To Pachi Kyare - Book Summary | JainGPT

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "To Pachi Kyare" by Ratnasundarsuri, broken down by page for clarity:

Overall Theme: The book offers guidance and reflections for individuals living a life of sanyam (self-restraint, often in a monastic or disciplined spiritual context), emphasizing the importance of maintaining enthusiasm, controlling the mind, cultivating a positive outlook, and adhering to the teachings of Jainism.

Page 1: Enthusiasm (Utsaha)

Spark vs. Fire: Just as a spark can ignite a fire, a small inspiration can start a life of sanyam. However, to keep the fire burning brightly, continuous fuel is needed.
Sustaining Enthusiasm: Similarly, maintaining a life of sanyam and consistent spiritual practice requires constant enthusiasm. While external "fuel" is available, enthusiasm must be generated internally, making it challenging to master.
Mastering Enthusiasm: To live a joyful life of sanyam, one must become a master of enthusiasm.

Page 1: Don't Give the Mind a Gap of Leisure

Mindful in Leisure: While engaging in sinful or negligent activities naturally brings sinful thoughts, the real question is what sinful thoughts roam the mind during leisure time.
Engaging the Mind: If the mind is not inclined towards worship, is not fearful of committing sins, does not relish spiritual truths, and is not filled with faith, then it must be continuously engaged in good activities (shubha yog).
Examples of Engagement: If scriptural study (swadhyaya) is difficult, engage in service (vaiyavachchha). If service is difficult, engage in contemplation (sanchana). If memorizing verses is hard, put effort into praise (stuti-stavana-sajjhaya). If chanting (jap) is not feasible, engage in reading (vachana) or recitation (patha).
Preventing Negative Thoughts: The key is to never give the mind a chance to be idle. This will greatly help in avoiding the accumulation of negative karma.

Page 2: Are We Proofreaders or Backbiters?

Proofreader's Value: A proofreader focuses on errors in a book. Authors willingly pay proofreaders because they not only spot mistakes but also correct them.
Self-Reflection: When we notice negligence or faults in others, and perhaps point them out, do we act like a proofreader aiming for correction, or a backbiter (nindak) seeking to criticize?
Consequences of Backbiting: Being a proofreader makes us a "friend for well-being" to others. Being a backbiter makes us an "enemy of our own well-being."

Page 2: The Scope of Attachment

Worldly Suffering: Worldly beings suffer not because of a lack of merit, but because their scope of attachment (murchha) is vast. Attachment to family, wealth, property, vehicles, business, even a broom, leads to suffering.
Sanyami's Happiness: A sanyami is happy not necessarily due to immense merit, but because their scope of attachment is very small. They have no attachment to followers, alms-food, equipment, body, ego, or residence.
Source of Joy: Examine your heart: is your joy derived from the reduction of attachment, or from favorable circumstances born of merit?

Page 3: Stop Seeing Faults – Only Then Will Self-Relationship Be Stable

Attachment vs. Obscuration: While "obscuration" (avaran) makes the life of sanyam tasteless, "attachment" (murchha) makes it powerless.
Accepting Imperfections: In the life of sanyam, we form relationships with individuals who are still in the state of chhadmastha (having worldly limitations). This means they will inevitably make mistakes, and we will see those mistakes.
Avoiding Negative Feelings: Why create ill-will towards them when we see their faults? Just as we accept the bitterness of neem without protest, we should accept the chhadmastha nature seen in others without ill-will to maintain friendship.
Attachment is More Dangerous: While the fault of obscuration deprives us of right knowledge, the fault of attachment prevents our knowledge from becoming active. Attachment is a more severe fault, potentially leading to a bad rebirth, unlike obscuration which can be overcome (as in the case of Matush Muni attaining Kevalgyan).

Page 4: Suffering from Lack or Ignorance?

The Cause of Suffering: It's natural for worldly people to feel suffering from the separation or absence of desirable things, defining happiness as union and suffering as separation.
Sanyami's Understanding: However, sanyamis must understand that separation or absence is not the cause of suffering; rather, their own ignorance (ajnana) about it is the cause. Suffering arises from the mind's connection with absence in the worldly person, and with ignorance in the sanyami.
The Senses: We are sanyamis in our attire, but are we truly sanyamis in our pure knowledge?

Page 4: Replacing Hatred with Love

Stopping the Spread of Stench: To prevent the stench of a garbage heap from spreading to the city, don't give it the support of wind.
Preventing a Spark from Igniting: To stop a spark from turning into a fire, don't feed it oil, petrol, cotton, or wood.
Transforming Hatred: If we want to eliminate hatred towards a companion and transform it into love, the best way is to not give that hatred the strength of words.
The Danger of Words: If we mistakenly give hatred the power of words, we will fail to replace it with love. Worse, the other person might transform their hatred towards us into enmity. Be cautious!

Page 5: Scriptural Knowledge: How Sensitive Should We Be?

Sensitivity in Knowledge: In the worldly sphere, as individuals progress in knowledge, their sensitivity often diminishes.
Sanyami's Knowledge: As sanyamis, the knowledge we gain is called "right" (samyak). The question is, as we grow in scriptural knowledge, does our sensitivity become zero, or does it become subtle and pure?
Gautam Swami's Sensitivity: Let's use the sensitivity of Ganadhar Gautam Swami as a benchmark.
The Alms-Round Incident: Once, the alms-food was fine, but the lentil soup lacked a little salt. The sanyami was distressed. When asked why, he replied, "Today the lentil soup was useless."
Self-Responsibility: Truly, only one person in this world can make us happy or unhappy, and that person is ourselves. Have we understood this truth after so many years of sanyam?

Page 6: We Are Chhadmasthas: Mistakes Will Happen

The Illusion of Perfection: The belief "I will not make a mistake" leads to a lifestyle of "I will not admit mistakes," which further transforms into "I will not correct mistakes."
Accepting Imperfection: We are not Vitarags (those free from passions) who never make mistakes. We are chhadmasthas, with the possibility of making mistakes at every step.
The Power of Apology: If a mistake occurs, whether intentional or unintentional, apologize immediately. An apology not only forgives the mistake but also eliminates the possibility of new mistakes.

Page 6: Fault-Gazing: The Mind's Dustbin

The Mind's Dustbin: The mind is like a dustbin where mango seeds, dead rats, scavenging dogs, and spoiled leftovers can all be found. We should stay far away from such a dustbin.
The Fault-Gazing Dustbin: The mind has a dustbin called "fault-gazing" (dosh-drishti). What faults are not found there? Whose faults are not found there?
Our Creation: The sad irony is that this dustbin is our own creation, our own choice, and our own attraction. Are we truly sanyamis or...?

Page 7: Mind is Hard, Sanyam is Easy

The Goal is Victory: Our goal is to conquer.
Challenges in Sanyam: In the life of sanyam, control over senses (loc) is difficult, as is scriptural study (swadhyaya), concentration in meditation (salkia), and gratitude towards benefactors. Daily life in the spiritual discipline (gurukulvas) and daily enthusiasm are also difficult.
Making Sanyam Easy: However, if we ourselves become strong and firm, the entire life of sanyam becomes easy. Just as our feet move easily on hard ground, with a firm mind, the seemingly difficult life of sanyam becomes easy to navigate.
Don't Let the Mind Become Weak: Do not let the mind become sick, weak, or soft. If we are negligent in this, even a moment in the life of sanyam will become arduous.
Self-Reflection: In the life of sanyam, continuous self-introspection is needed: What is the level of our worship? What is the measure of our mental enthusiasm? What height are our aspirations reaching?
The True Goal: Ask your inner conscience: Is our goal simply "not to lose" to attachment (moha), or is it to "conquer and win" by defeating attachment? A negative goal ("not to lose") will result in less vigorous worship, while a positive goal ("to win") will lead to powerful worship. Embrace the positive goal.

