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Laboratary

Added to library: September 2, 2025

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First page of Laboratary

Summary

This is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Laboratary" by Ratnasundarsuri, based on the provided pages:

The book "Laboratary" by Ratnasundarsuri is a collection of reflective questions and prompts presented in Gujarati, designed to encourage self-introspection and spiritual growth according to Jain principles. Each "page" functions as a standalone thought-provoking piece, challenging the reader's perceptions and actions in various aspects of life. The underlying theme is to align one's life with Dharma (righteousness and spiritual practice) through mindful contemplation and consistent effort.

Here's a breakdown of the key themes and points raised across the pages:

1. Understanding Suffering and Happiness:

  • Page 1: Questions why seemingly less religious people appear happier than more religious ones. It challenges the notion of injustice in nature and prompts the reader to consider if they observe such disparities and how they react to seeing others, who are more religiously inclined, facing more hardships.
  • Page 4: Directly addresses the observation that "sinners" seem to enjoy life while "religious" people struggle. It challenges the reader to consider if they would be willing to advise their entire family to abandon religion for a life of sin if they truly believed this to be the case, given the perceived outcome of happiness versus unhappiness.

2. The Nature of Giving and Acceptance:

  • Page 2: Explores the idea of who is truly indebted – the giver or the receiver of a donation. It uses analogies of seeds accepted by the earth and water accepted by plants to question whether the recipient of charity (whether to a religious institution, a poor person, or a fellow Jain) is the only one who appears "beneficial."

3. Growth and Contentment in Dharma:

  • Page 3: Compares a child's repeated failure in school to one's own spiritual progress. It asks if the reader feels pain from a lack of growth in Dharma after many years or contentment in maintaining it. It emphasizes the need to progress in Dharma just as a child needs to move to the next grade.

4. Detachment from Possessions and Emotions:

  • Page 5: Identifies attachment and possessiveness (asakti and maliki-bhav) as enemies of mental peace. It suggests replacing attachment with devotion (bhakti) and possessiveness with contentment (santosh-bhav) for inner liberation.

5. Engaging with Dharma with Enthusiasm:

  • Page 6 & 7: Challenges the reader to question their level of engagement with both sin and Dharma. It suggests that if one finds Dharma tasteless, they should at least approach sins with the same tastelessness. Conversely, if one engages enthusiastically in worldly activities (eating, calling, watching TV, etc.), they should also approach religious activities (seeing the Lord, chanting, venerating gurus, performing Samayika) with equal enthusiasm.

6. Faith in Effort Despite Uncertainty:

  • Page 8 & 9: Uses the farmer's sowing of seeds (knowing not all will sprout) and a person eating food (knowing not all will be digested) as analogies for consistent Dharma practice. It questions if one's enthusiasm for religious acts wanes even if they might not yield immediate or perfect results. It also draws parallels with seeking medical help without guaranteed cures or hiring lawyers without guaranteed wins, implying that one should continue Dharma practice regardless of immediate results.

7. The Path of Greed and its End:

  • Page 10: Compares life to driving a car. It points out that greed is a road with no end, and urges the reader to decide on a destination or a stopping point for their life's journey, warning that continuing on the path of greed without an end can lead to unfortunate destinations.

8. Values of Giving vs. Possessing:

  • Page 11: Contrasts the conventional accounting of "giving leads to decrease" (jema is going out) with the spiritual accounting of "giving leads to increase" (jema is coming in). It questions whether one believes in the worldly accounting or the spiritual accounting of life, and which approach guides their actions.

9. Competition vs. Cooperation:

  • Page 12: Compares the game of Hututu (pulling legs) to Kho-Kho (giving turns). It asks which game is being played in life – competition or cooperation, pushing others down or letting them rise. It links the former to stress and the latter to happiness.

10. Practicing General Dharma Before Special Dharma:

  • Page 13: Uses analogies like applying deodorant after wiping sweat and ironing clothes after washing them. It questions if special Dharma practices are undertaken after fulfilling general Dharma principles, such as caring for parents before becoming engrossed in devotion, or observing night fasts before taking on severe austerities.

