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DISCOURSE 21
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ly state of existence and experience countless pleasures and joys. "They have got abundant materialistic and sensual pleasures. Yet, they live a life of detachment, without any interest in those pleasures. They are really blessed”. You must love and admire them thus. The jiva does not become engrossed in the pleasures that arise from the punya or merit which is of the punyanubandhi type. Man does not commit sins by enjoying the pleasures that accrue from the merit of the Punyanubandhi type. On the other hand, he acquires new merit. He collects more merit by performing spiritual austerities. Eventhough he has got abundant pleasures, he carries on spiritual activities. Can you not love and admire such a man ? You must love and admire such a person. Just as you must experience felicity at the sight of the prosperity and felicity of others, if you have in your possession such pleasures and if they do not impel you to commit sins, you must feel happy. Eventhough you may have in your possession the means of attaining pleasures; if you do not enjoy those pleasures, without trespassing the limits of ethical excellence and if you do not misuse those means, then you must understand that you possess the merit called Punyanubandhi or the merit that impels you to acquire more merit. The emergence of this kind of merit helps you in your pursuit of the path of moksha. Whatever merit arises, you must feel happy about it. If the merit of others exceeds your own, then you should not feel unhappy about it.
EVEN THE HEAVENLY BEINGS DESERVE LOVE AND ADMIRATION
You must have love and adoration for those heavenly beings, who possess the right vision; who are not interested or emotionally involved even in their celestial enjoyments, that is, who do not become engrossed in enjoyments, losing all sense of their spiritual excellence and welfare. Those great jivas who, inspite of enjoying sensual delights, do not deem them beneficial and acceptable and regard them as unworthy, also deserve love and admiration. In this world a large number of people believe that sensual delights are beneficial and become engrossed in them. As a contrast to these jivas, those other jivas that
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