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22
ATMA-SIDDHI
Rituals differed, so did also the teachings in their language, arrangement, contents and view-points. But the mere ritualists as also the upholders of barren knowledge miss the truth. The ritual is merely the external garb. The word of the book is a half revelation of an unrevealable reality. The spirit of all Religions is the same. Sin flows into us through wrong belief, vowlessness, carelessness, passions and the activity of the body, speech and mind. The determination not to hurt any living being, not to lie, not to steal, not to be unchaste, not to be engrossed in worldly objects; to be careful as to our actions, speech and thought, to curb our passions, to sow and nourish the habits of forgiveness, humility, straightforwardness etc., to bear our troubles with fortitude; equanimity and even cheerfulness this is the obvious mode of counteracting the inflow and bondage of sin.
Right Belief ripening into Right Knowledge, and, as given above, still further into Right Conduct is the sure and only and eternal means of Liberation.
Finally the means is the goal also. Liberation or self-realisation is attained only when
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