Way of Life Part 2

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

Page 71

DISCOURSE 28
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with them for some years, no noble activity can be performed with that money. That money will be used only for ignoble purposes. Ill-gotten money inspires evil propensities and impels people to do ignoble actions.
CARRY ON THE PILGRIMAGE OF SERVICE AND DEVOTION
The wealth that is earned by lawful, ethically excellent and honest means inspires in man lofty thoughts and emotions. His mind enjoys absolute wholesomeness and felicity. His mind gets drawn towards spiritual austerities. He entertains the desire of spending his money for noble purposes. The noblest way of spending money is to render help to the indigent t, the helpless, the poor and the sick. Another noble way of spending money is to use it for worshipping the Paramatma; to render service to noble spiritual heads and to extend a helping hand to the members of one's faith. The great author describes this kind of service and devotion as a pilgrimage. Thirtha is that which helps us to cross the ocean of sorrow and the ocean of samsar. Your soul can easily cross the ocean of samsar by means of rendering service to the indigent and the helpless. It can cross the rivers of sorrow but it is absolutely necessary that help and service should be rendered to the needy and the indigent. Of course, that service and that help should be rendered with true love, charity and magnanimity. It should not be rendered with contempt or arrogance. The service and devotion to the Paramatma, to the spiritual heads and to the followers of Dharma should be rendered with regard, reverence, hospitality and amity.
Sadhus are, "a mobile pilgrim-centre". This unique pilgrimage enables you to experience felicity in the other world. Even if you spend a little amount of money earned by honest and fair means on such a pilgrimage, you will experience an ineffable contentment. If you render help to the indigent, to the incapacitated, to the disabled, to the helpless, to the needy and to the ailing people, their souls experience immense happiness. Your help, your sympathy, your compassion and your spirit of cooperation fill their hearts with felicity and peace. There can be