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of punya can have no bearing on his spiritual practice. As a ship becomes redundant on getting across the sea, so does the punya also become redundant after one gets across the worldly chasm and liberates. As the medicine is given up when one gets cured of any disease, the punya also separates from the soul after it has overcome and destroyed the sins. Therefore, there are no rituals prescribed for destroying and separating punya. Like one is required to take the vows for giving up sins, there are no vows for giving up punya.
The fact is that renunciation is the soul of dharma and the meritorious activities constitute its body. As the body bears the soul, the worldly soul cannot remain without a body. The destruction of the body is death. Similarly, punya bears the dharma. In the corporeal state the dharma cannot be held without meritorious activities like those of mercy, charity, kindness, compassion, friendship, service, etc. The reason for this is that a corporeal soul cannot live without the activities of the combination of mind, body and speech. These activities can either be meritorious or sinful. The meritorious ones will raise him further while the sinful ones will cause his downfall. That is why to be without merit is to be unfortunate (Punyahina). The unfortunate being is without dharma; he has no sense of duty or purpose. To be without dharma is being without good fortune and to invite misfortune.
We have said earlier that renunciation, karmic stoppage, and restraint constitute the soul of dharma and meritorious activities constitute its body. Both are parts of dharma. The only difference between the two is that the soul is indestructible while the body is destructible. Thus, the only difference between karmic stoppage and merit is only that renunciation as a means of karmic stoppage, which is a means of gaining liberation, remains with the soul right up to the end of its worldly journey and finally converts itself into the spiritual goal while punya, which is in the form of auspicious volition and activities and which aids the path of liberation, separates from the soul when the body separates from it just like the ship separates from the passenger on reaching the destination. Renunciation and means of karmic stoppage
Positive Non-Violence
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