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EXAMINATION OF THE 'PERSON OF SUPER-NORMAL VISION'. 1477
Now, it cannot be admitted that the man does not want it (the removal of Defects). Because those persons whose minds are beset with sufferings due to Birth and other causes, and frightened at the prospect of Births and Rebirths, do certainly want to have peace of mind; and when these people have acquired the true understanding of Disciples, this fear of Birth and Re. birth itself becomes the cause of their desire to seek for the conception of No. soul'. Those people who, by reason of belonging to a particular family, are by their nature bent upon doing good to others.--when they find the world suffering from the three kinds of Pain beginning with Tendencies and Dispositions, they are moved to compassion and begin to suffer for the sufferings of others; and giving up all idea of benefiting themselves, they come to look upon all living beings as their own self', and then concentrate themselves upon removing their sufferings, and in the case of these men, the said compassion itself is the cause of the appearance of the conception in question. Because it is extremely difficult to know and speak of what is imperceptible and its cause.-If it is asked " What is the use in any sane man doing what is good for others ?"—the answer is that the same doing good is the use or purpose ; as this is highly desirable in itself.-Nor will this mean dependence upon others. Because the wish to do good to one's self is based upon the assumed knowledge of the Soul; and doing good to others has been regarded by all good men as leading to desirable results. Then again, what the other party began to prove was the impossibility of any one wishing to proceed with the conception ; well, even if he were an unintelligent person, why should he not wish to undertake even this much of activity ? Hence he should have to say that "no one ever acts towards helping others, because it does not serve any useful purpose for himself”. And the impossibility of such a view has been already explained. Further, while there are some people who are found to be past masters in the art of cruelty, taking delight in injuring others, without rhyme or reason, and pleased at the suffering of others, there are yet others who are past masters in the art of mercy, taking delight in the happiness of others, pained at the suffering of others, -without any other cause ; why should this not be possible ?
Nor is there no knowledge of the nature of the Defects (to be removed). Because all such Afflictions and Defects as Love, Hatred, Delusion, Pride, Arrogance, Jealousy, Envy, etc.--following upon Calamities, Disappointments, the prosperity of one's own self and that of persons related to him, are such as have their nature fully known, as they continue to appear and disappear.
Nor are these Defects eternal; because they are always found to appear occasionally.-For the same reason, they cannot be without cause ; because what has no cause does not depend upon anything else and hence cannot suffer any restrictions of time, place and character.—This same reason also sets aside the idea that their causes are eternal. Because the cause, in the shape of the Soul, etc., would be always there, and they would be independent of other things, as being eternal, they could not have any peculiar potency added to them; and under the circumstances, all the effects emanating from those causes themselves would be liable to be appearing simultaneously. From all this it follows, by implication, that their causes must be non-eternal. And this non-eternal cause of the Defects also is one whose form is well-known.
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