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CHAPTER-VII
341
Further, sometimes in some religious acts they spend lot of money but if suddenly some religious activity is organised they do not spend even a little amount of money in it. However, if they have real religious aptitude then they should continue spending money as per their capacity suitably in all religious activities. Similarly, one should know in other matters.
Further, those who do not have true understanding of religious practices accept some religious rite (vow) of higher order and practise other rites (vows) of lower order. For example, they forsake wealth, etc. but they indulge interestedly in sensual pleasures like taking rich food and wearing fancy cloths, etc. And some people show their devoutness by forsaking woman and wearing the special robes, etc. and later on they indulge in forbidden trades and slanderous sinful activities. In this way, they adopt some practices of very high order and some other practices of very low order. Thus, becoming slanderous they cause mockery of religion and people pointedly say that behold ! the so-called devout person is indulging in such practices. For example, some person wears one cloth of very superior quality and another cloth of very inferior quality then he becomes an object of mockery; similarly, such religious person also becomes an object of ridicule.
The tradition of true religion is this that one should accept all religious activities (vows) possible in what soever status one exists to the extent one's passions are destroyed. If passions are destroyed in lesser measure then one should accept the rites of lower status but after accepting higher status one should not practise activities possible in lower status
Here is a question that the renunciation of coition etc. is admonished in higher stages of householder's vows (Pratimas); therefore, whether a person belonging to lower status should renounce them or
not?
Answer: A person of lower status cannot renounce them totally, some fault may persist; therefore, renunciation is admonished in higher stages of householder's vows (Pratimas). Whatever type of renunciation is possible in lower states, the person belonging to lower stages should also observe it; but the acceptance of that vow
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