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DISCOURSE 8
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cemetery various kinds of dangers and disturbances are likely to crop up, but a sadhak must remain fearless like a lion and must become absolutely immersed in meditation.
Just as in those places dangers and disturbances arise, temptations may also appear. At such times one must remain completely detached and dispassionate. One should not have any attachment or fear. This kind of exercise is called Sadhana. Do you understand what the path of spiritual endeavour is? Can you attain moksha if you sit at your home filled with attachments and hatred? Can you attain your objectives by performing such austerities irregularly and unsystematically without guidance in respect of the path of spiritual endeavour. Remember this. Whatever austerity or worship you wish to carry out you must carry it out only after securing the guidance of those who are enlightened and well-versed in those matters. In these things you should not do as you like and cause obstructions to yourself. But that Sadhvi did not pay heed to the words of her preceptress. She had entertained a very strong desire to go to a cemetery and to perform meditation there throughout the night. A LONELY SADHVI WENT TO A CEMETERY FOR MEDITATION
The strong desire to perform meditation is certainly commendable but obstinacy for the place is wrong. If you do not care for the propriety of place, time and the substances that can be used for worship or meditation your attachments and hatred will become stronger. Forgetting the secret of spiritual austerities, today, men in the name of Dharma completely ignore the principles relating to the propriety of time, place and substances. Who can convince those so called enlightened people of the truth of this statement ? Guidance can be given regarding the propriety of substances, place and time but there is no need for any disputes here. When that Sadhvi insisted upon going to a cemetery alone on a night and on performing spiritual meditation there her preceptress said, "Jaha Sukkham" "Do what you think is good". This is a very meaningful aphorism in the Jain Shramana tradition. “Jaha Sukkham" "Whatever is good and happy according to you, you may do". What a
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