Humility, sincerity and other basic means to jnana

30. To achieve all this, the firm foundation of the practice of morality is indispensable. We should discriminate between truth and falsehood, and follow only truth. We should discriminate between the essential and the non-essential and hold fast to the essential. We should throw away the shell and keep the pearl. In this way we
should begin life. Then with the help of one's own efforts and the grace of God, one should make further
progress. 

If throughout this process we practice discrimination between the body and Self, it would be a help. At such times I call to mind the sacrifice of Jesus. They were hammering nails into his body. It is said that then the words came out of His mouth, "My god, my god, why hast Thou forsaken me?" But soon Lord Jesus collected Himself and said, "Thy will be done, Lord forgive them for they know not what they do." 

There is a great secret in this. This shows clearly how far the Self should be separated from the body. What the goal should be, and how
near to it we can get, we can learn from the life of Jesus. We reach the point where we see the body being peeled off like armor, like the skin of a fruit. Whenever I think of how the spirit should be distinguished from the body, the life of Jesus and this final scene appear before my eyes. How do be quite other than the body, how to
sever the link with it, this the life of Christ shows us clearly.

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