Difference Between Weakness And Cheating? by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

Cheating and weakness are two separate things. Persons devoid of a cheating propensity achieve perfection in life, but a cheater is never successful. Vaishnavism is another name for simplicity. Cheaters are non-devotees. Sincere persons can be weak, but they are not cheaters. Cheaters say something and do something else. Weak people are embarrassed by their defects, whereas cheaters are maddened by their achievements. They think, “I will cheat the ācārya,”, “I will deceive the doctor,”, “I will nourish the poisonous snake of my sinful propensity with banana and milk, hiding him in the hole of my cheating propensity,” and, “I will demand name and fame from the people while posing as a saint” These are not symptoms of weakness but of utter deceitfulness. Such cheaters will never achieve any good. By hearing humbly from saints with a sincere attitude, however, one will gradually attain auspiciousness. After accepting tridaṇḍi-sannyāsa, if one remains busy with worldly activities, thinking that family life is more important than spiritual life or maintaining the sinful mentality of kidnapping Sita from Rama as Ravaṇa did even while dressed as a devotee, then one is a self- killer. We are far from the worship of Hari. Even if we have weakness and have enough anarthas to last us for millions of years, we are not as plagued by misfortune as if we possessed a cheating propensity. It is better to take birth as animals or birds than to take shelter of cheating.