Page 16 - Faith Personified

Can they really spoil or improve your life?

Life is not considered spoilt or improved on the basis of
present sorrow or happiness. Instead, it is judged on what
kind of fruits it will bear in the long run – those of happiness
or sorrow.

When a school-going boy is not studying properly and just
whiling away his time by playing around and watching T.V.,

is he not happy? Then why is he continuously pestered. “O
fool! Why are you spoiling your life by passing time like this?
Playing around will not help in the future.” Don’t you say
this? On what basis do you consider his life spoilt? You believe
that if he does not study well, he will remain foolish and will
not be able to earn a proper living for himself after growing
up. He will thus be unable to remain happy and content.

Present activities that lead to a disastrous future are considered
unwanted even if they provide momentary pleasures.

A rich father’s spoilt brat, indulging in gambling is enjoying
his present life partying and eating with friends and family.
Inspite of this, doesn’t his father scold him for not doing
anything worthwhile and thus wasting his life?

Similarly, wise men are constantly warning us – “If your mind
is occupied with greed, hatred, revenge, jealousy and anger,
then (mind well) .... you are wasting your life.” If you do not
pay heed to this warning and continue living life according
to your wish without even trying to eliminate such evils, you
will be considered foolish like the spoilt brat.

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