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the foolishness of increasing the worldly transmigration by undertaking such activities? What is meant here is that believing in such an erroneous belief is to condemn and abandon all human and humane virtues and activities of mercy, charity, kindness, compassion, service, etc. Such a belief is grossly inhuman and it should have no place in human life.
On this subject the author had asked the learned saint, Pandit Muni Shri Samarthamalji Maharaj, in Bundi, as to where was it given in the canonical works that punya is abandonable. The learned saint replied that it was nowhere given in the canonical literature and that he did not consider punya as abandonable. He also did not consider punya as adharma or the golden shackles but an item of golden jewellery that was beautiful and good to wear, he added. I think these words of the learned saint brought out the truth of the matter in no uncertain terms. Because if punya was considered to be abandonable for the members of the clergy, then the means of its destruction would have been described in the canonical works just like the means of destruction of sinful thoughts and activities have been mentioned there. Whatever spiritual practices, such as those in the form of non-violence, restraint and penance or in the form of right vision, right knowledge, right conduct and penance or in the form of any other combination that has been prescribed in the canonical works do not result in the destruction of punya. On the other hand as a spiritual aspirant progresses in his spiritual practice, his merits increase. That is why fully detached omniscient is considered to be infinitely meritorious.
If the destruction of the meritorious volitions and activities were considered as essential for liberation, then there are two ways to achieve it - 1. Destruction and separation after its fruition, and 2. By converting the meritorious subtypes into sinful subtypes by increase in sinful passions etc. The first depends on the nature and the aspirant does not have to do anything. The second way is that of increasing the sinful thoughts and activities, which would eventually be fatal for him and is, therefore abandonable for him. It means that punya is not a hindrance or abandonable for the spiritual aspirant. The destruction and separation
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Positive Non-Violence
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