11. Matching Actions and Values:

  • Page 14: Employs numerous analogies to illustrate the concept of "matching." It questions if actions like worshipping God can be "matched" with watching TV, or austerities with frequenting hotels, highlighting the incongruity.

12. The State of Consciousness: Chloroform or Coma?

  • Page 15: Uses the analogy of a patient under chloroform (with a certain recovery) versus a patient in a coma (with uncertain recovery). It asks about the reader's spiritual state: are they on a path of certain spiritual awakening, or have they fallen into a spiritual "coma" from which recovery is uncertain?

13. The Cause of Failure: Lack of Inner Balance:

  • Page 16: Uses the examples of a bounced check (due to insufficient balance) and a car not starting (due to lack of fuel). It questions whether, in the face of failure, one blames external factors or acknowledges a lack of inner spiritual "balance" or "fuel" (merit/punya).

14. True Detachment and Non-Attachment:

  • Page 17: Compares the material differences in a poor person's and a rich person's water taps, their food, and their cremation wood. It highlights that ultimately, the basic elements are the same (water, digested food becoming waste, ashes). It asks if, after witnessing these realities, one still feels attraction towards wealth or regret over poverty.

15. Different Paths for Different Purposes:

  • Page 18: Uses analogies of using bicycle brakes on a scooter or airplane lights on a car, highlighting that different situations require different solutions. It questions whether one possesses the wisdom to apply the right efforts to prevent suffering and attain virtues, recognizing that the methods for overcoming sorrow may not be the same as those for acquiring good qualities.

16. The Inevitability of Karma:

  • Page 19: Uses examples of a student cheating to pass exams (but not becoming truly knowledgeable) and a young man hiding a cancer with clothing (but not being free from the pain). It emphasizes that while one might evade detection for sins, the karmic consequences will eventually manifest. It urges one to refrain from sin, regardless of whether it's witnessed.

17. Seeking Advice from the Right Sources:

  • Page 20: Compares eating at a lodge (where one has to accept whatever is served) to eating at home (where one can choose their food). It questions whether, when facing difficulties or negative thoughts, one relies on external advice without discernment or seeks guidance from elders, spiritual guides, or enlightened beings.

18. Fearlessness: From Insolence or Innocence?

  • Page 21: Differentiates between various forms of fearlessness: a beggar not fearing a thief versus a lion not fearing a rabbit; an impudent person not fearing society versus a pure soul not fearing anyone; a prostitute not fearing men versus a chaste woman like Sita not fearing Ravana; a madman not fearing police versus an innocent person fearing police. It asks if the reader's fearlessness stems from innocence and purity or from arrogance and lack of virtue.

19. Spiritual Aptitude and Karmic Results:

  • Page 22: Uses the analogy of a strong stomach being given rotla (simple bread) while a weak stomach is given Gunderpak (a rich sweet). It questions whether one is more concerned about having spiritual aptitude with little merit or having great merit with little spiritual aptitude. It warns that merit without spiritual aptitude can lead to a downfall.

20. Attachment to the Body vs. Spiritual Well-being:

  • Page 23: Contrasts the decreasing attachment to aging clothes, cars, and bungalows with the increasing attachment to one's own body as it ages. It questions if one is worried about maintaining equanimity (Samadhi) at the time of death given this increasing attachment to the physical body.

21. Opinion vs. Experience:

  • Page 24: Discusses the scenario of a doctor giving a clean bill of health while the patient's experience tells them otherwise. It asks whether the reader values external opinions (being called virtuous) more than their own inner experience (knowing they are flawed). It encourages prioritizing the effort to become good over seeking praise.

22. The Unreliable Mind:

  • Page 25: Uses the analogy of the wind deciding the direction of a flag. It highlights the difficulty in predicting the mind's reactions and opinions. It questions if the reader has ever doubted their own mind's advice and suggestions, or if they trust the mind's suggestions over the words of the enlightened.

23. The Pace of Dharma Actions:

  • Page 26: Compares the rapidening breath and blood circulation as signs of physical health to the rapid completion of religious activities. It questions if one feels any regret or awareness of harming their soul when rushing through Dharma practices, or when neglecting time for parents due to pursuit of wealth.