Page 8: Heart Green, Sanyam Life Clean

The Difficulty of a "Green" Heart: Keeping a life of sanyam "clean" is not overly difficult, but keeping the heart "green" (pure, loving, full of compassion) is extremely challenging.
Examples of Inner Strength: How can one remain respectful towards a Guru, even after experiencing unjust behavior? How to keep the affection alive for a companion, despite their mistakes? How to maintain devotion to the limbs of spiritual practice amidst unfavorable circumstances?
Value of a Clean Sanyam Life: Without a "green" heart, a "clean" life of sanyam is worthless.

Page 8: TO GIU, FROM del (A Metaphor for Devotion)

Letter to a Loved One: A unique feature of a letter to a beloved is that you only need to write "TO," not "FROM."
Known Address: The recipient's address is so certain that the letter will never go astray. Also, the recipient knows your handwriting well.
Gautam Swami's Letter to Mahavir: Ganadhar Gautam Swami wrote letters to Lord Mahavir his entire life but never wrote "FROM."
The Result: Mahavir permanently called Gautam to His side. When will we write such a letter?

Page 9: Ego Writes "FROM" Without Rest

Ego's Need for Recognition: Ego has no problem writing letters to a loved one, but it cannot rest without writing "FROM" on the envelope.
Unfulfilled Results: The letter reaches the recipient, but due to the "FROM" written by ego, the amazing results that should follow are missed.
Jamali's Story: Jamali could love Mahavir, but couldn't detach himself from writing "FROM." His statement, "I feel this way," indicated "FROM," so Mahavir read his letter but Jamali received no reply.

Page 9: The Mirror: To Enhance or Correct?

Two Uses of a Mirror: A mirror can be used to enhance facial beauty or to correct it. One strengthens the ego, the other refines the face.
Self-Reflection: Similarly, self-reflection (atmanirikshan) has two possibilities. We can strengthen our ego by focusing on our virtues and good deeds, or we can strive to free our life of sanyam from faults, vices, negligence, and attachments by observing our flaws.
Aim for Purity: Let's reflect on ourselves, but in doing so, let's purify our self and become enjoyers of pure states.

Page 10: Life of Pride or Life of Control?

Worldly Pride: Worldly life is characterized by various forms of pride: pride in beauty, wealth, power, possessions, strength, or might. Worldly individuals constantly strive to enhance their pride.
Sanyami's Control: A sanyami's life is characterized by control (dam). Control over eyes that crave beauty, over ears that seek criticism, over the tongue that desires tasty food, and over the mind that wants to indulge in wrong thoughts.
The True Sanyami: A true sanyami strives to create a lifestyle of control. Do we fit this description?

Page 10: No Increase in Capital: Daily Reduction

Managing Capital: How carefully would a worldly person use their money if they knew their capital would never increase, but would only decrease daily?
The Secret of Time: This is the secret behind Lord Mahavir's repeated warning, "Goyama! Do not be negligent." Your capital of time is not increasing, and the decreasing capital of time cannot be stopped. Therefore, O monks, do not be negligent even for a moment.
Tracking Time: Let's make a daily record of how much time we spend on alms-rounds, conversations, and sleep. Perhaps tears will flow when we realize this.

Page 11: The Mind is the Hunter in the Jungle of Desires

The Dangerous Jungle: The jungle is terrifying. The deer is weak, and it knows that fierce hunters are roaming. How alert must the deer be to save itself?
The Soul in the Worldly Jungle: The jungle of worldly desires is dense and terrifying. The soul living in it is weak, and the mind, like a hunter, constantly seeks to destroy the soul's essence. How alert and aware must the soul be to maintain its purity?
Saving the Soul: If we truly want to save our soul through the life of sanyam, we must constantly keep ourselves away from temptations, weak excuses, wrong supports, and futile actions. There is no other option.

Page 11: Keep the Well's Shadow Within the Well

Our Faults: Life is full of faults: lust in the eyes, bitterness in the tongue, crookedness in the mind, harshness in nature, hardness in the heart, envy in the heart. The question is, which fault requires more effort, more caution, more attention?
Prioritizing Faults: One answer is to first remove the fault that causes pain to others.
The Impact of Causing Pain: Our fault that causes pain to others continuously disrupts their peace and happiness, leading to the funeral procession of our friendship towards all beings.
Containment: If the shadow of a well stays within the well, then our faults should also remain contained within ourselves.

Page 12: Faults: Possessing Noble Lineage

Faults Are Persistent: If faults feel settled in our life of sanyam, it suggests that we like faults and still have soft feelings towards them. Is such a mindset acceptable?
The Leader and the Union (Factory Analogy): When the workers' union in a factory goes on strike against the owner, the owner negotiates with the union leader to resolve the issue.
Mind as the Leader: If the life of sanyam is the factory, the soul is the owner. The five senses are the factory's union, and the mind is the union's leader.
Negotiating with the Mind: Whenever it seems that the senses' union is ready to destroy the factory of sanyam, we must negotiate with the leader, the mind. If the mind understands, then the union has no power to oppose the factory.

Page 13: Lord! Grant Me the Pain of Faults

Unwanted Suffering: We don't desire suffering, yet karma inflicts it upon us. We should ask the Lord for a different kind of pain: the pain of faults.
Lack of Awareness of Faults: Lustful thoughts occasionally enter our eyes, but where is our pain for it? We sometimes deceive our benevolent Guru, but where is our distress? We are often victims of anger and agitation due to broken expectations, but where is our pain for it?
Seeking the Pain of Awareness: Let us ask the Lord with earnest eyes for this rare and venerable pain of awareness about our faults. If we haven't received it, our faults haven't yet begun to leave our lives.

Page 13: Be a Friend for Well-being, Make Friends for Well-being

Living Among Others: We have a relative life of sanyam, living among many. We are also subject to karma and bad habits. In this situation, how do we protect our own and others' lives of sanyam?
Certainty in Relationships: We must be certain about two things: First, remain a friend for well-being to everyone we come into contact with. Second, transform into a relationship only those who remain friends for our well-being.
Mutual Protection: If we are certain about these two things, no force can harm us or those we associate with.

Page 14: The Window Must Also Be Closed

The Window Metaphor: The word "window" brings to mind wind and light. A closed house lacks airflow and light. However, just as opening a window is beneficial, closing it is also important.
Closing Against Negativity: If dust is flying outside, smoke from burning garbage is rising, and the stench of a garbage heap is spreading, what happens if we don't close the window?
The Five Senses as Windows: Our five senses are the five windows of the house of sanyam. Keep discernment present always. Open them when appropriate, but also close them when appropriate. Only then will the house of sanyam remain clean and pure.

Page 14: Mind Creates Tumult, Soul Suffers

Worldly Events: In the world, a child causes chaos outside the house, and the parents have to suffer for it.
Spiritual Reality: The same reality exists in the spiritual realm. All sins are committed by the mind, which also prompts the senses into sinful activities, but the soul has to bear the punishment.
The Master-Servant Dynamic: The soul is the father, the mind is its son. The soul is the owner, the mind is its servant. The soul is the puppeteer, the mind is the monkey.
Controlling the Mind: But the son has gone astray, the servant has become arrogant, and the monkey has become mischievous. We have the life of sanyam in our hands. With the support of Jin Vachana (Lord's words), can't we bring these three under control?

Page 15: Ignorance of Duty or Neglect of Duty?

