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THE WAY OF LIFE
necessity of carrying on work in the office there has appeared between them mutual friendship but they converse together only in the office. When he comes out of the office, he does not even look at the lady. In his heart, there is no passion or any emotional aberration or infatuation. One day, she suggested to him that she desired a union with him and at once, he became cautious. He clearly and firmly refused to have a union with her. The story ended there but now for him, it is difficult to work with her in the office. He considers working there with her dangerous. On account of this reason, he has become gloomy and serious. He does not want to act ignobly. He is not prepared even to the least extent to act in that ignoble manner which would bring about his spiritual fall and which would bring disgrace to him in society.
If you on hearing such a reply from your friend feel happy and if you congratulate him upon his firmness, purity and his love of right conduct then you may know that you have become an admirer of nobility. It is likely that you do not have such firmness and purity; you may be incapable of such firmness, yet you can praise and admire the firmness and purity of your friend.
RESPECT FOR IDEALS LIES IN AN ADORATION FOR THEM
"We should not look at another woman with passion and attachment. We should not develop illicit intimacy with other women even if we have to die for it”. This is the lofty ideal of noble and cultured people because they would have obtained this kind of training and guidance from some enlightened people. Who can give this kind of training and guidance except those who are men of self-restraint, self-discipline and enlightenment? No one except noble people can obtain and act according to such guidance and training. Man cannot attain nobility without mental and emotional stability and even if he can attain nobility without stability it will not be permanent.
Can you admire those people who take care to see that their souls do not experience a decline and that defects and derogations do not creep into society ? It is not insisted that you should
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