Way of Life Part 1

Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

Page 92

THE WAY OF LIFE
it is materialistic happiness or spiritual happiness. The Tirtankar Bhagwan has described the path of dharma as the way to attain all kinds of happiness. Keeping in view all the people in this world, he declared that people can get happiness from dharma; not from sin. If you want to attain happiness discard your sins and sinful propensities. If you want to enjoy real happiness in life, you must discard such sinful actions and propensities as violence, falsehood, stealing, sexual immorality, attachment etc. In order to acquire wealth, one need not commit sins. There is no need at all to commit sins in order to attain sensual and materialistic pleasures. In the same manner, in order to attain the Heavenly state or existence, one need not and should not commit sins like sacrificing animals. Moksha can never be attained by sinful actions. The only real and extraordinary source of all types of felicity is a sinless life.
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What do you desire? All of you will say, "We desire moksha". Do you desire moksha ? Do you really aspire for moksha ? Has the aspiration for salvation appeared in your mind? Why do you aspire for moksha? You aspire for moksha because the worldly life is replete with sorrows and agonies. Even that Jivaraj Seth had the aspiration, for salvation. But what kind of aspiration did he have? After death, he became an animal, a Tom-cat and Naradji went in search of him because he wanted to take the Seth to Vaikunta. Naradji however believed the words and the outward appearance of the Seth but the Seth managed to give the slip to Naradji and to evade his persuasions and also made him go about unnecessarily. Do you not also evade the persuasions of Sadhus and give the slip to them if we, Sadhus believe your words?
From the Audience: "We will sink into the ocean of Samsar and we will make you also sink into it."
Maharajashri : "Is it proper for pious people like you to do that? Gentlemen should not be deceivers. They should not be hypocritical. They should not cheat others. Though sometimes one may have to experience sorrows, one should not cause sorrows to others. One may fall into the ocean of sorrow but one should not drag others into it. This was all right,