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DISCOURSE 86
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karma. Moreover, their condemnation of austerities affects the desire of other people to carry out such austerities. Only those who do not perform spiritual austerities and who are jealous of others condemn and criticise spiritual austerities.
ADMIRING NOBLE ACTIONS ALSO IS A GREAT DHARMA
If you are not carrying out a certain austerity and if your young son aged only eight or ten years, is carrying it out, you admire that austerity. If you admire his austerity, his enthusiasm increases and his faith in Dharma also increases.
From your example he will also learn to admire the austerities which others perform. You must admire spiritual austerities even when they are being performed by your enemy but that admiration must be timely and relevant. You should admire the austerity in the presence of worthy people who feel happy when they hear others praised. You should not be niggardly in your admiration for spiritual austerities.
You must acquire a knowledge of the difficult doctrines of Dharma by hearing discourses on Jinagamas and Dharmagranthas and by contemplating on them. You must approach those spiritual heads who have mastered all the subtle and difficult doctrines of Dharma and acquire from them that knowledge which they possess.
It is natural that all people cannot do this. All people cannot carry out deep contemplations on Tatvas but those who are intelligent must dive into the ocean of scriptural knowledge; must experience the delight of knowledge and must endeavour to grasp those difficult and normally incomprehensible Tatvas. Intelligent people must acquire a knowledge of Tatvas. They should record in their minds permanently those great Tatvas and they should not forget them.
ALL THIS IS POSSIBLE EVEN IN THE LIFE OF A GRIHASTHA
From the Audience : Is it possible to practise these things in our life as grihasthas ?
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