Page 45 - Faith Personified

and hence was dejected in the absence of an heir. This absence
continuously bothered him and deprived him of mental peace.

How strange is this world! Inspite of possessing everything, a
single piece missing is enough to destroy your happiness.

Q. Why only worldly creatures? If a saint makes earnest
efforts and despite it cannot remember what he studied,

doesn’t it bother him 24x7? If he is a subject of some painful,
incurable disease, doesn’t he lose his mental peace?

Ans. No. Unlike worldly people, the wise saint bears the distress
caused by disease and ignorance without complaints.

b) How do saints face adversities?

Q. How does he make up his mind when he cannot study
properly?

Ans. He thinks that in my previous birth, I surely must have
mishandled knowledge and its instruments, disrespected
learned men and thus burdened my soul with negative karmas
which are showing its fruit now. There is no worry! It’s a

chance to bear the negative karmas and thus nullify its effect
on the soul. Also, I should worship knowledge, serve
knowledgeable people, follow Arihanta’s conduct of gaining
and retaining knowledge and harbour feelings of compassion
towards all living beings. This will reduce the effect of the
past karmas and open the doors of the greatest of all wealth-

knowledge!

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