Prioritizing Duties: While scriptural study (swadhyaya) is a duty in the life of sanyam, when the opportunity for serving the ailing (glansseva) arises, Lord's command is to place swadhyaya second.
Balancing Duties: Insisting on pure alms-food (nirdosh gochari) is a duty. But if it breaks your peace of mind (samadhi), placing it second is Lord's command. Following the general rule (utsarga) is a duty, but when circumstances demand an exception (apavada), placing the general rule second is Lord's command.
Neglect is Unforgivable: Ignorance of duty may be forgivable, but neglect of duty is not.
Self-Inspection: Continuously introspect: Despite knowing your duty, are you deliberately neglecting it?

Page 15: Everyone is Afflicted by the Senses

Enemies: Whether an enemy is strong or weak, near or far, of the same or different kind, a sanyami or worldly, it is not necessary that we must be afflicted by them.
Universal Weakness: However, whether a sanyami is learned or influential, a writer or a preacher, a child, youth, or elder, a Guru or a disciple, a scholar of fourteen purvas or an ascetic, everyone is afflicted by the senses.
Conquering the Senses: Therefore, as stated in Jnana Saar, "If you fear the world and desire the ultimate state, then focus all your energy on conquering the senses." Have these words reached your heart?

Page 16: Let the Mind Play in the Results of Sanyam

Wanderers: Among wanderers, the most terrifying is the mind.
Gaining Respect in the World: The guise of sanyam makes us respectable in the world. But we need to become respectable in the world of karma. The only way to do this is to keep our mind constantly playing in the results of sanyam.
What is "Playing in Results"? It means not allowing any mental outcome that causes negative connections to even flicker on the mind's landscape.
Controlling the Mind's Landscape: We restrain the body from sinful actions and are cautious about our speech. But do we maintain the purity of our mental aspirations and their outcomes, on the landscape of the mind, which is not visible to anyone but ourselves?

Page 16: What Kind of Stray Animal?

Stray and Dangerous: A lost animal is stray and dangerous. A mad dog is stray and dangerous. A hippie is stray and dangerous.
The Mind is the Foremost: But among these wanderers, the mind is the foremost. And among dangers, the mind is the foremost.
Mind's Preference: It dislikes good as much as it likes evil. It dislikes well-being as much as it dislikes ill-being. It dislikes what is beneficial as much as it likes what is harmful.
Mind's Deception: It does not send the soul, its master, to a good destination but to a bad one. It does not keep the soul in peace but in agitation. It does not allow the soul to become virtuous, but makes it sinful.
Discipline the Mind: We must control such a stray and dangerous mind. Remember, this is the practice we must undertake.

Page 17: Results: Based on the Dependent or the Foundation?

Are Our Practices Great? The question is not how great the dependent factor is, but how good the foundation is.
The Elephant and the Mirror: An elephant may be large, but if the mirror reflecting it is small, the elephant's size will appear small in that mirror.
The Guru and Our Heart: Our Guru, who has bestowed upon us the guise of sanyam, may be immensely benevolent. However, if our heart is petty, our mind is narrow, our vision is limited, and our inner conscience is impure, then even this immensely benevolent Guru will appear crude, petty, and full of faults to us.
Cultivate the Heart: Be cautious! Make your heart excellent, otherwise, who in this world will not appear base?

Page 17: The Greatness of Practices

The Value of Sadhanas: How great is scriptural study? How great is the practice of reflection and confession? How great is the proximity of the Guru? How great is the company of fellow monks? How great is the very life of sanyam that has come into our hands?
When Practices Become Great: But all these great practices and disciplines will make us great only when these practices and disciplines feel great to us.
The Greatness of Our Inner Conscience: The question is not about the greatness of the practice, but about the greatness of our inner conscience. If it is base, then even the great life of sanyam may be meaningless to us.
Cultivate Respect and Gratitude: Let us cultivate respect, gratitude, surrender, and good will. Our work will be done.

Page 18: Stronger: Study? Or Sanskars (Inherent Dispositions)?

Study Becomes Sanskar: The continuity of study can turn it into practice (abhyas). But if we want study to become an inherent disposition (sanskar), there is only one option: we must engage in study with interest.
Interest is Key: Continuous practice can make any good activity a habit, but it only becomes an inherent disposition when our inner conscience has interest in it.
Sanskar vs. Abhyas: Practice without inherent disposition may not be as beneficial to the soul, even if carried over through lifetimes. However, inherent dispositions cultivated without practice can be beneficial to the soul at any moment and in any place. Let us become masters of both practice and inherent disposition.

Page 18: Return Immediately

Holding Grudges: It is possible that even with the life-giving sanyam in hand, we may harbor ill-will, hatred, disdain, or dislike towards a fellow monk for any reason.
The Message of Karma: Let's always keep this message of karmic power before us: "If you are unwilling to see someone's face in this life, I, Karma, will ensure you do so in the next life."
The Inevitability of Karma: After accepting this message of karma as true, can we still hold hatred, ill-will, or enmity towards someone? If our steps have strayed onto this dangerous path, we must stop immediately.

Page 19: Is the Mind Free from Attachment to Significance?

Letting Go of Relationships: It is understandable that we have let go of attachment to relatives who we have left behind to follow the path of sanyam.
Letting Go of the Body: It is also understandable that we are breaking our attachment to our body through rigorous penance (tapashcharya).
Attachment to Significance: But let me ask: Does it truly seem that the mind has become free from attachment to significance? Feelings like "I must receive respect," "My worth must be recognized," "My presence must be noted" are indicators of attachment to significance.
Risks to Sanyam: If we are not free from that attachment, or do not wish to be, then understand that the results of our sanyam are at risk.

Page 19: It Is Within Our Hands Not to Spoil the Mind

Body Control is External: We may want to prevent our body from becoming spoiled, but that is not entirely within our control. Illness can arise in the body at any time, making it diseased.
Speech Control is Difficult: We may want to keep our speech soft and sweet throughout life, but that is not entirely within our control. Wrong circumstances can arise, creating situations where harsh words slip from our mouths.
Mind Control is Internal: However, if we do not want to spoil our mind, that is entirely within our hands. No matter how adverse the things, people, or situations may be, if we wish, we can keep our mind pure. Yet, the tragic irony is that we keep spoiling our mind, and we do it willingly and without regret! What will become of us?

Page 20: Desire Will Remain Ungrateful

Defining Ungratefulness: Whom do we consider ungrateful? One who, no matter how much you give, always keeps asking for more, does not acknowledge your favor, and causes trouble if you don't give.
The Nature of Desire: If so, engrave this on the walls of your heart: Until the end of life, desire will remain ungrateful. Its demands never reach a full stop; they always have commas.
Sanyam and Desire: It is doubtful that one can succeed in establishing oneself in the life of sanyam without keeping this nature of desire in mind. This is because the life of sanyam thrives on the full stop, while desire lives on the comma.
Conquering Desire: Do you want to keep the life of sanyam alive and victorious? Defeat desire and eliminate it.

Page 20: Let's Stay Away from Faults, But...

Proactive Prevention: It is right to constantly strive to stay away from faults.
The Danger of Avoiding Fault-Finders: But if, by mistake, we move away from those who point out our faults, then understand that our life of sanyam is in danger.
Ego's Dislike for Self-Correction: Ego is only interested in seeing the faults of others. It has no connection with seeing its own faults. In fact, it is interested in defending its own faults.
The Inevitable Outcome: This means that our shortcomings, our negligence, our faults will not be seen by us, and if they are seen, we will not correct them. If we move away from those who show us our faults, then all those shortcomings and faults will remain within us, continuing to ruin our lives. Be cautious! Stay close to those who point out your faults; your faults will be removed.

