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THE WAY OF LIFE
NOW LISTENING TO DISCOURSES HAS BECOME A CONVENTION
250
Sometimes, we have these experiences in some unknown villages or towns. "When the sadhu muniraj comes to our town, we should arrange discourses by him". People think so. Actually, those who are really desirous of listening to discourses are very few but the organisers bring listeners forcibly to listen to discourses. There should be a good number of listeners; you see. We say, "If people are not interested in discourses, why do you arrange them ?" They gave this reply. "Maharaj, when you come to our town, it will not be good if we do not arrange discourses". They do not inform other people. They inform only Jains. Otherwise, even others who are really interested in discourses may come to hear them.
From the Audience: If some people do not have the desire to hear discourses and if they come to hear discourses as a matter of convention, will the desire to hear discourses arise in them?
Maharajashri : It may arise in them. But I feel such a desire arises only in two out of a hundred people. Even that is not certain. People cannot hear discourses, without a desire to hear them. Even if they hear discourses without such a desire, they will not be able to understand the tatvas. I am not referring to discourses containing stories and homorous anecdotes. I am referring to discourses that deal with scriptural knowledge. The eight characteristics of the intelligence are mentioned here from the point of view of the attainment of the scriptural knowledge. The desire to hear stories and humorous anecdotes is found even in ignorant children and unintelligent men.
EVERYONE DOES NOT DESIRE TO HEAR DISCOURSES
If people develop contacts with enlightened spiritual heads and if they have such contacts frequently with them, the desire to hear discourses arises in them. Very few people have a natural desire to hear discourses. If people listen to discourses with a
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