WHO AM I ?
EDITORIAL
There is more to life than
just living. There has got to be more to life than to just live. There should
be a higher purpose in life. The purpose of life is to come to the real answer
of ‘Who am I?’ This is the unanswered
question of infinite previous lives. The missing links of the search for ‘Who am I?’ are now being provided through
the words of the Gnani Purush (The One who is completely
Self-realized). These words are edited for the purpose of comprehension.
Who am I? What am I not? Who
is the Self? What is mine? What is not mine? What is bondage? What is moksha(liberation)? Is there a God? What is
God? Who is the ‘doer’ in the world? Is
God the ‘doer’ or not? What is the real nature of God? What is the nature of the real ‘doer’ in
this world? Who runs the world? How does it function? What is the real nature
of illusion? Whatever one knows, is it real or is it an illusion? Will one
become free or remain bound with the knowledge one has?
This book will give the
precise understanding of the truth behind these questions. In addition, the
reader of these pages is introduced to the essence of Akram Vignan(the direct
approach to liberation).
Dr. Niruben Amin
1986
NOTE ABOUT THIS TRANSLATION
Ambalal M. Patel , Gnani Purush, also commonly known
as Dadashri or Dada always used to say that it is not possible to exactly
translate his satsang about the Science of Self- realization and the art of
worldly interaction in English. Some of the depth of meaning would be lost. He
stressed the importance of learning Gujarati to understand all his teachings
exactly.
Dadashri did grant his blessings to convey his
teachings to the world through translations in English and other languages.
This is an humble attempt to present to the world
the essence of the teachings of The Gnani Purush Dadashri. A lot of care has been taken to preserve the
tone and message of the satsang. This is not a literal translation of his
words. Many persons have worked diligently for this work and we thank them all.
This is an elementary introduction to the vast
treasure of his teachings. Please note
that any errors encountered in the translation are entirely those of the
translators.
INTRODUCTION
OF THE GNANI
On a June evening in 1958 at around six o'clock, Ambalal Muljibhai Patel, a family man, contractor by profession, was sitting on a bench of a busy platform number three at Surat train station. Surat is a city in south Gujarat, a western state in India. What happened within the next forty-eight minutes was phenomenal. Spontaneous Self-realization occurred within Ambalal M. Patel. During this his ego melted totally and completely. From that time onwards he became completely detached from all thoughts, speech and acts of Ambalal and he became a living instrument of The Lord for salvation of the world through the path of knowledge. He called this Lord, Dada Bhagwan. ‘, This Lord is fully manifest within me,’ he told, to all he met. Furthermore he added that, ‘ the same Lord, Dada Bhagwan exists in all living beings. The difference between you and me is that in me, The Lord has expressed fully in me and in you he is yet to manifest. ' Who are we? What is God? Who runs this world? What is karma? What is liberation? Etc. All the world's spiritual questions were answered. Thus nature offered absolute vision to the world through the medium of Shree Ambalal Muljibhai Patel.
Ambalal was born in Tarasali a suburb of the city of Baroda and raised in Bhadran, Central Gujarat. Although a contractor by profession, and married to Hiraba, his life at home and with the world was exemplary prior to his Self Realisation. After becoming Self realized and attaining the state of a Gnani, (The Awakened One, Jnani in Hindi) his body became a public charitable trust.
Throughout his whole life he
lived by the principle that there should not be any commerce in religion, and
in all commerce there must be religion. Also he never took any money from
anyone for his own use. He used the profits from his business to take his
devotees for pilgrimage in various parts of India.
His words became the
foundation for the new direct step less path to realization called Akram
Vignan. Through his divine original scientific experiment (The Gnan Vidhi) he
imparted this knowledge to others within two hours. Thousands have received his
grace through this process and thousands continue to do so even now. He called
it Akram Vignan (Step less Science, elevator path). Akram means without steps
and kram means to rise step by step. Akram means lift or elevator path. Kram
here means orderly, step by step spiritual progress. Akram is now recognized as
a direct shortcut to the bliss of the Self.
A shortcut.
