Way of Life Part 2

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

Page 66

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THE WAY OF LIFE DO YOU AT ANY TIME THINK OF SAFEGUARDING YOUR SOUL ?
See how careful Lakshmidas is! See how cautious he is in taking care of his wealth! It will be very good if you could take such care of your own soul. You would not have to worry about the soul, if you possessed such love for it as you have for wealth. Do you love your soul ? How do you love it? You must rescue the soul in this life from the ghosts of sins. Destroy old sins and take care not to allow new sins to enter your soul. If you do not save your soul from sins, you cannot save yourselves from sorrows at any time. If you want to be free from sorrows, free your soul from sins. When you begin saving and safeguarding your soul, you will also begin loving it. Lakshmidas loved his wealth, so he endeavoured to safeguard it. HOW COULD WEALTH BE GOT WITHOUT BEING BEATEN ?
What kind of bravery did the robber possess? He wanted to snatch away Lakshmidas' wealth. He wanted Lakshmidas' treasure. So, he bore with beatings when he was beaten with a stick and he also allowed his nose to be cut. Yes. The young man went there with the knife and cut off his nose. The robber lay down stiff and still like a dead body. How well did he act like a dead man ! He was thinking, "How can I get the treasure, if I cannot bear with the beatings ?” He had to bear with the beatings. Beatings have to be borne with. You cannot get happiness if you cannot bear with sorrows.
If you practise this doctrine with respect to your spiritual development, your spiritual endeavours will become strong. You have to carry out spiritual austerities but you do not want to carry out painful austerities. You like to perform those activities, which you can carry out at leisure with pleasure. Do you like to carry out those austerities in performing which you have to bear with difficulties and discomforts ? If you bear with sorrows, willingly, your sins will be destroyed. If you can bear with your sorrows, without even the slightest feeling of anguish; the sins stored in your soul through countless janmas will be destroyed. I hope that you know that Bhagwan Mahavir bore