Golden Steps To Salvation

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

Page 95

81
“Keep off jealousy at all places.”
Cheerfulness is the opposite of jealousy. If jealousy results from our intolerance of others' prosperity, cheerfulness results from our joy at others' prosperity. It has been said : सुरम्यान् कुसुमान् दृष्ट्वा
___ यथा सर्वः प्रसीदति प्रसन्नानपरान् दृष्ट्वा
तथा त्वं सुखमाप्नुयात् Suramyān kusuman dristvā
Yathā sarvaḥ prasīdati Prasannānaparān drishtwa
Tatha twan sukhama pnuyat “Rejoice at the prosperity of others just as people feel delighted at the sight of beautiful flowers.”
-Rashmimala 7/8 If we are happy at others' happiness and if others are happy at our happiness, nc one would wish to go to heaven. This world itself would become a heaven. If we should make this world a heaven and if there should be joy everywhere it is necessary that we should cultivate the habit of being cheerful. That day is blessed on which the feeling of joy at others' happiness rises like a wave.
सत्वेषु मैत्री गुणिषु प्रमोदः ॥
Satveshu maitri Gunishu Pramodaḥ “Amity with all beings and felicity at the sight of happy people must arise in our hearts."
Those who are competitive have great ambitions. They endeavour to excel those who are more virtuous, who are more prosperous and who are greater artists. But the jealous people cannot tolerate the superiority of others; and in consequence, they try to drag them down. Envy leads to emulation but jealousy leads to calumniation, G.S.-6