When he explained others who 'Dada Bhagwan' is he would say:
‘What you
see here is not 'Dada Bhagwan.' What you see is 'A. M. Patel.' I am a Gnani
Purush and He that is manifest within, is 'Dada Bhagwan'. He is the Lord
within. He is within you and everyone
else. He has not yet manifest within you, whereas within me he is fully
manifest. I myself am not a Bhagwan. I bow down to the Dada Bhagwan within me.’
‘I am personally going to impart siddhis(special spiritual powers) to a few people. After I leave, will there not be a need for them? People of future generations will need this path, won’t they?’
~ Dadashri
Param Pujya Dadashri used to
go from town to town and country to country to give satsang and impart the
knowledge of the Self as well as knowledge of harmonious worldly interaction to
all who came to see him. In his final days in fall of 1987, he graced Dr.
Niruben Amin, and gave her the siddhis to continue his Work.
After Param Pujya Dadashri
left his mortal body on January 2, 1988. Dr. Niruben continues his Work,
traveling within India to cities and villages; and abroad in the USA, Canada,
UK and Africa. She is Dadashri’s representative of Akram Vignan. She has been
instrumental in expanding the key role of Akram Vignan as the simple and direct
path to Self Realization for modern times. Thousands of spiritual seekers have
taken advantage of this opportunity and are established in the experience of pure
Soul while carrying out their worldly duties. They experience freedom, here and
now, while living their daily life.
Powerful words in scriptures help the seeker in increasing the desire for liberation and thus they represent the path. The knowledge of the Self is the final goal of all seeking. Without the knowledge of the Self there is no liberation. This knowledge of the Self (Atmagnan) does not exist in books. It exists in the heart of a Gnani. Hence the knowledge of the Self can only be acquired by meeting a Gnani. Through the scientific approach of the Akram Vignan, even today one can attain Atma Gnan, but it can only occur by meeting a living Atma Gnani and receiving the Atma Gnan(Knowledge of The Self). Only a lit candle can light another candle.
GEMS OF WISDOM
which investigates, ‘Who am
I?’ and ‘Who is the doer?’ is the final religion. This is the absolute
religion. Absolute religion imparts liberation.
Once the wrong belief that
‘I am the doer’ is destroyed and the nature of the real doer is known, all our
puzzles are solved.
Gnan is knowing ‘Who am I’
and ‘Who I am not’.
‘I’ and ‘My’ are always
separate. There is not a single characteristic of ‘I’ in ‘My’, and ‘My’ in
‘’I’.
‘My’ can only be understood
exactly once ‘I’ is realized.
The slightest element of
‘My’ is an illusion.
Knowing ‘Who am I?’ results
in loss of ego. Otherwise it is not possible.
It is impossible to know the
Self through one’s own efforts. This is because ego is required to make any
effort.
It is not important to make
one realize that ‘I am not the doer’. It is important to realize that ‘I am
pure Self’.
For Self-realization, a
Gnani Purush is needed. The Gnani Purush is able to dissolve your ego because
he is completely devoid of ego.
WHO AM
I ?
Dadashri: What is your name?
Questioner: My name is Chandulal.
Dadashri: Are you really Chandulal?
Questioner: Yes.
Dadashri: Chandulal is your name. Is
Chandulal not your name? Are you yourself Chandulal or is your name Chandulal?
Questioner: It is my name.
Dadashri: Then who are you? If Chandulal is your name then who are you? Are you
and your name not separate? If you are separate from your name, then who are
you? Do you understand what I am trying to say? If you say, "These are my
eye-glasses," then you and the glasses are separate, right? Similarly, do you not feel that you are
separate from your name?
In the same token there is
nothing wrong with naming a shop ‘General Traders’. If we were to call out to
the shop owner, "Hey! General Traders ...come here!” he would reply, "My
name is Jayantilal, General Traders is the name of my shop". The owner, the shop and the merchandise
inside the shop, are all separate entities. What do you think?
Questioner: That makes sense.
Dadashri: People insist, “No, I am Chandulal”. That means, ‘I am the owner of the
shop and I am also the sign on the shop.’ ‘Chandulal’ is just a means for
identification.
