Way of Life Part 4

Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

Page 29

DISCOURSE 74
must have a partiality for the truth though you may not be able to live according to it. You must at least accept the truth of something though you may not be able to live according to it.
I will now explain to you how this point is related to family life. Let us suppose that your son believes that the worship of the Paramatma should not be carried out and that the austerity of samayik should not be carried out and if he does not carry out those activities what will you do? Do you admire his opinion? You will not. Is that not true ? You will scold your son because he does not worship the Paramatma and because he does not perform the samayik. You will use strong language against your son; will you not? If you act thus, he will develop antipathy towards you. He will also develop a dislike for the austerities that you carry out such as the worship of the Paramatma and the observance of the samayik. This is so because people expect simple and noble conduct from those who pursue the path of Dharma. They expect that those who visit temples and attend discourses should be men of honesty, humility and serenity. If those who pursue Dharma do not possess those virtues then people condemn not only those people but also spiritual austerities and activities.
Do not disrespect those who believe that Dharma is sublime; spiritual heads are noble; devotion to the Paramatma is essential and that service should be rendered to the destitute and the indigent.
LIVE MIXING WITH ALL CORDIALLY
Of course, it is natural that these feelings should arise in your heart. "All the members of my family should carry out spiritual austerities. All the members of my family should be noble in their conduct and behaviour. They should practise noble conventions." You keep exhorting them, now and then in a sweet voice, to act thus. Propriety lies only upto that extent. But you should not use harsh methods or words. Harshness will not bring good results.