Way of Life Part 4

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

Page 68

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THE WAY OF LIFE
WHAT DO YOU DESIRE IN RETURN FOR YOUR SERVICE ?
Tell me who wants these benefits. Those who desire them will get them. Those who appreciate these benefits will surely render service to sadhus. The service rendered to sadhus by people who have such pure aspirations is real service to sadhus. Those who approach sadhus in order to attain materialistic prosperity and enjoyments and in order to get rid of their agonies and anguish are not concerned with knowledge or vows.
Those people do not care for the knowledge of the sadhus or for their noble activities. They hover around places where gods and goddesses are worshipped, where magical and occult acts are carried out and where worship and recitation are going on; and they keep hovering around siddhapurushas. Their only objective is to attain some miraculous boon by means of which they can get rid of their calamities.
Such people cannot even realise the splendour of exalted spirituality or elevated spiritual attainments and actions. Vows and knowledge constitute man's spiritual grandeur. Carrying out a great vow or an austerity is not a game; is not an easy thing. Vows have to be carried out by word, mind and body. Great vows and austerities have to be carried out with great dedication and with the assistance and the encouragement of others. I will explain this with some examples.
THE PRINCIPLES TO BE OBSERVED BY A SADHU – A sadhu should never commit violence by word, thought
or deed. He should not cause violence to any jiva. He should not get violence done by others and he should not countenance violence when it is being committed by others.
A sadhu should completely refrain from falsehood by thought, word and deed. He should not utter falsehood. He should not make others utter falsehood. He should not countenance falsehood when it is being uttered by others.