From your very childhood,
people kept calling you ‘Chandu’ and you have come to believe, ‘I am
Chandu’. You believe this name to be
you. In
reality you are not that, but you insist that you are Chandulal because
everyone tells you so. Since you do not know who you really are, you believe
yourself to be the name that you have been given. This has had a very powerful
psychological effect on you. This effect is so deeply ingrained within you,
that you believe that you are Chandulal. This belief is wrong. As a result of
this wrong belief, you have experienced countless lives ‘sleeping with your
eyes open’.
Dadashri: Will you not have to investigate who you really are? How long can you
go on being in the dark unaware of your Self? Do you not think it is ignorance
to not investigate your true identity?
Until you realize who you
really are, everything proves to be wrong and incorrect.
Even before you purchased
this watch, did you not inquire about its make, quality, price, warranty, etc.?
Then, is it not ironic that you have not made inquires about your own Self
yet? Who are you? You have no knowledge about your true
identity, where you come from and where you are. You know none of these things and even without knowing the answer
to this one vital question, Who am I?; you complicate your life further by
actively participating in this relative world.
In this state of ignorance you further complicate your life by getting
married, having a family, etc, etc. This is how confusion and puzzles arise in
the relative world.
Even when you fall asleep at
night, you do so as Chandulal. All night long this wrong belief reinforces
itself, becoming stronger and stronger. Only when you realize the answer to
‘Who am I?’ does your wrong belief stop. It is because of this wrong belief;
that you have been wandering from one life to another. You do not know your true identity and furthermore
you impress upon yourself the belief of that which you are not. You have imposed this wrong belief on your
Real Self. Not only this, but you have accepted that 'I am Chandulal' and have
behaved accordingly. This false accusation is a blunder. This blunder is the
root cause of all suffering. This suffering is in the form of inner
restlessness, misery and discontent. At the moment, you have so many worries
because of your belief that ‘I am Chandulal’. This false imposition on the
Self, is ignorance and brings forth suffering.
(2) BELIEFS: WRONG AND RIGHT
Dadashri: The belief that ‘I am Chandulal’, does not go, even in your sleep. And
when you get married, people tell you, “You are this woman's husband.” So, you
accept the role of a husband, and act like one. After that, through repetition,
you keep reinforcing the belief of being a husband. Is anyone a husband
forever? If you get a divorce will you still be her husband? All these wrong
beliefs have become deeply ingrained within you.
The first wrong belief is
that 'I am Chandulal'. ‘I am this woman's husband’, is the second wrong belief.
‘I am a Hindu’, is the third wrong belief. ‘I am a lawyer’, is the fourth wrong
belief. ‘I am this boy's father’, is the fifth wrong belief. ‘I am an uncle’,
is the sixth wrong belief. ‘I am fair-skinned’, is the seventh wrong belief. ‘I
am forty-five years old’, is the eighth wrong belief. ‘I am a businessman’, is
also a wrong belief. If you say that “I am a taxpayer”, then that is yet,
another wrong belief. How many such wrong beliefs do you have?
Questioner: Too many wrong beliefs.
Dadashri: Wherever you super-impose ‘I’, where ‘I’ does not belong, that is a
wrong belief. You have to get rid of all these wrong beliefs. How can you be
happy with so many wrong beliefs? Now tell me. What kinds of beliefs make a man
happy?
Questioner: The person who does not have any beliefs, is happy.
Dadashri: No, one cannot live without beliefs. But what you need
is the right belief.
Questioner: Is it possible to be without any beliefs?
Dadashri: Suppose we want to go from Los
Angeles to San Francisco. Instead we take the road going to San Diego. Then do
we not have to back track from San Diego to Los Angeles (our original place)?
Likewise, it is important to keep this right belief in order to come back to
our original place. Once you get rid of the wrong beliefs and keep the right
belief for a while, you will arrive at your original place, after which there
will no longer be a need to keep any beliefs. Then your work is done.
Now, how will you
get rid of all these wrong beliefs?
Questioner: I don't know. I need your guidance for that.
Dadashri: Yes, it is because a person does not have the knowledge of how to get
rid of this wrong belief that he has been wandering aimlessly in the world life
after life. Even if he comes to know that this belief is wrong, he does not
know how to get rid of it? Infinite lives have
passed without getting rid of even a single wrong belief.
