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THE WAY OF LIFE
cause agitation to others; but you must forgive them. You try to convince them of their mistake with pleasant and gentle words. Even then if they do not realize their mistakes, then you just ignore them. You must realize this vital truth. Only those who are themselves unhappy and agitated, cause unhappiness and agitation to others. Treat such people with compassion. "How deeply agitated these people are ! ....How restless and mentally disturbed they are! How unstable they are mentally and emotionally! How full of grief are they! May they attain mental peace; may they attain spiritual stability!" You must think of such people thus.
Only those people who can remain calm and serene even when others speak to them harshly and treat them ignobly, can by their thought, word and deed, treat others in a noble manner and can adopt a noble attitude towards others. You must have at least this realization; and you must have at least this much spiritual and mental strength.
ANGARSHI AND RUDRAK:
I read recently an ancient story relating to this point. It is a very touching story. Once, there was a city called Champa. A great scholar by name Kaushikarya lived in that city. There were two disciples studying under him. Those two disciples were living in Kaushikarya's ashram. One was Angarshi; and the other was Rudrak. Angarshi was the very embodiment of tenderness; and he always spoke in a sweet and pleasant manner. Moreover, he was simple, polite and just in his thoughts and actions. The character of Rudrak was entirely different from that of Angarshi. When the teacher praised Angarshi, Rudrak burnt with jealousy. He was always bent upon seeing some defect in Angarshi but the latter was absolutely faultless and perfect; and so Rudrak could not see any defect in him. Such people always experience agitation. They experience worry and grief. That is so because those people always entertain harmful thoughts or inauspicious thoughts in respect of others. In fact, they are always entangled in evil thoughts relating to others. Their only purpose is to feel jealous of virtuous people and to pull them down.
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