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THE ATTITUDE OF FRIENDSHIP
Meaning :- The land of heart appears beautiful if it becomes a receptacle of friendly attitude. It does not appear so from outside but like the most fruitful earth it yields a very rich harvest also. Such a rich heart is a gift of the blessed. Each and every is not lucky to get it.
THE PROCESS OF EVOLUTION OF THE FRIENDLY
ATTITUDE The first objects of Maitri are the brothers and the sisters who have been born out of the same womb. Their association is natural and therefore the attitude of Maitri that exists between them two is inborn. Next come sons and the wife. Though the son in his infancy is taken care of and bred up by the father, he cannot claim Maitri with the father on this ground. Still however on the strength of a general belief that the father should treat the son as a frined when the latter reaches the age of sixteen, he can claim Maitri with the father. Wife who is a life-long companion if the husband should also be considered as a friend and not as a slave. Thereafter comes the turn of relatives and members of the family. When a person has developed Maitri with these persons, he should then and thereafter turn his attention to co-religionists and members of his community. Thus he should cultivate the attitude of friendship from the bottom of his heart with all of these people. (1)
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