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SANNYASA DHARMA
treasures in the soul than he is able to avail himself of in his present state, and he is anxious to reach the all-embracing all-sufficing knowledge speedily. The same is the case with life which has the terrible monster-Death-staring it in the face ! The saint knows that immortality is the nature of the soul, and he is bent on the destruction of the causes that stand between him and life abundant and infinite and full, He further knows that the one cause of all these short-comings and troubles of his is the association of matter, which is also the form which the dreaded Foe, namely, Death, assumes and without the disruption of which it cannot be overpowered. He believes that the tearing as under of Spirit from matter is possible, but only for him who is endowed with the most resolute iron will. He is aware of his own deficiency in respect of the requisite quality of will, without which Self-contemplation, the cause of the separation between Spirit and Matter, cannot be accomplished in the desired way. This means that he cannot hope to conquer Death in one life, but expects to train himself steadily for the final contest, through a course of training extending over several (usually from three to five) lives. Nor is he dismayed at the prospect of delay; for what is a delay of four or five lives, as compared with the infinity of lives he had had in the infinity of time that is known as the past, and the infinity of those the soul shall have to assume in the future, as an unemancipated ego ? The sadhu knows that merit acquired in one life is not destroyed
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