Book Title: Way of Life Part 1
Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

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Page 246
________________ 236 THE WAY OF LIFE others. Its negative is not to cause harm to others. The positive form of compassion is to try to remove the sorrows of others. Its negative form is not to cause sorrow to others. The positive form of love is to feel happy seeing the happiness of others. Its negative form is not to feel envious of the happiness of others. The positive form of neutrality is to be indifferent towards the faults of sinners. Its negative form is not to hate or abhor sinners. YOU SHOULD NOT HARM OTHERS JIVAS If you do not do what ought to be done, others will not suffer any loss; but if you do what ought not to be done, others will suffer a loss. It does not matter if you cannot give happiness to others, but it is not right to ruin others' happiness. It does not matter if you cannot remove the sorrow of others, but it is not right to cause sorrow to others. This much purity at least should be present in your mind. Does your mind say, "I will not cause harm to other beings. I will not cause sorrow to others. I will not feel jealous of others' happiness. I will not treat any sinner with contempt or I will not admonish any sinner?" Does your mind say this? Let alone the world or the country; let alone your city or extension; at least do you feel this about the members of your family? At least, does your mind think thus about your benefactors? At least, does your mind think thus about your acquaintances? A PURE HEART IS THE PLACE WHERE DHARMA ORIGINATES From the Audience : We cannot tell you what our mind thinks. What can impure minds think? Maharajashri : If your mind is not absolutely pure, is it not pure, at least, to some extent? If the mind is pure, at least, to a little extent, Dharma can appear in it. If it is completely impure, Dharma cannot appear in it. You cannot say that you have acted according to Dharma just because you have performed some outward spiritual austerity. Haribhadra sooriji says "Dharma is born in the mind,” Dharma appears in a mind that is pure. "Religion is a production of a pure mind”. If we cannot adopt an attitude of positive amity for benefactors, at least can Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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