‘I’ IN THE WRONG LOCATION.
Dadashri: This belief of ‘I am
Chandulal’ is ahankar (ego). To
impose ‘I’ where ‘I’ does not belong is ahankar (ego).
Questioner: How can there be ego in saying I am Chandulal? If I say, “I am great” or “I am the smartest
man in the world”, then it would be a different matter. But if I naturally say, “I am Chandulal”, then where is the ego in that?
Dadashri: Even if you say so naturally, does the ego go away? Even if you say, “My name is Chandulal”,
naturally and simply, it is still considered ego. Ego is when you do not
know who you are and you identify yourself with what you are not.
‘I am Chandulal’ is for a
dramatic (for playing your role in the worldly interactions) purpose only. There is no harm in saying, “I am Chandulal”, but
the belief that ‘I am Chandulal’ should not be ingrained within you. It should
be for dramatic and identification purpose only.
Questioner: Yes, otherwise I am Chandulal will take hold.
Dadashri: If the ‘I’ is in its Real ‘I’ place, then it is not ego. If you
believe that ‘I am Chandulal’, then the superimposition of the ‘I’ on Chandulal
is ego. When you identify ‘I’ with your Real Self (its proper place), then it is not ego. If the ‘I’ comes out of its incorrectly positioned place
(Chandulal) and assumes its Real place, then the ego is gone. Therefore you do not have to get rid of the
‘I’, but you just need to put the ‘I’ in its correct location.
People use the word ‘mithyatva’ freely, but no one has ever
explained to them what it really means. That is why the world continues to be
in such state of turmoil. These wrong beliefs are mithyatva. It is not mithyatva to wear fashionable
clothes or get married. The wrong beliefs are the only mithyatva and when one
acquires the right belief, it is called samyak
darshan or samyaktva(enlightened world-view, true understanding).
The belief through which one ‘sees’ as the Soul, is samyak darshan.
There is a need to acquire
the enlightened view. The enlightened view
occurs when all these wrong beliefs are destroyed and the right belief is
established. This is when one can see the world exactly as it is.
Until now you were not even
aware that all your beliefs are wrong. Until now your belief was that ‘I am
Chandulal’. But all these are mere adjustments, temporary adjustments only. All
these relatives are temporary adjustments and ‘You’ are permanent. But you do
not have the awareness of the permanent yet.
This is an effort on one’s
part to remain hidden from one's own Self for endless lives. Is it not strange that for infinite lives
one has remained hidden from his Real Self and yet he knows everything that is
related to the non-self? How long do you think he will remain hidden from his
Real Self? This life is meant for the realization of one’s Real Self. The human
life is expressly meant for the investigation of one’s true identity. Otherwise one will wander aimlessly. Do you
not think it is imperative that you will need to know the answer to ‘Who am
I?’ Will you not need to enquire about
who you really are?
(3) EXPERIMENT TO SEPARATE ‘MY’ AND ‘I’
Questioner: Dada what technique or method is there by which I can come to know my
Real Self?
Dadashri: ‘I’ is the elemental form (vastu
svaroop) and ‘My’ is a circumstantial form (sanyogi svaroop). The
circumstantial form and the elemental form are always separate.
‘I’ is the natural elemental
form.
‘I’ is God and ‘My’ is maaya (illusion). Everything that falls under ‘My’ is
illusion. ‘My’ is all maaya. ‘My’ is
filled with all varieties of maaya. The moment you say ‘My’, you are under the
influence of maaya. Whenever you say ‘My’, you become attached to whatever you
refer to as ‘My’. ‘I’ thus attaches to ‘My’. ‘My’ cannot attach to ‘I’. ‘My’ is
relative to ‘I’.
‘I’ is the only independent
form. Everything that falls under ‘My' is alien and not related to the Self.
The body (pudgal-cosmic flux of input
(puran) and output (galan)) also falls under ‘My’. In the relative world you have to say “my’”
or “this is mine”, but from within, your internal understanding should be
that ‘it is not really mine’. When a person achieves this understanding
nothing bothers him. There is nothing wrong in speaking this way but from
within one should decide what really belongs to him. If a policeman makes an inquiry at your house and asks whose
house it is, you will have to say, “It is my house”, but from within you should
have an understanding that it is not yours. It is the inner understanding that
makes the difference. The real ‘I’ has no possessions.
