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THE WAY OF LIFE
From the Audience: Eventhough people know this, why don't they discard their scheming propensity?
1212
Maharajashri : If you make a sincere determination, you can easily discard that propensity. "I should not disgrace and humiliate others. If others disgrace and humiliate me, let them do so; but I should not take recourse to that ignoble method. All jivas are my friends. How can I disgrace and humiliate my friends? If anyone disgraces or humiliates me he does so because of my own sinful karma. If I endure the bitter fruits of my sinful karmas with equanimity, they will be destroyed. I should not gather new sinful karmas". You must think thus every day. Even if others engage you to inflict disgrace and humiliation upon someone, you should retain your determination. Your determination should remain unshaken.
From the Audience: Personally, we may face such things with equanimity but the members of our family do not pay heed to our advice. They think of taking revenge against others by humiliating them.
NEVER FORGET THE IMPORTANCE OF EQUANIMITY
Maharajashri
That is why, I exhort you to convey to them what you hear here and to prevail upon them to act according to my exhortation. You also encourage them to listen to discourses. Give them good books to read. Try to change their way of thinking. If they do not change their ways inspite of all this, leave them alone. Let them do what they want to do but you refrain from the evil propensity of disgracing and humiliating others. You do not also get angry with them. Retain your equanimity. I know that now-a-days the members of your families do not listen to your advice. Am I right? Either your Punyodaya has decreased or the worth of the jivas has decreased. At least, you must do this. You should not think of disgracing and humiliating those who have helped you directly or indirectly. Even the very thought of disgracing and humiliating them should not arise in your mind. Even if they speak some harsh words to you sometimes, you bear with them. The
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