24. True Suffering:

  • Page 27: Uses analogies of willingly submitting to a barber for a haircut, a surgeon for an operation, and a taxi driver for transport. It asks if one is truly suffering from desires (vasana), anger, and greed to the point where they would seek refuge in God, gurus, and Dharma without hesitation.

25. Letting Go vs. Holding On:

  • Page 28: Uses the examples of giving up on unpaid payments after five years and discontinuing medicine for an incurable illness. It questions if one would express a desire to spend money on good deeds to their Guru and then give up if a specific direction isn't immediately provided, or if they would continue to press for guidance.

26. Words Not in the Dictionary:

  • Page 29: Uses analogies of not asking for money from someone with no account in your books, not cashing a check at a bank where you have no deposit, not taking luggage that isn't yours, and not quarreling with someone you have no dealings with. It challenges the reader to commit to never using words that are not in the dictionary, regardless of provocation or loss.

27. Nurturing the Seed or the Tree:

  • Page 30: Contrasts the efforts of a thief (protecting the fruit of the mango tree) and a gardener (watering the roots). It questions if the reader is a protector of fruit (punya) or a nurturer of the roots (Dharma), a lover of pleasure or a lover of virtue. It highlights that nurturing the seed yields more than nurturing the fruit.

28. The Guard's Duty During a Theft:

  • Page 31: Asks if a guard would be kept if they fled when a thief arrived. It questions the purpose of vows and restrictions if one's mind breaks them when temptations arise. It emphasizes that vows should challenge temptations just as a guard should challenge a thief.

29. The Ineffectiveness of Untrained Guards:

  • Page 32: Uses the analogy of firing a guard who fails to protect property. It questions if one would continue to dedicate their entire life to wealth if it cannot protect itself or bring lasting happiness.

30. The End of Hunger After Eating:

  • Page 33: Compares the satisfaction of hunger after eating, relief from tiredness after resting, and quenching of thirst after drinking to the reduction of negative tendencies (anger, desire, greed) after listening to spiritual discourses. It asks if one experiences a similar reduction of flaws after spiritual listening.

31. Spending to Reduce Wealth:

  • Page 34: Questions if the reader would be willing to spend money to reduce their wealth if it leads to mental peace, maintains sweet relationships, and brings tranquility. It links reducing wealth to achieving equanimity, virtues, and good company.

32. The Discomfort of Excess Wealth:

  • Page 35: Uses analogies of feeling discomfort from eating too much food, fitting too many people into a small room, or drinking more water than one's thirst requires. It questions if excess wealth brings discomfort or relief, and challenges the notion of always wanting more.

33. Averting Evil Intentions:

  • Page 36: Contrasts the suffering of a cancer patient with the characteristics of an evil person (lack of desire for God, enmity towards family, lustful thoughts, lack of discrimination). It highlights the prayer to be kept away from such evil intentions.

34. Keeping the Mind Clean:

  • Page 37: Compares a clean house (free from useless items) and a healthy body (free from rotten food) to a clean mind. It questions if the reader maintains a clean, healthy, and pure mind by keeping it free from useless, negative, and despairing thoughts.

35. Unwavering Devotion:

  • Page 38: Uses analogies of a sunflower not growing in artificial light, a bee not being attracted to plastic flowers, and a merchant not accepting fake currency. It questions if one's heart remains steadfastly devoted to the Supreme Being, regardless of material attractions, and if they find happiness solely in that devotion.

36. Astonishment at Inner Qualities:

  • Page 39: Expresses astonishment at seeing a smiling patient in a cancer hospital, a clean person in a coal mine, or a disabled athlete winning a race. It questions if one is equally astonished and amazed when they see any good qualities or virtuous actions in worldly beings, considering their vast karmic baggage.

37. The Relief of Seeking Solace:

  • Page 40: Compares the relief felt when seeing a doctor, receiving medicine, or seeing a hospital sign to the feeling of relief upon seeing a temple flag or the boundary of a Samayika session. It asks if the symbols of Dharma provide similar hope and comfort from worldly afflictions.