Page 21: The Best Alternative Is This

Cultivating Virtues: We may not know when we will become accomplished in all virtues and free from all faults. But if we want to take even small, never-failing steps in that direction, we should keep this option in mind: "Consider virtues learned as virtues gained, and faults noticed as faults eliminated."
Developing the Right Mindset: Can we at least create such a mindset for ourselves? If we succeed in this small matter, then undoubtedly, this seed of a right mindset will blossom into a full moon tomorrow.
Carrying Merit Through Lives: Do you want to become the master of a factor that accompanies you even after the end of this life and protects you in future lives?
Marry Merit with Good Sense: Let's do one special thing. Never keep merit unmarried. In other words, marry merit with good sense. Always ensure that merit and good sense do not divorce. Be vigilant that good sense does not die in the presence of merit.
The Result: The outcome will be that married merit will continue to give birth to new merit, and this connected merit will accompany the soul until the ultimate state. Will we be cautious about this?

Page 22: Do We Know "What Not to Think"?

Virtue of Respect: If we truly want to cultivate devotion towards the Vitarag Parmatmas (liberated souls) who are free from all faults, here is a never-failing method: Develop a feeling of friendship towards all beings in this world who have numerous faults.
The Journey to Devotion: Just as a train traveling from Mumbai to Shankheshwar must pass through Viramgam, Vadodara, or Ahmedabad, a seeker who wishes to fill their heart with devotion towards Vitarags must first stop at the station of friendship towards beings.
Friendship and Devotion: Ask your mind: Is it ready for the sum of friendship? Only then can we reach the multiplication of devotion.

Page 22: Enhancing Worship Through Reverence

The Scope of Worship: Worship may be small, and the practice we are engaging in may be small. If we want to make it big and great, the best alternative is to increase our reverence for that practice to the highest level.
The Blotting Paper: A drop of ink is small, but when spread on blotting paper, its vastness is evident. It may even establish its kingdom over the entire blotting paper.
Reverence Multiplies Effectiveness: If the size of worship is 1, and the reverence for that worship is 10, placing them side by side increases the power of 1 tenfold. Increase your reverence for worship; the power of worship will increase tenfold.

Page 23: The File of Sin: Weigh It Down with Tears of Repentance

The Weight of Files: People believe that if a file, even with millions of irregularities, is "weighed down," it will move forward.
Sanyami's Perspective: While this might be true in the worldly sphere, it has no meaning for us, as we have no dealings with wealth.
Our Life's File: However, isn't our life's file also filled with irregularities of sin, negligence, transgressions, impurities, ill-will, vices, etc.? If we truly want it to move forward, the only alternative is to place just two drops of tears of repentance on that file. Whichever sanyami has succeeded in this has reached the Lord. Do we have such tears?

Page 23: Not a "Cry" but a "Strike"

Cry vs. Strike: While a "cry" might be effective in escaping suffering, the best weapon to escape faults is not a "cry" but a "strike."
The Nature of Faults: The dominance of faults over the soul is eternal. The size of faults rivals the height of Mount Meru. The strength of faults is greater than a diamond. The roots of faults in the inner conscience are deeper than the bottom of the Swyambhuraman sea. And our love for faults is beginningless.
Striking Down Faults: How can such faults leave the soul without being struck, without adopting an aggressive stance, without a furious gaze? Impossible! Let us strike, not cry, with all our might!

Page 24: A Unique Art: Creating Enemies

The Art of Causing Suffering: Just as faults have the art of causing suffering, anger has the art of creating enemies. Anger is indeed a fault, but other faults don't necessarily create enemies. Anger, however, always creates enemies.
Our Anger Levels: Do we truly stand in a position to say that anger is minimal among our faults? Does our inner conscience say that anger is a compulsion rather than our nature? Do we experience peace after moments of anger?
Change Through Acceptance: If the answer to all these questions is 'yes,' then understand that anger will gradually leave our lives. Otherwise...?

Page 24: Is the Mind Being Used by Us, or...?

Thoughts Arise: Good thoughts come to mind, and bad thoughts also come to mind. This simply means someone is making them good or bad.
The True Actor: That "someone" is none other than ourselves. Bad thoughts cannot enter the mind without our consent, and if we wish, nothing can stop good thoughts from entering the mind.
Why Bad Thoughts? If this is the reality, then why do we continue to have bad thoughts instead of good ones? One answer to this question is that we were supposed to use the mind, but instead, the mind is using us. What happens to the owner when the servant starts giving orders?

Page 25: Strengthen the Bodh (Understanding/Knowledge)

Analogy of Weakness: A weak-legged person does not hesitate to make a stick their leg's strength. A weak-eyed person readily accepts glasses as their eye's strength. So why should we, who are weak in understanding, hesitate for a moment to make the Lord's words and understanding strong and pure?
The Constant Need for Lord's Words: A weak leg doesn't need a stick 24 hours a day, and weak eyes don't need glasses 24 hours a day. But we, who are chhadmasthas, must keep the Lord's words with us not just 24 hours, but until the end of our lives. Because we must learn everything from Lord's words: how to sit, walk, sleep, use, speak, or remain silent.

Page 25: Painful? Or Fruitful?

All Sanyam Actions are Difficult: Which action in the life of sanyam is not painful? Being mindful (yatana) in all activities is painful, as is control over senses (loc). Lifelong spiritual discipline (gurukulvas) is painful, as is pure inquiry (nirdosh gaveshana). Restraint of the eyes is painful, as is the suppression of desires.
Why Undertake Painful Actions? Despite this, we have willingly embraced this life of sanyam filled with such difficult activities. Why? Because while these activities may seem painful to worldly people, they appear fruitful to us.
Ensuring Fruitfulness: Let's be very careful that all activities of sanyam remain fruitful. If we are careless in this, these activities will only remain painful.

Page 26: The Mind Can Always Be Kept Fresh

Physical Decline: No medicine, food, exercise, or remedy in this world has been found that can prevent the body from decaying with the passage of time. No, the body's decay with age is certain; there are no exceptions.
Mental Freshness: However, despite the body's decay, we can keep the mind fresh, strong, and enthusiastic at any age if we succeed in imbuing it with a correct understanding of the Lord's words.
Devoting Time to Jin Vachana: Let's dedicate more and more moments of this life to the Lord's words. Let our attraction, interest, joy, and obsession be for them. See then what a miracle occurs in the realm of the mind!

Page 26: Understand the Mind, Align the Mind

Understanding Devotion: There are many ways to understand devotion (samarpan). Here is a simple observation: "Understanding the benefactor's mind and then aligning our mind accordingly is true devotion."
Aligning with Benefactor's Wish: We like penance (tapashcharya). The benefactor wishes us to progress in scriptural study (swadhyaya). Let's prepare our mind for swadhyaya.
Following the Path: We find joy in swadhyaya. The benefactor wishes to see us engaged in serving the ailing (glansseva). Let's internalize glansseva.
Aligning with the Guru's Direction: As the driver turns the car in a particular direction, we should turn our mind towards the practices that our Guru's mind is inclined towards. The attainment of the life of sanyam will become meaningful.

Page 27: Fist: The Thumb Meets the Finger?

Strength in Unity: A fist becomes strong, but for that, the thumb must meet the finger. The fingers must become friends with the thumb.
Standing Firm: If we want to stand firm against the onslaught of temptations, maintain peace amidst hardships, and constantly experience the joy of the life of sanyam even when the mind is prone to bad habits, the best alternative is to remain strong. And the best alternative to remaining strong is to keep the love, goodwill, and friendship with our companions alive. This camaraderie will prevent us from falling or breaking.

