5. Those who suffer in the present life should therefore say to themselves that they suffer because they failed to purify themselves thoroughly in their preceding existence, and that, if they fail to accomplish their purification in their present life, they will suffer again in their next existence. And this is both just and reasonable. Suffering being inherent in imperfection, we suffer as long as we remain imperfect; just as we suffer from disease until we are cured of it. Thus, so long as human beings remain proud, so long will they suffer from the consequences of their pride; so long as they remain selfish, so long will they suffer from the consequences of their selfishness.
