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(8) Friendship with persons of good conduct :
A person with good conduct abstains from bad actions which are disliked by people. He is considerate towards the poor. He never forgets gratefulness and is courteous and well behaved, but if any one keeps bad company of thieves, gamblers, debauchers, cheats, drunkards or liars, he cannot escape from their evil influence which will hasten his degradation and the result will be a down-fall. Sweet water of a river turns saltish when it mingled into sea. If a creeper Karela' is grafted in to a vine creeper, the grapes get bitter. Similarly, an evil company exercised influence on a good person. Friendship with the good is to be sesired in our own interest.
-: Six Characteristics of True Friend :A good friend (1) stops us from doing a sin (2) leads us on a right path (3) does not reveal our secrets (4) reveals our good qualities (5) does not forsake us in adversity and (6) helps us in times of need. (9) Devotion to Parents and Elders :
We are beholden to our parents and elders. They express their love as they look after us in our childhood. They went without food for our sake when we were children. They slept in a wet bed and gave us a dry bed. They looked after our upbringing and education. They bequeath us legacy out of love and will certainly bless us if we make them happy. This will ensure our happiness also.
It is our scared duty to look after our parents in their old age When we serve others who pay us a salary and carry out their orders, should we not serve our elders devotedly who bestow everything upon us ? Lord Mahavir remained motionless in the womb of his mother lest his movements may cause pain to her. As parents oblige us in many ways, we should obey and bow to them and give respect to them. We should at least never defy them or insult them and we should never speak harsh words to them. We must discharge our duty to be free in a small way from their obligations. Shravankumar served his old and blind parents by carrying them in a hamper on a pilgrimage to sixty-eight holy places. Should we not see that our parrents pass the last days to their life peacefully in religious activities, so that they may have better prospects in their life to come. To serve them best by providing them with every facility is the right way to return their obligation.
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