38. Unlocking the Chocolate's Flavor:

  • Page 41: Uses analogies of a boat not sailing because the anchor is down, a bicycle not moving because it's on its stand, and not tasting chocolate because the wrapper is still on. It questions if one's Dharma practices (worship, charity, Samayika) are producing results, and if not, whether the fault lies in the practice itself or in one's own approach and lack of proper engagement.

39. The Pace of Religious Acts:

  • Page 42: Contrasts the cheerful, leisurely pace of wedding processions with the hurried, anxious pace of funeral processions. It questions if one's acts of charity, devotion, renunciation, and service are performed with the joy of a wedding procession, while their acts of selfishness and sin are performed with the urgency of a funeral procession.

40. The Mind's Presence During Rituals:

  • Page 43: Uses the analogy of a wedding ceremony where the bridegroom is absent, turning it into a mockery. It questions if the reader's mind is truly present during Dharma practices like worship, Samayika, or charity, or if it wanders elsewhere.

41. Dharma: A Wife or an Air Hostess?

  • Page 44: Contrasts a traveler's respectful interaction with an air hostess (accepting service without infatuation) with how one engages with Dharma. It asks if one takes the "service" of Dharma (merit) and moves on, or if they become attached to it.

42. Investigating the Unseen Force:

  • Page 45: Describes a poor man receiving secret monthly assistance and his investigation to find the benefactor. It asks if one recognizes the unseen force protecting them from accidents, murder, and ensuring their safe awakening, implying a divine or karmic intervention.

43. A Life Like Midday Sun:

  • Page 46: Compares the sun at sunrise and sunset (welcomed by many) with the midday sun (avoided due to its heat). It asks if one's life is like the welcoming sunrise/sunset or the intense midday sun, radiating only pleasantness or also heat and intensity, and whether people prefer to be near them or keep their distance.

44. The Power of Proper Use, Not Collection:

  • Page 47: Contrasts a merchant keeping money versus depositing it in a bank, and a farmer keeping seeds versus sowing them. It emphasizes that investing capital is more beneficial than merely collecting it. It questions if the reader believes in the power of proper use and renunciation of wealth over its mere collection and attachment.

45. Sacrifice for the Soul:

  • Page 48: Describes a person willing to pay large sums to a doctor for health or to an officer to avoid trouble. It questions why the same person is not willing to give even a small amount to a poor person or beggar to protect their soul and inner purity.

46. Dharma: Like Family or Stranger?

  • Page 49: Recounts a story where initial indifference towards a guest turns into warmth upon realizing their importance. It asks if one treats Dharma with the intimacy of a family member or like a stranger, given that Dharma underpins physical health, mental well-being, wealth, and loyalty.

47. Harshness Towards Sin:

  • Page 50: Describes a person's initial warmth towards an attractive individual who is later revealed to be a deceitful partner. It questions if one's inner feelings towards sin are softened by its attractive outer form, and if one truly believes the teachings that sin destroys the soul. It asks if one's dealings with sin are harsh.

48. The Obsession with Wealth:

  • Page 51: Uses the analogy of avoiding milk after seeing many people fall ill after drinking it. It questions if one has learned from the suffering, broken families, and diseases of those who blindly chased wealth and broke ethical rules.

49. The Crooked Letter "I":

  • Page 52: Identifies the letter "I" (હું - hu) as the most crooked letter in the alphabet, and notes the strong affection for it. It asserts that this excessive self-love prevents one from becoming devoted to God, friendly to beings, healthy, or pure. It asks if one is ready to break this strong attachment to "I."

50. The Attractive Facade of Sin:

  • Page 53: Contrasts the lukewarm feelings towards a Muni with slightly soiled clothes with the fear evoked by an income tax officer with attractive attire. It questions if one only experiences Dharma through its austere external form and sin through its attractive external form, and if this perception is truly accurate.

51. Measured Sadhana?

  • Page 54: Compares measuring vegetables by the kilogram, milk by the liter, or land by square foot with attempting to measure spiritual practices. It asks if one measures their Sadhana or makes it fragrant with heart's devotion.

