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320
THE WAY OF LIFE
experience the delight arising from pudgals. That is a different matter but you should not become lovers of sensual delights and you should not become lovers of the delights arising from the pudgals. That means, you should not take delight in sensual delights.
THE LOVE FOR THE PARAMATMA AND THE FEAR OF SAMSAR IMPEL YOU TO ADORE DHARMA
The author, Acharyashri Haribhadrasooriji exhorts people to observe the ordinary principles of the grihasthadharma. The Thirthankars also gave the same exhortation to people. You can observe the ordinary principles only when the love for the Paramatma and a contempt for sensual delights arise in your mind. Understand these two points thoroughly.
1. Love for the Paramatma; and 2. Contempt for sensual pleasures.
These two principles are connected with each other. If you begin to love the Paramatma, you will begin to dislike the sensual pleasures. If you develop contempt for the sensual pleasures, you will begin loving the Paramatma. If any one of these two appears in your heart, the other will automatically appear. And after these two feelings arise in your heart, you will be able to carry out noble spiritual activities in your life, easily and naturally. You will be able to observe noble principles of Dharma easily and naturally.
From the Audience : Does contempt for sensual pleasures mean renunciation ?
Maharajashri : Yes. It means renunciation. Just as in the practical aspect of Dharma, these thirty five ordinary principles constitute the foundation; in the spiritual, and the contemplative aspect of Dharma, the sublime feeling of renunciation constitutes the foundation. Renunciation is spiritual, contemplative and internal Dharma. Renunciation is the root of the internal and contemplative Dharma.
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