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DISCOURSE 8
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assisted by the mind were drawn towards that house. The meditation on the soul changed to a meditation on the house; and the music.
You keep counting the beads in the garland; do you not ? While meditating on the Panchparmeshti you suddenly begin concentrating and meditating on your iron-safe; is that not so? Sometimes, your mind begins thinking of the kitchen; does it not? You go floating on countless currents of thought. The control over the five senses is absolutely necessary to meditate on the soul with concentration. The vacillation of the senses does not allow the mind to concentrate on the soul. The mind of that Sadhvi became distracted. The house at which she was looking happened to be the house of a prostitute. The prostitute came out of the house and sat in the parlour. She had decorated her body with various kinds of garments, jewels, etc. Five men sat near her. The prostitute was making jokes and talking merrily with those men. They were also making passionate gestures and actions to please her. The Sadhvi saw that sight with concentration. She listened to the lusty conversation; and her mind was completely full of many distracting thoughts. Her mind began to spin countless webs of colourful fancy.
She thought, "How fortunate that woman is! She is experiencing the delight of the company of five men. How greatly do those five men love and adore her! How fortunate that woman is !"
The Sadhvi was fascinated by that scene. She liked the passionate gestures and actions of those men. Enough. It is natural that when a human being likes something, he or she likes to attain the delight that has caught his or her fancy..
"I too desire that kind of enjoyment; but in this life, I cannot attain it because I am a Sadhvi. I can get it in my next life at least. I will get that sensual enjoyment as a result of my austerities. I desire that delight,” she thought.
THE BARGAIN OF AUSTERITIES WAS DANGEROUS
The mind of the Sadhvi was greatly attracted towards sensual enjoyments. In consequence, her mind became restless
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