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* Every day, you must listen to discourses as a
matter of duty. This is an ordinary principle of Dharma; but it is equally important to see to which kind of speakers, you should listen, (the implication is that you should listen to the discourses deli
vered by noble spiritual heads). * It is one thing to acquire knowledge from books, to
listen to the arguments of others or to hear stories narrated by others and to get amusement from them. But it is a different matter to listen to dis- .. courses because in matters relating to Dharma you have to understand a person to the depths of his
personality. * Fourteen special principles are mentioned in the
shastras regarding the character of the person who delivers discourses. His discourses will be fruitful only if he possesses those qualities. You should not listen to religious discourses for amusement. Discourses should not also be delivered with that purpose. After listening to discourses, you have to explore and examine your soul and you o have to carry out mental contemplation on what 9
you have heard. * If the spiritual head delivers his discourses after
examining and realising the level of his listeners,
it will be useful to the speaker and to the listeners. * Spiritual heads should not think that they are
bestowing a benefaction on their listeners by delivering discourses; on the other hand, it is their duty to deliver discourses. This is the scriptural prescription. Spiritual heads should deliver discourses as a matter of duty; not with the idea that
they are conferring a benefaction on their listeners. O VONOVO NOVOORBENONOOMS
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DISCOURSE 85 The supreme ocean of compassion, the great scriptural scholar, Acharyashri Haribhadrasooriji expounds the ordinary principles of the grihasthadharma in the beginning of his great work, Dharmabindu. These ordinary principles are extremely
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