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THE SACRED BOOKS OF THE JAINAS
The person who helps him by offering physical nourishment to his body, attains the good result of having done a good deed. He must therefore perform it in the reverential spirit of service done, not in the haughty attitude of one confering a favour. The householder who offers food to a Sádhu, out of devotion and reverence must, therefore, observe nine points indicating and accompanying true devotion. He must (1) welcome and receive the Sádhu respectfully. Saying " The food is pure, pray stop, stop, stop." (2) res. pectfully conduct him, and give him a high seat. Then (3) wash the feet of the Sádhu. He must (6) worship him in the prescribed manner, reciting sacred texts and making offerings of eight kinds. He must (5) make a low bow. He must (6) all the while be thinking reverentially. He must (7) speak respectfully. He must (8) have purity of body. He must (9) offer a clean, pure, food, cooked for the household with all possible care and thoughtfulness.
ऐहिकफलानपेक्षा क्षान्तिनिष्कपटतानसयत्वम् । अविषादित्वमुदित्वे निरहङ्कारित्वमिति हि दातृगुणाः॥१६६॥
169. The qualifications of a donor are, disregard of worldly benefit, forbearance, sincerity, absence of jealousy, sorrow, joy, and pride.
Commentary. (1). In general when one gives anything he expects a temvoral benefit in return. There must be a non-expectation of reward. (2). The giver should not get excited if an unexpected or untoward thing happened while he was engaged in the pious act. For bearance is a great virtue. (3). The donor must act in all since. rity. (4) He should have no feeling of jealousy. (5) He should have no sorrow. (6). Smiling joyous appearance must be cultivated. (17). Pride is certainly a bad condition of mind. The above are the seven qualifications of a donor.
It is common knowledge, no secret, but an established truth that a public or private dinner, is never given out of a pure unmixed desire to give, in a spirit of reverence and devotion, and without any ulterior motive. As a rule, a dinner is part of a game, an important move, in business. The real motive is to gain favour with the invitees, the principal and the other guests, to acquire popularity and position in society, or to push on some personal business,
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