Way of Life Part 3

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

Page 128

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THE WAY OF LIFE
GOOD HABITS ARE ESSENTIAL IN LIFE
If while you keep listening to discourses, which make you realize the value of spirituality; if while you are listening to discourses the centre of your inner spiritual self is opened; and if you develop the feeling of renunciation while listening to discourses, that is another matter. "I must attain spiritual awakening and progress. I must purify the activities of my life; and I must proceed on the path of gradual spiritual elevation”. Listening to discourses with this feeling is important. I think you come to listen to discourses with this purpose. Do you come here with the feeling that if you keep listening to discourses, you may some day attain spiritual elevation ? Do you come here with the devout feeling that you should listen to discourses from the lips of the Gurumaharaj ? Very good. The habit of listening to spiritual discourses is a lofty one. Noble habits are essential in the life of a man.
Those who possess exceptional intelligence; and those in whose hearts the desire for spiritual elevation has awakened, will find this grantha immensely useful. They can benefit from studying the grantha; and from listening to discourses on it.
IT IS ESSENTIAL TO PURIFY THE ACTIVITIES OF
YOUR LIFE
If you want to lead the life of a noble householder, you must make the activities of your life pure before you endeavour to attain spiritual progress. Impure activities impede the endeavour to attain spiritual purification. The spiritual activities of a man cannot be pure, firm and felicitous if the activities of his life are not pure. A man endeavouring to attain spiritual elevation and failing in the attempt may think, "What can I do? I cannot concentrate on my spiritual austerities because my sinful karmas render my mind unstable. Sinful thoughts occur to me even in the temple". Sinful thoughts do occur to you. Why do not they? When the activities of your life are impure and ignoble what else can occur to you if not sinful thoughts? If sin is dear to you, naturally, sinful thoughts
arise in your minds. First make the activities of your life pure;