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DISCOURSE 92
You should not answer back defiantly in every matter thus". His son used to give haughty replies whenever he was questioned about anything. Jatashankar was greatly agitated by the behaviour of his son. One day, Jatashankar told his son; "To-day your mother and I are going to a marriage. We will come back only in the evening. You remain in the house. Do not go out wandering. Take care of the house".
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Jatashankar went to the marriage with his wife. The boy thought, "Well! To-day I will teach a lesson to my father. He always keeps telling me. "You should not speak haughtily to your father and mother; you should not answer back". To-day I will never speak to my parents. I will not answer back". He bolted the door from inside and lay quietly on a cot. In the evening, Jatashankar and his wife returned home. Jatashankar knocked on the door. The door was not opened. Jatashankar shouted, "Raman! open the door". But there was no response. Jatashankar called aloud. His wife also called aloud but the boy did not open the door. Jatashankar was worried, "What has happened to the boy ?" In great anxiety, he climbed on to the roof of the house. He removed some tiles and looked into the house. His eyes grew wide with amazement. The boy lay on the cot laughing. Jatashankar was angry. He said to the boy, "We have been shouting and calling aloud and you have not opened the door. Come on, open the door". The boy said, “You yourself used to advise me not to answer back. That is why, I did not answer when you knocked on the door." This is what is called distortion. Distortion means not understanding the words of others rightly or misunderstanding the words of others. Intellectual inertia and distortion or crookedness in thinking are impediments on the way to spiritual progress. Wisdom and plainness help us to achieve spiritual progress.
Jain Education International
THE WAY TO INCREASE AND CHASTEN INTELLIGENCE
In order to acquire knowledge man must keep his intelligence growing and he must possess an excellent intelligence.
From the Audience: We do not possess an excellent intelligence.
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