Rays of Dharma

Author(s): Chitrabhanu
Publisher: Divine Knowledge Society

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Discretionary Gentleness
It is necessary to develop wholesome ideas and thoughts. One should be willing to accept whatever is good from any source. That would break down unnecessary knots. Broadness of mind will arise and that will ultimately lead to harmony in life. A social worker needs to understand the general trend and to stay in tune with it. For that purpose he has not to give up the truth; he has to learn staying in harmony with the time without compromising the truth. That will enable him to gain what is wholesome and leave the unwholesome.
A religious person needs to cultivate Syädväd in his approach. He should be ready to understand others and cultivate amity with everyone. After attaining omniscience, Lord Mahaveer could make out the doubts prevailing in the minds of Indrabhuti Gautam and other learned pundits, and removed the same. As such, they became his Gandhars. Syädväd thus consists of broadness of mind. You can even call it the Theory of Relativity.
For that purpose, one has to cultivate discretion as well as gentleness. A peacock looks pretty by virtue of its feathers. Bereft of feathers it looks rump. Similarly even though one is equipped with knowledge, power and position, he would remain rump in the absence of discretionary gentleness. A leader has to lead while keeping in mind the pace of his followers. The relation between a leader and his followers is identical to that of the engine and its compartments. A leader going ahead will be of no avail, if the followers trail behind. If he thinks that he is above all others, he merely pampers the ego that will lead him towards his downfall.
The teaching of Lord Mahaveer as given in Ächäräng Sutra therefore starts with discretion. It points out to his monks, “The people will bow to you and fall at your feet; but if you do not remain vigilant that time and get overcome with ego, that will lead to your downfall.” Ächärya Sthulibhadra was once so overcome. After attaining several accomplishments when he arrived at Pätaliputra, his sisters Senä, Venä and others came to see him. As Sthulibhadraji learnt about their arrival, he assumed the form of a lion. The sisters were scared to see
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