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HERESIES

of the spiritual riches, he should act with the fear that he might perhaps live only a day more in this world, and that if he postponed to-day's good work till to-morrow, death might overtake him and prevent him from accomplishing it.[1] One should choose rather to be poor for the spirit than to be rich without it. Losing the spirit for the sake of earthly riches is wrong. But accumulating earthly riches with upright means and expending them for the welfare of the spirit is meritorious. Srosh helps the man who has riches and plenty, and who, far from yielding to temptations, makes good use of his fortune.[2] Wealth helps a righteous man to perform meritorious deeds,[3] whereas grinding poverty at times occasions wickedness.[4] If a man craves for a vast fortune with a firm resolve to spend it for charitable purposes, his desire is laudable.[5] It is praiseworthy that man should spend his earthly riches for his spiritual welfare.[6] Wealth is given to man not to squander on himself, but to help the poor and the needy, and assuage the wrongs of suffering humanity.[7] When misused, wealth becomes a halter to the body, and the wise one should sacrifice it, for the good of his soul.[8] Man should not be intoxicated with pride when he is in the plenitude of his riches and at the height of fortune, and must not hate the poor, for his fortune might leave him at any moment and place him in the class of the paupers.[9] He is reminded that howsoever rich he grows, his wealth could never exceed that of Jamshid. And yet that great king found his wealth deserting him when his end approached.[10] The kingdoms of the kings with all their fabulous fortunes are not everlasting.[11] One should not be proud of his fortune. It is but vanity; it is as fleeting and transient as a dream.[12] It changes its masters like a bird that flies from one tree to another, only to leave that in turn for still another.[13] At death wealth and property do not ac-

  1. ↑ Dk., vol. 11, bk. 6. 151, p. 49.
  2. ↑ Dk., vol. 11, bk. 6. 90, p. 4, 5.
  3. ↑ Dk., vol. 4, p. 192.
  4. ↑ Dk., vol. 12, bk. 6. 283, p. 8.
  5. ↑ Dk., vol. 12, bk. 6. 310, p. 25, 26.
  6. ↑ Dk., vol. 6, p. 418.
  7. ↑ Dk., vol. 3, p. 142; AnAtM 47.
  8. ↑ Dk., vol. 10, bk. 6. 26, p. 8, 9.
  9. ↑ AnAtM 57.
  10. ↑ Dk., vol. 11, bk. 6. 152, p. 49, 50.
  11. ↑ Gs. 1.
  12. ↑ Gs. 58.
  13. ↑ AnAtM. 88.
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