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THE WAY OF LIFE
a house or clothes or a woman you like to secure, then you must know that your desires remain unfulfilled because of the effect of the Labhantharaya Karma. The man who does not know this philosophy or who does not believe in it throws the blame on others and gets angry with them. "He prevented me from acquiring wealth; he is my enemy and so he has prevented me from acquiring a house or he has foiled my attempts to secure that beautiful girl for my wife". In this manner, ignorant people throw the blame on others. If you are under the influence of the Labhantraya Karma, you cannot acquire wealth even if you move heaven and earth. You will not acquire wealth even if you work day and night.
THE BEGGAR OF THE CITY OF RAJAGRIHI
I hope you know the example of that beggar who lived in Rajagrihi. Though he once wandered about the city for three days, he could not secure alms. Were the people wicked and uncharitable? Was the whole city wicked and uncharitable ? Why did not the people give him alms? The other beggars were getting alms. People were giving them alms. Why did they not give alms to that beggar? The beggar was angry with all the people of the city. He thought, "They are worthless people. Though I have been begging for three days knocking about the streets, they have not given me even a morsel of food. I will go and kill them all". The beggar did not know this truth, "I have not been able to get any alms because of the effect of the Labhantharaya Karma. Those beggars in whose lives the sinful Karma has not emerged and brought about its effect, are getting some food. The people are not bad; my Karma is bad. So I should not get angry with the people of the city." On account of his ignorance, the beggar became angry with the people and he indulged in an angry and hateful contemplation, called Raudradhyan. One day, some people of the city went out for a picnic. The picnic was arranged at a place outside the city. The beggar also went there. He thought that when people went out thus for a picnic, they would become generous and would give alms to beggars. The beggar's idea was not wrong because sometimes, some people who are misers at home become generous
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