Page 166 - Faith Personified
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Q. Scriptures are a necessity because they show us the
method to channelize our efforts in the right direction.
Ans. But the scriptures show innumerable methods ranging
from the lowest to the highest level. Which method will you
follow? Because you have no idea as to what level of efforts
destiny will provide. Without that knowledge, how can you
fix your method?
Q. But can’t you estimate your capacity and thus determine
the level of efforts you can take and accordingly select the
appropriate measures to exercise those efforts from the
scriptures?
Ans. At the end you have to keep aside destiny and shift your
focus on your capacity, right? Hence, you have to agree that
if you leave everything entirely on destiny, the scriptures i.e.
His preachings would become futile. Because scriptures
constantly tell you to put forth right efforts without concealing
your capacities. To summarise.
i) For our task we can estimate our capacity but not
destiny.
ii) We are independent in putting forth efforts according
to our capacity, but not controlled by destiny.
Infinite Tirthankaras established the Shasana with this very
purpose, so that we do not rely on destiny but stop our
wrong efforts and accelerate the right ones. Destiny does not
create our wrong or right efforts. They are created due to
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