Way of Life Part 2

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

Page 69

DISCOURSE 28
57
and serene and sublime, and that is the greatest kind of happi
ness.
FASHION; ADDICTION; IMITATION
From the Audience: What you say is absolutely true, but if we conform to ethical and moral principles in earning money we will not be able to make both ends meet. Now-a-days, with the increase in prices, domestic expenses have greatly increased.
Maharajashri: Have you at any time, practised earning money by honest and fair means at least for a few months or a year ? How can you believe that you cannot earn money by honest and fair means without having made the experiment ? Try this experiment for a few months. Believe that if the Labhantharayakarma (that which impedes all benefits) arises, you will get a lesser income and if your income is less reduce your expenses. You should spend within the limits of your income. You should not try to earn in proportion to your increasing expenses. How much money do you spend wastefully ? Now-a-days, tensions have increased in the minds of people regarding fashions, addictions and imitations. Can the people who are always torn by tensions carry out spiritual austerities effectively ?
How much money is wasted on fashions, addictions and imitations? Yet people engage themselves in questionable occupations to earn money. Is it not true ? You want your home to be of the latest fashion in every respect. You want fashionable dress; you want fashionable hair-dressing; fashionable shoes and hand-bags. You do not want to follow the path shown by the enlightened people. But you want to follow and imitate the people of the world. You want to follow and imitate the western people. You want to imitate cinema-actors and actresses. For such imitations, fashions and addictions, you require a lot of money. You may not earn so much money by fair means, especially if the Labhantharayakarma arises. THE CINEMA .... TERRIBLY SINFUL
How many addictions have crept into your life ? Drinking tea and coffee, smoking beedies and cigarettes have become very