Page 27: Don't Exhaust All Your Merit!

Financial Prudence: In the worldly sphere, even a millionaire or billionaire would not foolishly spend all their money.
Sanyam and Merit: We have the life of sanyam. Renunciation is its only identity. Yet, due to the rise of merit, we receive countless comforts. Alms-food, clothing, utensils, possessions, honor, fame, prestige – do these not come without the rise of merit?
The Folly of Exhausting Merit: However, we should not be foolish enough to bring all types of present merits into play and enjoy them. If we exhaust all our merit here, what will we do in future lives? Be cautious!

Page 28: What Should Be Reduced? Suffering or Faults?

The Test of Sanyam: If you ask, "How do we truly know if we are sanyamis, seekers of the ultimate state, lovers of our true nature, aspiring souls, or practitioners?" Here is the answer: If your mind is constantly preoccupied with the thought of "How can sins in life decrease? How can negligence be reduced? How can faults diminish?" then understand that you are truly sanyamis.
Worldly Concerns: Meet any worldly person, and know their constant thoughts. You will realize that their central concern is: "How can suffering in life decrease?"
Worldly vs. Sanyami: In short, one engrossed in reducing suffering is worldly; one engrossed in reducing sins, negligence, and faults is a sanyami.

Page 28: "Quotations" or "Transformation"?

Scriptural Quotes: It is good that we frequently quote scriptural lines in lectures, writings, conversations, or thoughts.
The Real Question: But we should constantly ask ourselves: Are these scriptural quotes causing a transformation in our lives, or are they merely becoming reasons for strengthening our ego?
Transformation is Key: Quotations without transformation can sometimes be a cause for ego-inflation.

Page 29: Is the "Utkars" (General Rule) or "Apavada" (Exception) the Focus?

The Path of Sanyam: The path of sanyam is straightforward, but the mind is crooked. It can deviate anywhere, anytime. This is why countless lives of sanyam have been wasted, meaningless, and unsuccessful. Lest this life also become just another addition to those unsuccessful lives, I have presented some alternatives based on my limited knowledge and scriptural references. I myself experienced immense joy while writing these alternatives. I hope many revered souls will experience similar joy while reading this text.
The Father's Question: Just as a father asks a lazy son who is not earning despite a booming market, "If you are not earning now, when will you earn?" Similarly, now that we have received the supreme and excellent life of sanyam, if we remain victims of negligence and fall short in worship, the Lord is also asking us, "When, then?"
Apology: If any writing deviates from the Lord's commands, I sincerely apologize. Acharya Vijay Ratnasundarsuri.

Page 30: The Birthplace of Attachment: The Body

Attachment's Origin: The birthplace of attachment is one: the body. Whether the soul goes to hell or to the lowest realm of existence, becomes a horse or a donkey, an ant or a worm, a planetary god or a god of the highest realm, worldly or a sanyami, it has received the body in every existence and in every state.
The Body is the Source: The body has been the birthplace of attachment for it. If there is no body, the question of generating attachment does not arise.
The Persistent Mind: Remember, this soul has had countless lives without a mind in the infinite past, yet its attachment has not broken. Why? Does it seem that we are making this birthplace of attachment, the body, more and more infertile daily?

Page 30: Rivers of Power: Between Two Banks

Controlled Flow: A river flows vigorously but does not spread destruction because it flows within the limits of its banks.
Powers of Sanyam: Similarly, even if our powers in the life of sanyam are fully blooming – excellent lectures, sharp intellect, melodious voice, attractive form, amazing writing skills, unimaginably great repute-causing karma!
The Banks of Renunciation and Detachment: However, none of these powers become destructive to us or others only when the river of these powers flows within the boundaries of the two banks of renunciation (tyaga) and detachment (vairagya).
Self-Inspection: Continuously introspect. Is the river of our powers flowing between the two banks of renunciation and detachment? If any bank shows any defect, repair it immediately. Otherwise!

Page 31: Renewal and Mechanization!

The Warning of Kalpa Sutra: The meaning of the line from the ninth discourse of the Kalpa Sutra, "Since the beginning, sanyam will become difficult to follow," is not that the guise of sanyam will become rare. No, the meaning is that the observance of sanyam and its results will both become rare and difficult to follow.
Escaping the Prediction: If we want to save ourselves from this prophecy, we must do one special thing.
Avoiding Modern Trends: Today's entire era is one of renewal and mechanization. We must try to stay as far away as possible from the attraction of the new and the use of machines. By doing so, we may have to cut down on conveniences, but we can undoubtedly save the life of sanyam.

Page 31: The Biggest Obstacle: Becoming Influenced

Obstacles in Spirituality: There are various obstacles in the spiritual world, but the biggest obstacle is becoming influenced.
Moments of Influence: The tea arrived hot, or the milk came without sugar. Someone praised us with words of admiration, or someone criticized us with words of condemnation. We slept soundly due to the cold, or our sleep was disturbed by the heat. The Guru appreciated us, or our companions ignored us.
The Weakness of the Mind: In each of these situations, we keep getting influenced – by attachment or by aversion, by joy or by agitation, by liking or by excessive liking.
Hindering Spiritual Progress: How can this weakness of the mind allow us to progress in the spiritual world? This world demands the strength to remain unaffected, regardless of whether the circumstances are as cold as the Himalayas or as hot as a desert!

Page 32: Become Immediately Active - Immediately Inactive

Discernment: We experience fragrance and are drawn to enjoy it. We experience stench and immediately move away from it. We don't ponder over it or get entangled in logical arguments.
Mind's Tendency: Remember, the mind is interested in dissecting (post-mortem) and analyzing.
Acting Wisely: When it comes to self-interest, act immediately without involving the mind. And when there is a possibility of self-harm, withdraw without listening to any of the mind's arguments.
Winning the Great Battle: In short, do not let the mind perform a post-mortem or analysis in that area. You will win a great battle.

Page 32: Shift Your Attention, Focus Will Come

Focusing on the Divine: Want to focus your attention on God? Shift your attention from material objects.
Focusing on Swadhyaya: Want to focus on scriptural study? Shift your attention from gossip.
Focusing on Penance: Want to focus on penance? Shift your attention from agreeable desires.
The Path to Excellence: In short, success in focusing on the excellent is achieved only by those who shift their attention from the base.
The Impossibility of Divided Focus: It might be possible to successfully place one foot on the fifth step while positioning the other foot on the sixth. But it is impossible to succeed in making half the mind remain attached to material things while making the other half devoted to the Supreme Soul. Have you read this verse? "Attachment to the infinite breaks that which is..."

Page 33: Defense of a Mistake: A Wall

Acceptance Leads to the Right Path: Any soul that accepts its mistake after making it has rarely gone astray. And any soul that defends its mistake has seldom stayed on the right path.
Mind's Tendency: Keep checking your mind's tendency. Does it possess the courage to accept mistakes, or does it persistently display the audacity to defend them?
The Condition for Development: Whether in the worldly sphere or the spiritual, whether in a worldly life or a sanyami's life, the essential condition for development is this: Wherever and whenever a mistake occurs, confess it immediately. Because the defense of a mistake is a wall that prevents you from seeing correctly and acting correctly.

Page 33: Binding Desire with Rules

Lack of Progress: Despite scriptural study, reading scriptures, engaging with the right causes, and observing supportive practices, if no inclination arises for renouncing negligence or serving dharma, it indicates a lack of worthiness. Still, the question arises: Why is there no leap forward in renouncing negligence or serving dharma?
The Rule of Desire: Let's do one thing: Whenever the mind is ready to renounce negligence or serve dharma, let's bind that desire with a rule.
Preventing Deviation: Just as the possibility of a needle getting lost is eliminated when it is threaded onto a string, the possibility of desire for renouncing the bad and practicing the good becoming weak is completely ended when it is bound by rules.

