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THE WAY OF LIFE
and obstinacy. He cannot carry out his contemplations through the medium of truth. A man who is bound by prejudices cannot carry out a positive contemplation on what he hears even if he hears discourses for a number of years and even if he hears the discourse of a Tirthankar. His soul can never attain purification. Many such prejudiced listeners used to attend the Samavasaran when Shraman Bhagawan Mahavir delivered his discourses. Those men of prejudice used to listen to Mahavir's words with concentration; they also liked the discourses very much but their contemplations ran counter to Mahavir's ideas. That was so because, they were bound by prejudices.
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From the Audience: Then, why did they come to hear Lord Mahavir's discourses ?
ALL DO NOT COME TO LISTEN
Maharajashri: They used to come to see what Mahavir might say; what kind of arguments he put forth and what examples he gave. They came to know these things and probably they were also attracted by Mahavir's greatness and personal magnetism. They used to come to the Samavasaran but they learnt nothing. I know that even to-day there are such listeners. They come here not to learn anything but for entertainment; to find fault with the Gurumaharaj and to pick holes in his arguments or just to spend time. The intellects of those who are bound by prejudices are crooked and maimed. They do not want to learn anything more than what they know. They do not have the patience to hear something that does not accord with their beliefs or opinions. They begin criticising the speaker as if they are sarvajnas (omniscient people). Though they know nothing of the shastras, they behave and talk as if they have attained mastery over all the shastras. They take delight in making fun of the speaker. They move about with false pride.
This disease is present in many people who hear discourses every day. They do not think with their own minds. They take the letter of an utterance ignoring its spirit. Therefore, I advise you to get rid of this malady and to listen to discourses with
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