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purifying punya be taken as adharma, then we will have to accept the other soul purifying agencies like means of karmic stoppage and penance also as adharma. If punya is taken as adharma and abandonable just because it separates from the soul at the time of final deliverance, then we will have to consider the means of karmic stoppage, penance, and the 'as enunciated conduct (Yathākhāta cāritra)', etc., also as adharma because all these also separate from the soul at the time of final deliverance, which will not be acceptable to anyone.
Auspicious combination, mercy, charity, etc., are the practical forms of non-violence, which purify the soul. That is why auspicious combination has been said to be punya. It is worthy of note that in all ancient scriptures punya has been said to be soul purifying. That is - it has been said to be dharma. If the soul-purifying punya is taken as adharma and abandonable then there will be no difference left between the soul-purifying punya and sin that renders the soul impure. Possibly, because of this reason alone some scholars have called the punya as golden gallows and the sin as iron gallows. However, what difference does it make to the condemned whether he be hanged at the golden gallows or the iron one? Actually it makes no difference because it does not happen that one who is hanged at the golden gallows either dies happily or does not die at all. Whether the gallows are golden or iron its job is to kill the condemned and it does so in both cases and the condemned suffers similar pangs of death in both cases. Therefore to consider sin as iron gallows or iron shackles and punya as golden gallows or golden shackles is to consider sin and punya as equal. In that case there remains no difference between the two. Such an erroneous consideration will bring the noble activities of mercy, charity, friendship, protection, etc., in the same category as the ignoble activities such as cruelty, violence, telling lies, stealing, adultery, etc., which is totally improper and unjustified.
To subscribe the to abovementioned belief is to harm ourselves by not undertaking the acts of merit and to believe that it would be better not to undertake any activities of mercy, charity, etc. Why to do
Positive Non-Violence
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