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DISCOURSE 46
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but on account of some opportunity they became kevaljnanis. This is enough. Those who advocate disorderly and unsystematic spiritual pursuits find here a scriptural authority. They never thought of the spiritual activities of their earlier lives. They never thought of the spiritual development in their previous lives. They thought of the present life itself and deemed it the right path. JATASHANKAR'S WHITE LIE
Once, Jatashankar happened to be walking upon a road. He was walking absent-mindedly and he stumbled upon a stone and the stone came out of the earth. He sat down because of the pain. He saw the stone and also the pit from which the stone had come out. He saw something yellow in the pit. At once, he looked around to see if anyone was observing him. Then, with his hand, he took out those things which were yellow. Actually, they were pieces of gold. At once, he put those pieces of gold into his pocket and went home. Now, what else did he need ? He found the unrighteous method of acquiring wealth. He thought, "Why should anyone get education for ten or fifteen years and take up some job to earn money ? Why should anyone open a shop ? All these methods are useless. In order to acquire money or wealth, one must stumble on the road. If one stumbles upon a stone on the road, one can find gold beneath the stone”. Then, Jatashankar went on advocating non-gradual methods to acquire wealth, wherever he went. He also described his experiences to people. “Look here, I found this gold by stumbling over a stone”.
Jatashankar found some stupid and foolish people who wanted to acquire wealth without industry and without delay. Following the example of Jatashankar, they too stumbled over stones but they did not find gold. So, they came to Jatashankar. Jatashankar said, "You must have stumbled at the wrong place. That is why you did not find gold there. I will tell you where you must stumble and if you stumble there, you will surely find gold there".
Jatashankar made a plan to prove the truth of his words. Some avaricious people became his devotees. He got some
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