Page 34: World: Money Everywhere | Spirituality: Attachment Everywhere

Money's Pervasiveness: You will hardly find a single field in the world where money has not infiltrated. Whether it's a car or a bungalow, grain or soap, clothes or a TV, a toothbrush or a brush. Money is present in all of them.
Attachment's Pervasiveness in Spirituality: However, I want to discuss something different. Find a single spiritual practice in which attachment is not ready to infiltrate. Whether that practice is scriptural study, penance, preaching, writing, service, or devotion!
The Danger Zone: This is why Adhyatma Saar clearly states, "We call it spirituality only when attachment has been completely eradicated!" Do we possess the ownership of spirituality?

Page 34: The Harsh Reality of Karma: Binding Merit

Karma's Reality: We must constantly keep a harsh reality of the world of karma before our eyes.
Merit's Rise vs. Binding: You can bring forth the rise of meritorious karma in the second category (indirectly), but you can only bind meritorious karma in the first category (directly).
Indirect vs. Direct Merit: This means you can bring forth merit by collecting alms-food through indirect means, but to bind merit, you must resort to pure alms-food. You can succeed in getting your desired work done by the Guru through the practice of attachment, but to bind good karma, you must remain simple.
Mind's Attraction: Keep checking your mind. What is it attracted to? Indirect merit realization, or direct merit binding?

Page 35: Pollution: Pollution of the Inner Conscience

The Spread of Pollution: Whether it's environmental pollution or some pollution of the inner conscience, the eternal truth is that if it is not stopped in time, it will only worsen and ultimately lead to destruction.
Our Awareness: We can perhaps set aside environmental pollution for now, but how aware and cautious are we about the pollutants like envy, hatred, anger, negative attitudes, agitation, etc., that prevail in our inner conscience?
Reducing Pollutants: Remember, we may not be able to completely eradicate these pollutants in our current life, but we can at least reduce their quantity. We can resolve not to give these pollutants the strength of words. We can free our mind from favoritism towards these pollutants. Are we striving in that direction?

Page 35: Enthusiasm: The Key to Sustaining Sanyam

The Empty Sack: An empty sack cannot stand upright even after a hundred attempts. A car whose petrol tank is empty cannot run even after a hundred attempts. A mind devoid of enthusiasm, even with all favorable circumstances for worship, cannot sustain the life of sanyam. The worship car cannot move forward.
What is Enthusiasm? Positive attitude and right perspective create enthusiasm. A positive attitude focuses attention on "what exists" rather than "what is absent," and a right perspective seeks the "good" even in the "bad."
The Question of Enthusiasm: Answer: Do we possess this enthusiasm that keeps the life of sanyam fresh until the end of our lives?

Page 36: Failure: Not an Outcome, But an Experiment

Persistent Failure: We put immense effort into scriptural study but don't achieve success. We exert ourselves vigorously in penance but only encounter failure. We devotedly worship the Guru to reside in their heart but don't succeed, and the constant failure pushes the mind into the abyss of despair. What to do?
Change Your Perspective: There's only one thing to do: Consider failure not as an outcome, but as an experiment. An outcome means a full stop, while an experiment means a comma. A "full stop" will not allow effort to continue, while a "comma" will not let effort cease. In short, change your belief; much will change.

Page 36: Not to Receive Suffering, But Not to Cause Suffering

A Common Complaint: "I have immense love for my Guru. Not just I, but the Guru themselves know it. Yet, I constantly receive suffering from them. I don't understand why this happens."
The Right Perspective: Whenever such a complaint arises in the mind, we should consider this: "It's not that I shouldn't receive suffering from those I love, but rather, I shouldn't cause suffering to them."
The Path to Kevalgyan: This very consideration led Sadhvi Mrigavati to attain Kevalgyan, and it empowered Chandracharya's disciple to attain Kevalgyan.
Accepting Suffering, Avoiding Causing It: Let us accept suffering as large as Mount Meru from our beloved, but let us not cause even an atom of suffering to them.

Page 37: The Station of Friendship

Developing Bhakti: If we truly wish to cultivate devotion towards the Vitarag Parmatmas (who are free from even a single fault), here is a never-failing method: Develop a feeling of friendship towards all beings in this world who have numerous faults.
The Journey: Just as a train traveling from Mumbai to Shankheshwar must pass through Viramgam, Vadodara, or Ahmedabad, a seeker who wishes to fill their heart with devotion towards Vitarags must first stop at the station of friendship towards beings.
Friendship Leads to Devotion: Ask your mind: Is it ready for the sum of friendship? Only then can we reach the multiplication of devotion.

Page 37: Not Getting What We Thought Of? Or Getting What We Didn't Think Of?

Dealing with Disappointment: If the mind sometimes gets burdened by the sorrow of "Not getting what we thought of," here is a thought to overcome that sorrow: Why shouldn't we experience joy from the things we didn't even think of, which have come into our lives?
Gratitude for the Unexpected: Answer: Did we ever imagine that in this life, we would receive the life of sanyam? That we would receive the Guru's love in the life of sanyam? That we would attain such beautiful destruction of karmic obscurations? That such beautiful powers would unfold in our lives?
Focus on the Present Joy: In short, let's free ourselves from the sorrow of "Not getting what we thought of" and experience the joy of "Getting what we didn't think of." It will be wonderful.

Page 38: Life In: Agitation or Serenity?

Mindset in a Group: We need to constantly self-introspect on one fact: What is the general mentality of everyone in the group where we are practicing sanyam?
Desiring Presence or Absence: Is it that even when we are present, everyone wishes for our absence? Or is it that sometimes when we are absent, everyone wishes for our presence?
The Test of Mindset: Remember, this mindset will determine whether we are living in agitation or serenity. Is our friendship with agitation or with peace? Is our destination guaranteed to be a bad rebirth or a good one? Be cautious!

Page 38: The Fault of Laziness

Destroying Spiritual Vitality: There is a terrible fault that weakens the life of sanyam: laziness.
The State of Laziness: Circumstances are favorable, resources are available, the body is healthy, but the mind is completely cold. Neither inspiration can warm it, nor good supports can stimulate it. Neither favorable causes can invigorate it, nor scriptural lines can make it run. Neither beneficial advice can motivate it, nor the Guru's affection can stir it.
The Fate of the Lazy Sanyami: What will happen to such a lazy sanyami? What will happen to their life of sanyam? What will happen to their spiritual vitality?
Scriptural Warning: Have you read this scriptural line? "The cremation of the body occurs only after the completion of life, but a negligence-ridden sanyami dies every moment."

Page 39: The Fault of Non-Control of Senses

Weakening Sanyam: We need to understand a terrible fault that weakens the life of sanyam. That fault is non-control of senses (asanyam).
The Analogy of the Bucket: The same disaster that creates holes in a bucket also creates non-control of senses in the life of sanyam.
The Uncontrolled Senses: Letting the five senses go wherever they please is non-control of senses. Imagine the fate of a house with all its windows open? Or a bucket with holes in its bottom? Or a chariot whose horses are completely uncontrolled?
Destroying Inner Strength: Do not forget. Non-control of senses wipes out all the strength and virtues accumulated over years of sanyam. Will we cultivate control over our senses?