52. Focus on Symptoms or Causes:

  • Page 55: Uses analogies of burning a bad exam paper, breaking a thermometer, or smashing a TV after a loss. It questions if one attacks the symptoms of suffering (the troubles themselves) or the causes that create them, and if efforts are for freedom from suffering or freedom from sin.

53. Annoyance at Smoke or the Match?

  • Page 56: Contrasts annoyance at smoke with the wisdom of avoiding the match that causes it. It questions if one's annoyance is with the suffering that announces sin or with the triggers that incite sin and the mind. It warns that friendship with matches leads to smoke.

54. Fear of God or Love for God?

  • Page 57: Compares not fearing a flower (which brings fragrance and beauty) with the question of fearing God. It highlights God's infinite virtues and power, and asks if one fears God or loves God, and if their heart overflows with love or fear towards Him.

55. Are We Truly "Good"?

  • Page 58: Uses the example of a successful treatment where everything (hospital, doctor, prescription, medicine) is good, but the success depends on the patient taking the medicine. It questions if one is a Sadhak who embraces and practices the "good" elements of Dharma, thereby becoming virtuous.

56. Birth, Disposition, Nature:

  • Page 59: Uses analogies of not despising a pig wallowing in filth (attributing it to its "birth") and not hating an alcoholic's abuse (attributing it to their "nature"). It questions if one can attribute negative behavior from others to their "disposition" and find peace.

57. The True Value of Possessions:

  • Page 60: Compares an attractive bungalow filled with trash, a gold plate serving simple food, or an mango tree with a crow's nest. It questions the value of a healthy body and mind if they are used for trivial pursuits, deeming such actions foolish or mad.

58. Madness for a Rented House:

  • Page 61: Describes someone unhappy in a large rented house and someone unhappy with expensive borrowed jewelry. It questions if one realizes that their body is also rented and can be taken back at any moment, and if so, why there is such obsession with it.

59. Life's Troubles vs. Conveniences:

  • Page 62: Compares a person happy with their year-end accounts showing income exceeding expenses to the reader's life. It asks if one focuses on the troubles and inconveniences or on the comforts and favorable circumstances, and if the latter leads to happiness or if the former causes distress.

60. The Weight of Worry:

  • Page 63: Discusses a person's worry due to low income. It questions if one is worried about their Dharma practices and virtues, or their sins and flaws. It suggests that if sins outweigh virtues, one should feel anxious, distressed, and troubled.

61. The Need to Open Dam Gates:

  • Page 64: Explains that dams, built for storage, also have gates for release when water levels are high. It questions if one recognizes the need to "release" wealth through charity when it overflows, just as dam gates are opened to prevent overflow. It asks if the peace from such charitable release has been experienced.

62. Mind Wandering, Body Present:

  • Page 65: Uses the examples of a father sending his son to school even if he might not pass, and a shopkeeper sending his son to the shop even if customers are scarce, to ensure they remain engaged. It questions if one's mind wanders during Dharma practices despite the body being present, and if one believes in the benefit of the body remaining engaged in Dharma.

63. Ambassador or Maruti (Swift Car)?

  • Page 66: Contrasts older cars (slow to start) with modern cars (quick acceleration). It asks if one's progress in virtues is like an older car or a modern one, and if their speed in sin is like a modern car while their speed in forgiveness is like an older one.

64. No Junior-Senior Order in Karma:

  • Page 67: Highlights the structured promotion system in the judiciary but contrasts it with the unpredictable nature of disease and death in the realm of Karma. It questions if one is aware of this karmic order.

65. Where Will You Go?

  • Page 68: Uses the analogy of a fast-moving car on a pleasant road suddenly encountering the end of the road, leading to panic about the next step. It questions if one has considered "Where will I go after life ends?" while their life is moving smoothly on the path of merit.

66. Worry About Yourself or Others?

  • Page 69: Recounts a father's dying moments, consumed by worry for his family rather than his own afterlife. It asks if the reader's worry is for the well-being of those left behind or for their own future in the afterlife. It states that worry for others hinders the afterlife, while worry for the afterlife improves it.

