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DISCOURSE 17
try to acquire spiritual knowledge even though they have intelligence; such people should not be reproached and treated with contempt. Now-a-days treating such people with contempt has become common. It has also become common to view them with a wrong attitude because now-a-days, the hearts of people are becoming callous. Compassion has been disappearing from their hearts. If you do not show compassion to people in the external aspect of your life; how can there be compassion in your hearts for people suffering internal agony and anguish. Where is the question of your experiencing compassion for them internally? Do you pity those who are in distress, poverty or sickness? Let alone others; do you pity your own relatives and friends when they are in such a situation? I once said to a devotee, "Your brother is in great distress. If you help him, he will be relieved of his anguish". At once, the devotee gave a straight reply, "Maharaj, you do not know him very well. He has his vices." The devotee deemed his brother a vicious man. I asked him, "Are you free from those vices which you attribute to your brother? Another point. Your brother may be bad but is his family also bad? You can at least help his family". Such are these devotees! Now tell me, what hopes I may entertain regarding you.
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Remember this vital point. If you do not have the qualities of amity, love, compassion and neutrality, you cannot carry out any really meaningful spiritual austerity. Such insincere austerities cannot save you from spiritual ruin. You may have this expectation; "We have been performing so many austerities. We will not go to Narak or hell", but you cannot save yourself from spiritual ruin. That is why I exhort you to acquire and assimilate the lofty virtues of amity, etc. Purify your soul. Dharma is nothing but a pure intellect. Only by means of a pure intellect can you gather the Punyanubandhi merit. Only a pure and perfect soul can bring you salvation.
Think deeply about the doctrines of Dharma. You ponder over and contemplate on what you have head in this discourse.
This is enough for today.
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