Page 39: The Fault of Impatience

Distancing from Good Results: A terrible fault that pushes us away from the results of good practices is impatience.
The "When Will It Happen?" Mindset: "I have studied thousands and millions of verses, when will my mind become free from dilemmas?" "I have performed so many fasting rituals, when will my desire for food diminish?" "I have shed tears seeing the Lord, when will the lust in my eyes be destroyed?" "I have devotedly worshipped the Guru, when will the impurities of greed be wiped out?"
Loss of Faith or Enthusiasm: Whenever the question "When will it happen?" arises, the mind either becomes faithless or loses enthusiasm.
Saving Sanyam: If you truly want to save the life of sanyam from this fatal effect, do only one thing: do not become impatient.

Page 40: The Fault of Expectation

The Impossible Wish: A small vessel trying to contain an entire river – will it succeed? Similarly, a dangerous fault that makes the life of sanyam tasteless is expectation.
Weak Merit, Expecting Comforts: Weak merit and the expectation of comforts are terrible. Will success be achieved? Feeble effort and the expectation of unfolding virtues are heavy. Will success be achieved?
The Alternative for Peace: No. The alternative for maintaining peace of mind is to reduce expectations. The best alternative for maintaining goodwill towards everyone is to control expectations. The only way to save the mind from being filled with agitation is to cast a stern eye on expectations. The handy alternative to locking the doors of a bad rebirth is to get rid of expectations!

Page 40: The Fault of Incompetence

Devaluing Sanyam: A dangerous fault that makes the life of sanyam worthless is incompetence.
Lack of Understanding: Not understanding at what time, in what circumstance, at what place, with which person to behave in what manner, which worship to prioritize, which practice to subordinate – this is incompetence.
Consequences of Incompetence: Such a sanyami will not be able to follow propriety (auchitya) and, in the absence of propriety, will not become popular. In the absence of popularity, their peace of mind will be shattered at every step.
The Skillful Batsman: Remember, just as a skillful batsman plays each ball after observing it, a competent sanyami must shape their life of sanyam by understanding the situation. Do we possess such competence?

Page 41: Sleep Comes, Samadhi Must Be Maintained

Sleep vs. Samadhi: Do you know the biggest difference between sleep and samadhi? We cannot induce sleep; it comes on its own. Whereas samadhi does not come to us; we must maintain it. In short, what comes on its own is sleep, and what we must maintain is samadhi.
The Need for Vigilance: This means that without alertness, caution, and practice, we will not be able to maintain samadhi in adverse situations.
Are We Practicing Samadhi? Answer: Are our efforts to practice samadhi by actively inviting adverse situations continuing? Are we succeeding today in maintaining the mind's samadhi by accepting the adverse situations that have come our way?
A Dangerous Future: If not, our future is in danger because samadhi is the key to the door of a good rebirth.

Page 41: Become a Sanyami of Food

Realizing Sanyam: The life of sanyam has many contexts. But keeping our essence in mind, if we want to fulfill the acquired life of sanyam, we first need to focus our attention on controlling food intake (ahara sanyam).
Penance and Renunciation: Penance is indeed control of food. But if that penance is also done with renunciation, then control of food becomes even more significant.
Purity and Simplicity: If we are found to be weak in the field of renunciation, then insisting on pure alms-food can also make us successful in controlling food. And if we prove to be hollow even in that, then finally, if we don't insist on selected items, we can still become sanyamis of food. Are we ready for this?

Page 42: Become a Sanyami of Speech

The Meaning of Sanyam: Do you understand the meaning of sanyam? It's not a clear 'yes' or a clear 'no,' but readiness to say 'yes' or 'no' with discernment. It's the readiness to implement activity and inactivity with a sense of proportion.
Speech Control: Similarly, there is another type of sanyam called "speech control" (vani sanyam). Since we have a relative life as ascetics, we cannot always adopt silence, which is the non-utterance of speech. We have to speak, whether with companions or with householders. But at that time, let us continue to practice speech control.
Guidelines for Speech: No falsehood. No harmful speech. No accusatory or hurtful speech. No unpleasant speech. Discerning, sweet speech. Beneficial speech. Truthful speech. This speech control will surely bring brilliance to our life of sanyam.

Page 42: Maintain Control of Senses

Dangers of Uncontrolled Senses: A horse without reins, an elephant without a goad, a snake without a bag, a river without banks, jewels without a vault – how dangerous and insecure would all these be? But a sanyami whose senses are not under control is unrestrained. Such a sanyami is not only dangerous to other beings but is also completely insecure for themselves.
Risks to the Soul: Their samadhi at the time of death is at risk. Their good rebirth in the afterlife is at risk. Their spiritual vitality is in trouble. The purity of their aspirations is at risk. Their infinite future is at risk.
The Importance of Sense Control: Control of food is good. Control of speech is good. But we should not be satisfied with just that. We must also cultivate control of senses (indriya sanyam).

Page 43: Cultivate Control of Thought

Steering the Chariot: The steering wheel of the car is fine, the driver sitting on it is fine, but what if the driver's mind itself is restless and uncontrollable? The whole car will go into a ditch.
Protecting Relationships: We became sanyamis of food to prevent the body from spoiling. We became sanyamis of speech to prevent relationships from spoiling. We became sanyamis of senses out of fear that the steering wheel might be damaged. But what about thought control, the control that only we ourselves perceive?
The Danger of Uncontrolled Thoughts: If thoughts that are forbidden or independent of divine commands continue to run freely in our mind, then understand that we are lakhs of yojanas away from what the Lord calls the life of sanyam! If you want to stop inviting these faults, become a master of thought control!

Page 43: From Contact to Relationship

The Journey of Connection: During a journey, even if a person comes into contact with a good person, they continue to remain in contact with that good person, transforming that contact into a relationship.
Merit and Relationship: Answer: Is our connection with meritorious karma merely a contact, or have we transformed that contact into a relationship?
The Role of Merit: Simply binding meritorious karma is the stage of contact. The continuity of meritorious karma is the stage of relationship. If meritorious karma is proving helpful in the steps towards liberation, its test is this: Are we in constant contact with it? Are we continuously striving to transform a single instance of contact into a relationship?

Page 44: From Contact to Deep Bond

Avoiding Bad Company: Even if a person unfortunately comes into contact with a talkative person against their will, they should not transform that contact into a relationship with that talkative person.
The Nature of Sin: What about sinful karma? Its job is to inflict a chain of sufferings on the soul's forehead. Its job is to constantly keep the soul away from its true nature. Even if we happen to interact with such sinful karma, we should not establish a relationship with that sinful karma.
The Levels of Karma: Remember, simply binding sinful karma is the level of contact. Sinful karma's continuity is the level of relationship. Sinful karma performed solely at the physical level will indeed become the cause of sin binding, but if mental prejudice is mixed in it, it will become the cause of sin's continuity. Be cautious!

Page 44: Conflict: Reason 1. Difference in Taste

Defining Conflict: The mind is ready to consider a knife and scissors, a sword and a machine gun, a TV and money as "instruments" [of conflict]. But we must always remember that the scriptures also call "conflict" an instrument. The question is, what are the seeds of conflict, and what are the causes of conflict's actions?
Taste Differences: The first reason for conflict is a difference in taste. My taste is for scriptural study, while the other's taste is for penance. My taste is for wandering, while the other's is for stability. My taste is for conversation, while the other's is for silence. I am interested in reading, while the other is interested in contemplation.
The Role of Past Lives: If we do not keep in mind the legacy of past karmic impressions of the soul, and if we do not estimate the disparity of karma, then there is a strong possibility that this difference in taste will cause conflict with the other person. Be cautious!

