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DISCOURSE 85
Ankamal stood still. All the events arose in his mind. He felt ashamed of himself and on that very day, he began pursuing, with concentration, the path of spiritual progress.
I hope you know what virtues a man should possess in order to be a preacher of Dharma. The man who preaches Dharma should be a victor over anger, avarice and sensual passion. If he himself is a slave to those passions, what can he preach to others? How can his discourses exercise an impact on the hearts of his listeners? The meaning of what I am saying is that the man who preaches Dharma must possess selfdiscipline. He must have the purpose of making householders self-disciplined. There can be no spiritual progress or spiritual purification in a man's life if he has not conquered his inner enemies. It is for this reason that we adore the Jin. Jin means victor. Jin is the name given to a person who has completely conquered all his inner enemies. We too must become Jins sooner or later. Only a Jin can experience absolute felicity and serenity.
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THE 14 VIRTUES OF A PREACHER
You must know the nature of the preacher who delivers discourses on the scriptures, "He speaks very well. He is an excellent orator". Mere oratorical powers do not make a preacher. A true preacher must possess fourteen virtues. A great saint and scholar has said,
" वाग्मी - व्यास समसवित् प्रियकथः प्रस्ताववित् सत्यवाक्, संदेहच्छिद् शेषशास्त्रनिपुणो, नाख्याति व्यक्षोपकृत् । अव्यंगो जनरंजको जितसभो, नाहंकृतो धार्मिकः, संतोषी च इमे चतुर्दशगुणा वक्तुः प्रणीतास्तथा ॥ "
You have to scrutinize the nature and character of the preacher whose discourses, you wish to hear every day and with whose guidance, you wish to pursue the path of moksha. Moreover, the man who aspires to become a preacher of Dharma must know the virtues and abilities that make him a worthy preacher of Dharma.
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