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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
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by incurring debts or marries in old age. Similarly you call him a fool who speaks irrelevant matters, quarrels when benefits are due, entertains anger while on dinner table, enters into rivalry with lustful persons in spending wealth extravagantly, does not pay heed to others' benevolent advices out of ego, or expects reciprocal benefits from one who is regardless of any obligation.
Religion also could be identified with the help of certain characteristics. The learned men of ours have laid down certain characteristics for identification of religion. Those characteristics are laid down by Shri Shayyambhava Maharaj in the initial stanza of Shri Dasa Vaikalika Sutras.
"Religion is something most suspicious, it is characterised by non-violence, self-restraint and penance. Even God pays them homage in whose hearts religion so characterised resides".
We desire to elucidate on a sutra' (aphorism). Aphorism conveys profound meaning in few words and the words carry sterling value. More you reflect on the words of an aphorism, more you are enlightened. Such is the significance carried by the above mentioned aphorism (sutra). Same is properly studied by millions of Monks and Nuns who have realised solutions of problems arising about religion. You might ask perhaps "How is it possible?". We reply: "Every man is anxious to know what is the most auspicious thing in this world?" The reply to this querry is that religion is the most auspicious and the blessed thing in this world".
Question: But then prostrations offered to "Five divine beings" are also termed as the most auspicious ones!
Reply These prostrations are auspicious and that is why they are called religious rites. If they do not contain righteousness then they cease to be auspicious. Here also it is implied that religion is a most auspicious thing.
Aspirants also doubt that there are number of religions in this world, then should we consider them all as most auspicious ones?
This doubt is dispelled by the expression 'Non-violence, selfrestraint and penance'. This expression means that that religion which is characterised by non-violence, self-restraint and penance is only the most auspicious religion and not the other ones. This