Page 45: Conflict: Reason 2. Difference in Thought

Thought Differences: The second reason for conflict is "difference in thought." Granted, our taste is the same as the other's, but there is a significant difference in thoughts. I feel verses should be memorized in the morning, while the other feels the morning time should be spent in scriptural discourse. I feel it's important to maintain single meals in the life of sanyam. The other feels that fasting rituals should be performed one after another. I feel confession should be done very peacefully. The other feels that during confession, hymns and songs should be short.
The Impact of Openness: If the mind is not tolerant, if it is not generous towards the other person's thinking, then this difference in thought will surely create conflict. This is beyond doubt. Be cautious!

Page 45: Conflict: Reason 3. Insistence

The Nature of Insistence: The third reason for conflict is "insistence." This insistence can be in the area of worship, or in the area of arrangements, regarding travel, or regarding stability, concerning alms-food and water, or concerning community gatherings.
Lack of Flexibility: No readiness to yield. No tendency to compromise. No habit of bending. No consideration for the other person's limitations. No magnanimous disposition to understand the karma-driven nature and habituated conditioning of beings.
Conflict and Loss of Peace: Such a nature gives rise to insistence and inevitably creates conflict with the other person. Where there is insistence, there is discord. Where there is discord, there is the funeral procession of serenity. Where serenity departs, it's the twelfth day of the life of sanyam! Be cautious!

Page 46: Conflict: Reason 4. Selfishness

Self-Centeredness: The fourth reason for conflict is "selfishness." Making everyone do tasks for one's own benefit. Forming relationships only to strengthen self-interest, and ending relationships once self-interest is fulfilled. Being ready to quarrel with anyone the moment self-interest appears to be hurt.
Unstable Relationships: Such selfishness neither allows relationships to stabilize nor to become pure. It doesn't let us become popular or peaceful. It doesn't let us become trustworthy or beloved.
Examining Lifestyles: Keep examining your lifestyle. If ending relationships the moment a task is completed has become your nature, then rest assured that fires of conflict will continue to blaze in your life. Be cautious!

Page 46: Conflict: Reason 5. Misunderstanding

Jumping to Conclusions: The fifth reason for conflict is "misunderstanding." Seeing a person's behavior, and without observing, knowing, listening, or delving into the context behind that behavior, directly quarreling with them about that behavior – what else would it create but conflict?
Mind's Prejudices: Do you know a dangerous nature of the mind? Towards someone it holds hatred or ill-will, towards whom it harbors prejudice or wrong assumptions, it constantly misunderstands their every action. It seems to be constantly searching for an opportunity to fight with them.
The Limits of Perception: Remember, if false perceptions can occur even with open eyes, then what capacity do we have to do justice to the unseen mind of the other person? Be cautious!

Page 47: Dangerous Fault 1: Curiosity

Destroying Spiritual Vitality: Among the three extremely dangerous faults that kill the soul's spiritual vitality in the life of sanyam, the most dangerous fault is curiosity.
Desire to Know and See: Curiosity to know and see everything outside. Curiosity to hear all the gossip happening around. Curiosity to see what is happening behind the wall. Curiosity to delve deeply into the weak stories that have occurred in someone's life.
The Lesson of Anutsukata: Have you read this verse from the Acharang Sutra? "If you want to protect your spiritual life, do one thing: Become mute, blind, and deaf to the actions of others. This is called 'Anutsukata' (lack of curiosity). Will we embody this within ourselves?"

Page 47: Dangerous Fault 2: Restlessness of the Mind

Lack of Satisfactory Results: If, even after years of practice, satisfactory results have not become a subject of our experience, then we have fallen victim to a serious fault. That fault is restlessness of the mind.
Seeing Reflections in Turbulent Water: Can we see our reflection in turbulent water? Can a player score a century with a restless mind? Can a businessman sign a check with a trembling hand? If not, will the spiritual practice done with a restless mind allow us to experience even one concrete and right result? Absolutely not.
Mind's Stability is Crucial: Remember, the attainment of the life of sanyam comes from a pure mind, but success in the acquired life of sanyam requires a stable mind. Do you want to burn karmas [paper]? Stabilize [focus] the mind [like the sun's rays]. You will succeed.

Page 48: Dangerous Fault 3: Misuse of Energy

Worldly Misuse: A fault of a householder that ruins their worldly life is the misuse of wealth. Similarly, a dangerous fault of a sanyami that ruins their life of sanyam is the misuse of energy.
Misuse of Eyes: Looking beyond the prescribed distance when walking by looking down, looking sideways, and fixing eyes on forbidden sights – this is the misuse of the energy of the eyes. Understand this similarly for all five senses and the mind.
Monitoring Energy Usage: Keep checking the proportion of energy being used in various fields. Is it being used judiciously or injuriously? Is it being used properly or improperly? Remember, energies wasted in vain will always deprive us of the attainment of purposeful goals!

Page 48: The Decisive Factor: Guru or Self?

The Dilemma: Sometimes a dilemma arises in the mind: Who is the deciding factor in our life's development? The Guru, or ourselves? Does the Guru's presence lead us to purity of aspirations, or do our own inner good intentions touch the heights of purity?
Understanding Different Approaches: To resolve this dilemma satisfactorily, we need to understand different approaches systematically. Because without understanding those approaches, we can neither understand the indispensability of the Guru-principle nor our own responsibility.
The Tongue and the Sugar: The tongue is good, but if there is no sugar, what can we do? Sugar is available, but if the tongue itself is spoiled, what can we do?

Page 49: Guru's Presence is Like Absence

Spoiled Tongue, No Sweetness: The sugar is good, but if the tongue itself is spoiled, how can the sweetness in the sugar be experienced?
Guru's Presence Without Inner Connection: The Guru is present. We perform all the sanyam practices in His guidance. We follow His commands. We don't lack devotion to Him. But, there is no inner connection of the heart towards Him. The heart is completely devoid of respect for Him. We feel no sensitivity in His sight, worship, or touch.
The Result: If this is the state of our heart, then understand that for us, the Guru's presence is like absence. We will do everything, but gain nothing.

Page 49: Guru's Presence is Beneficial, But Limited

Good Tongue, Sweetness Experienced: The sugar is good, and the tongue is also good. Then, naturally, the sweetness will be experienced.
Guru's Presence and Affection: The Guru is present, but there is also goodwill towards Him in the heart. And therefore, we experience joy in the Guru's presence. When we are forced to stay away from the Guru for some reason, we also experience distress in His absence.
The Level of Affection: But this is the level of mental state, of affection towards the Guru. Spiritual development is indeed happening, but its extent is limited. The purity of aspirations is true, but its height is limited. The heart is indeed softened, but the greenness of virtues is not intense.

Page 50: Deep Love for the Guru

Sugar, Tongue, and Taste: The sugar is there, the tongue is also good, and along with it, the taste is also strong. It is understandable how delicious milk tastes.
Joy in Guru's Presence and Absence: We have had the good fortune to be in the sacred proximity of the Guru, but there is also goodwill in our hearts towards Him, and along with it, a strong desire to worship Him. Even so, sometimes due to circumstances, we have to stay away from Him.
Consistent Joy and Peace: Yet, the joy and intoxication experienced in His presence are also felt in His absence. This is the level of mental state, of deep love for the Guru. It is a state of purity and joy, as if life is overflowing! Do we possess such deep love?

Page 50: Pure Love for the Guru

The True Sign of Pure Love: Whether the body is in a state of sleep or wakefulness, walking or running, sitting or standing, just as breathing continues in every state, similarly, whether the Guru is present or absent, if the level of joy and purity is increasing day by day, if the sensitivity of the heart and the compassion of the soul are continuously increasing, then understand that our love for the Guru is absolutely pure.
Striving for Deeper Love: Let us make our love for the Guru deep. Let us progress further and make it pure. One day, a day will come in our lives when this pure love will surely unite us with the Supreme Guru.