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“Worldly pleasures are nothing less than murderers.
Virtues and religion are our real saviours.” Does our heart
believe in this ?

Happiness is actually the soul’s prison whereas virtues and
religion are like the soul’s beauty, soul’s progress. How
much faith do we have in the above verdict ?

If your heart favours it, then you will agree with it, appreciate
it and try to implement it in daily life. If at times, you cannot
implement it, you will still be on it’s side.

A religious person favours and prioritizes religion and
virtues and ignores worldly pleasures.

A sinful person favours worldly pleasures and hence
sacrifices virtues and religion for its sake.

It means that a religious soul enjoys worldly pleasures as a
result of his karmas. It doesn’t mean that this heart favours and
desires these pleasures. Actions and intentions may differ. A
sinful soul favours, desires and exercises only sinful activities.
But a religious samyaktvi soul desires worldly pleasures along
with a great feeling of repentance. Hence, he is said to favour
religion not worldly happiness.

Someone’s penance of Maskhamana*, 16 upvas, etc. will
touch us only if our heart favours penance and not only eating
at all times. Similarly, if our heart favours tolerance and not
overcoming and defeating others, then we will feel that great
men were right in not opposing others but calmly accepting
whatever came by.

In life, not temporary happiness but religion and virtues
are the ultimate goal.

*Maskhamana - 30 days fasts (only boiled water permitted)
21. Importance of Courage & Faith 105