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The path to spiritual enhancement
virtues of three lifetimes are obvious right away. We don't need a seer to know them. Through time immemorial, good deeds have procured good results and bad deeds, bad results.
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Thus King Kūņika inquired about his afterlife from Lord Mahāvīra and the Lord replied, "the answer to this query lies within yourself." But when Kūņika persisted on having his query answered, the Lord said, "Oh king, when you leave this body, you will go to the sixth hell."
Kūņika was devastated when he heard this. All his hopes were shattered. He was hoping that the Lord would mention a higher heaven. But the Lord whom he had asked the question was not one to humour a king. He wanted to buy the heavens from Mahāvīra, but heavens cannot be bought with coins nor with external religious pretence.
Kūnika was astonished. He exclaimed, "Lord! I am such an ardent devotee of yours! Then why will I go to hell?"
But the question is - when did he become a devotee? Did he think about that? He who held his father captive, in whose flame the entire family was engulfed, who did not set any limit upon his desires and remained trapped in the fetters of possessiveness, where else can he go but to hell?
So, the most important thing is that a man who desires heaven and liberation must set a limit upon his earthly desires, conquer his passions and lead a life of contentment. Then his spirit is free from the fear of the future - he need ask no one about it. Lord Mahāvīra said:
Examine your duties and see what you have done, what you are doing and what you ought to be doing?
Remember, your wrong doings will not change the map of your life; only good deeds can bring about a change in your life. The God of one's life is within. The enlightened ones have always taught that if you want to love God, then first find out whether you love his children or not? If you cannot love his children, then how can you ever love him?
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