67. Pleasure or Displeasure at Flaws Being Revealed?

  • Page 70: Describes a patient's joy upon being diagnosed with a hidden illness by a Vaidya. It questions how one reacts when a hidden flaw is exposed by someone and asks if they remain pleased and appreciative of the one who revealed it.

68. Approaching Sinful Triggers:

  • Page 71: Uses the analogy of stopping a gangster from entering the house, forcibly removing them if they enter, or calling the police if they sit on the sofa. It acknowledges the abundance of sinful triggers and the mind's susceptibility. It asks if one intentionally approaches sinful triggers, pushes them away if they come close, or immediately seeks refuge in God when they begin to affect the mind.

69. Is Your Diary Black?

  • Page 72: Describes a police diary filled with names of criminals. It questions the contents of one's own mind's "diary" – are they filled with names of charitable people, holy places, virtuous souls, and ascetics, or with actors, tourists, sinners, and gluttons?

70. Loss of Faith in God?

  • Page 73: Uses the example of a reputable business collapsing due to a rumor of insolvency. It asks if one loses faith in God and Dharma when facing adverse situations like business losses, illnesses, unrecovered debts, or accidents. It warns that losing faith in God leads to one's own downfall.

71. Prabhu Darshan or Name Smaran?

  • Page 74: Presents a dilemma: a businessman needs to travel for business but also wants to visit the temple. Given the distance to the temple, he opts for a mobile phone (representing constant name remembrance) over frequent temple visits. It asks what the reader would do in such a situation, implying a choice between physical presence and constant remembrance.

72. Attraction to Toys or Milk?

  • Page 75: Contrasts a child surrounded by toys but crying for milk with a child with no toys but happy with enough milk. It questions if one's attraction is towards material possessions (toys) or true happiness and contentment (milk). It suggests that true happiness comes from renunciation, not from material accumulations.

73. Filling the Mind or Saving the Soul?

  • Page 76: Describes a young man falling sick after eating unhygienic food from a street vendor. It questions if one would consume things that fill the mind but spoil the soul and its purity, like vulgar TV content.

74. Not Being Angry, But Not Giving Love Either?

  • Page 77: Uses analogies of not putting trash in a guest's plate but also not putting sweets, and not slapping a child for getting fifth place but also not praising them. It questions the value of not being angry but also not offering love, or not criticizing others but also not praising their virtues.

75. Mouse Surrendering to the Cat?

  • Page 78: Compares a mouse seeking refuge with a cat from a mosquito, and a drowning person jumping into a river to escape a tiger. It questions the wisdom of seeking solace from worldly vices (TV, addictions, vulgar literature, sinful paths) to escape suffering, highlighting the dangerous consequences.

76. Right View or Right Sight?

  • Page 79: Describes a person living in a slum wanting to see gardens and wishing for fragrance amidst open sewers. It questions if one, living amidst worldly temptations, wishes to only see pure things, or if they strive to become a master of Right View (Samyak Darshan).

77. Happiness in Food or Wealth?

  • Page 80: Contrasts a healthy but less affluent person with a wealthy but sick individual. It questions if one desires happiness through food and drink or through wealth and possessions, and if they prefer a healthy life without luxuries or a life with luxuries but illness.

78. Prey to Bad Intellect or Disinterest?

  • Page 81: Uses analogies of eating poisoned ladoos despite hunger and starving despite tasty ladoos. It questions if one's situation is one of strong merit with bad intellect or presence of good principles with lack of interest in Dharma.

79. Agreeing with Happiness?

  • Page 82: Expresses surprise at people's reluctance to get X-rays, fearing what might be revealed inside. It questions if one would readily agree if God revealed the details of their mind to everyone.

80. Are We Camera Lovers?

  • Page 83: Discusses the human tendency to pose for cameras, hiding flaws and exaggerating qualities. It questions if one dislikes such flattering mediums like cameras, implying a dislike for those who can skillfully present themselves.

81. Misfortune: Our Own Folly, Fortune: God's Mercy:

  • Page 84: Contrasts wedding invitations ("we have decided") with death announcements ("God willed it"). It asks if one attributes favorable circumstances to God's mercy or their own efforts, and unfavorable circumstances to their own folly, sins, or God's neglect. It states that happiness is God's mercy and misfortune is one's own folly.

