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CHAPTER IX DHARMA IN PRACTICE
The reader who has followed us thus far could not have failed to notice the correspondence between the injunctions of the Scripture and the divine attributes of pure spirit, which come into manifestation by their observance. The fact is that dharma is the nature of the soul itself, so that its ten features-forgiveness, and the like, described on page 52 ante-only represent the natural and divine attributes, for traits of character', i.e., 'disposition,' of a pure, perfect soul.
This natural purity (dharma) increases by practice, imparting fresh vigour and strength to the soul at every forward step. It is for this reason that dharma is competent to support and sustain a soul in the moment of temptation and trial, and possesses sufficient energy to carry it to the other shore the land' of Perfection and Bliss. It has, however, to be adopted before its assistance can be availed of in the fullest degree, though the practising of any of its injunctions--even in a second-hand* manner--is bound to bear appropriate fruit. For this reason, it is possible for a soul on the mithyâtva gunasthana to attain to human form, or even to a re-birth in one of the heavens, by performing virtuous deeds and tapa respectively, though its ignorance of the nature of dharma is even then sure to drag it into less agreeable and unpleasant surroundings. Moksha is, however, altogether out of the question for those who do not follow the true path, and the possibility of acquiring a human, or deva, birth is also dependent on a rigid adherence to the rules of
* The natural correspondence between dharma and the divine attributes of the soul is possible only where religion is placed on a scientific basis, and is not to be found in those cases where faith is tinged with superstition or error, except in so far as they embody the borrowed precepts of a scientific creed. Those who practise such borrowed injunctions are said to follow them in a second-hand manner.
