fine fortunate day, during meditation, he attains to that divine and enlightening experience cailed self-realization, which pervades all aspects of his life, and produces a total change in his personality.
Now, at this stage, he is transformed from an aspirant into a saint, and is firmly established in the path of attaining to + State of bondage due to the main types of Karmas.
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