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DISCOURSE 82
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should be undertaken at a certain time. You must have the sense and wisdom to realise the time when you can carry out your spiritual activities, the time when you can pursue the Arthapurushartha and the time when you can pursue the Kamapurushartha. Realise the significance and importance of time. If you sit at your shop at a time when your duty is to listen to discourses in the Upashraya or if you go to a cinema when you have to be present in your shop, what will happen? Your Dharmapurushartha and your Arthapurushartha will be affected. FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE
Now, we have to consider the question of Bhava or your mental state or your capacity. You must have enthusiasm, courage and confidence. If your heart is devoid of enthusiasm and courage, even if the objects, the place and the time are congenial, you cannot benefit from them.
There is a famous mountain in Japan called Fujiyama. Just as the Himalayas are considered to be sacred in India, the Fujiyama is considered sacred in Japan. It is extremely difficult to ascend one peak of the Fujiyama. An adventurous mountaineer by name Shibukava was successful in climbing the peak. He was interviewed on the T.V. During the interview, he was asked this question.
"How could you climb the highest peak of the Fujiyama which other mountaineers could not ?".
"Mere courage ! Mere self-confidence and nothing else”.
“Do not you think that your success was due to your equipments?"
"Whatever may be the equipments that one has, they will be useless and futile if one lacks courage and confidence.”
The implication of this is that man can achieve success if he has courage, confidence and capacity even if the equipments are not adequate. Courage is generally accompanied with application, patience and a sense of dedication to the task undertaken.
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