82. Surprise at Happiness:

  • Page 85: Compares earning during a recession, health in a polluted environment, and a lake in a desert as surprising or miraculous. It questions if happiness in a suffering-filled world, birth in an era of abortions, and health in a disease-prone environment seem surprising or miraculous to the reader.

83. Searching for the Field of Dharma?

  • Page 86: Uses analogies of a businessman seeking another customer, a student going to another barber, and a person finding a different bathroom when the first has no water. It asks if one actively seeks alternative avenues for charity when a particular recipient is unavailable, or if they would do so as readily as in business.

84. Everything Yours, But My Command:

  • Page 87: Illustrates how careful planning can still lead to unexpected outcomes, like a marriage failing or stock investments plummeting. It emphasizes that results are governed by Karma, not just effort, and advises maintaining equanimity by accepting this truth.

85. Master of the Art of Equanimity?

  • Page 88: Compares observing a match, play, or circus as a spectator without losing composure to viewing life's events. It questions if one can be a spectator to their own life's ups and downs, maintaining equanimity, and if they are truly masters of the art of equanimity.

86. To Increase or Preserve Dharma?

  • Page 89: Describes a rich young man getting lost in a gangster's area and deciding to focus on saving his money rather than earning more. It questions if one, when faced with temptations (like indecent posters) on the way to the temple, tries to increase their Dharma practice or preserve the little they have, and whether they focus on increasing purity or preserving it.

87. Are We Collectors of Poison?

  • Page 90: Contrasts a squirrel with a snake, noting that while both crawl on the ground, only the snake is feared due to its venom. It questions if one recognizes that anger, resentment, and violence are like poison, and if one is a collector of such poison that harms oneself.

88. Let's Assume That...

  • Page 91: Describes witnessing a young man being honored by his family and assuming he must have done something good. It applies this to observing happy and healthy people, concluding that they must have performed good deeds in this or past lives.

89. Punishment Based On What?

  • Page 92: Highlights that even a Supreme Court judge must deliver judgment based on legal clauses, not personal will. It questions if one's actions and punishments against those who harm them are based on the advice of God and scriptures.

90. I Must Have Made a Mistake Somewhere...

  • Page 93: Describes witnessing a young man being beaten and assuming he must have done something wrong. It asks if one remembers this principle when facing personal hardships, believing that suffering arises from one's own past mistakes.

91. Have You Priced It?

  • Page 94: Questions the focus on the cost of attractive bungalows, cars, and furniture, while never considering the value of the human body, senses, and mind. It suggests that this lack of consideration leads to the misuse of these faculties.

92. Ready to Climb Four Steps?

  • Page 95: Recounts a story of a person undertaking a challenging pilgrimage while weak. It then asks if that person is ready to overcome the "five steps" of reaching out to a estranged brother.

93. Involved in Slandering the Unfamiliar?

  • Page 96: Uses the analogy of refusing to accept mail for someone unknown. It questions why one would participate in slandering or condemning someone they don't know or have never interacted with.

94. Our Place in "Widowhood"?

  • Page 97: Discusses the superstition surrounding widows. It then asks if one associates with people who are constantly angry and speak harsh words, implying that anger "widows" one's good fortune.

95. Infamous or Renowned?

  • Page 98: Contrasts an infamous person (feared) with a renowned person (respected due to good deeds). It asks which direction one's life is heading – towards infamy or renown.

96. Would You Commit This Foolishness?

  • Page 99: Asks if a couple walking together would stare at each other's companions. It then questions if one watches inappropriate content on TV with their spouse, causing negativity between them.

97. Everything Is My Creation:

  • Page 100: Uses analogies of rust from iron, termites from paper, rain from clouds, and disease from within the body. It questions if one understands that their own troubles and adversities are also their own creation and if they can maintain equanimity based on this understanding.

In essence, "Laboratary" is a spiritual guide that uses simple yet profound questions to prompt self-reflection on one's actions, motivations, and beliefs, encouraging a shift towards a more dharmic and conscious way of living.