‘My’ is the ‘relative
department’ and it is a temporary state, while ‘I’ is the ‘Real department’ and
it is the permanent state. ‘I’ can never be temporary. Therefore, of the two,
you need to pursue ‘I’.
If I tell you to
separate ‘I’ and ‘My’ with a
‘separator’, would you be able to do so?
Do you not think it is important to separate the ‘I’ and ‘My’? Sooner or
later you will have to know this. Separate ‘I’ and ‘My’. Just as there is a
method to separate curd and whey, there is a way to separate the ‘My’ and the ‘I’.
At the moment, do you
identify with the ‘My’? Is the ‘I’ alone, or is it with ‘My’?
Questioner: ‘My’ is always there.
Dadashri: What are all the things that fall under ‘My’?
Questioner: My home and all the things inside my home.
Dadashri: Are all of those things yours? To whom does the
wife belong?
Questioner: She is also mine.
Dadashri: And these children?
Questioner: They are also mine.
Dadashri: And this watch?
Questioner: That is also mine.
Dadashri: And these hands, whose hands are these?
Questioner: They are also mine.
Dadashri: Then you will say “My head, my body, my feet, my ears, my eyes.” All
these parts of your body fall under ‘My’. But then who is the person that is
saying this word “My”? Who is the one that says all these things are “mine”? Have you ever thought about that? When you
say “My name is Chandulal” and then you turn around and say, “I am Chandulal”
do you not think there is a contradiction in this?
Questioner: Yes, I think so.
Dadashri: You are Chandulal right now. In this Chandulal there is both ‘I’ and
‘My’. They are like the two railway lines of
‘I’ and ‘My’; they always run together yet they are always separate.
They are always parallel and never become one. Despite this you believe them to
be one. This is due to the ignorance or
unawareness of your true identity. Having understood this, separate the ‘My’.
Keep all that comes under ‘My’ to one side.
For example, ‘My heart,’ keep your heart on one side. What other things
do we need to separate from this body?
Questioner: The feet and all the sense organs.
Dadashri: Yes the five gnanendriyas (organs
of perception) and five karmendriyas (organs
of action) and everything else. Furthermore do you say “My mind” or “ I am
mind?”
Questioner: We say, “My mind”.
Dadashri: Do you not also say, “My intelligence”?
Questioner: Yes.
Dadashri: And “My chit (the roving tendency of the mind)”?
Questioner: Yes.
Dadashri: Then do you say, “My egoism” or do you say, “I am egoism?”
Questioner: My egoism.
Dadashri: So even egoism is not a part of you.
By saying “My egoism”, you will be able to separate that too, but you
are not aware of other components that fall under ‘my’. That is why you are not able to do a
complete separation. Your awareness has
limitations. You are aware of only the sthool (gross) components, beyond which
there are sookshma (subtle)
components. The subtle components also need to be separated, after which there
are two more levels of subtlety, sookshmatar
and sookshmatum, which also need to
be taken away. Only a Gnani Purush is
able to achieve a separation at these intangible levels. Is it not possible to
separate the two? If you keep on deducting ‘My’ from ‘I’, at every step and
level and put all the things that fall under ‘My’ on one side, then what will
remain?
Questioner: The ‘I’.
Dadashri: That ‘I’, is precisely what you are. And that is the ‘I’ that you need to
realize.
Questioner: After such a separation am I to understand that whatever is left over,
is who I really am? Is that the Real I?
Dadashri: Yes, after separation whatever is left, is your Real Self. ‘I’, is the
Real You. Should you not inquire into this? Is this method of separating the
‘I’ from ‘My’ not simple?
Questioner: It appears to be simple but how are we going to make the separation at
the sookshmatar and sookshmatam levels? Without a Gnani, this is not possible
right?
Dadashri: Yes. That is what the Gnani Purush does for you. That is why I say
separate ‘I’ and ‘My’ with the ‘Gnani's
separator’. What do all the teachers of
our scriptures call this separator?
They call it bhed Gnan.
It is the Science (knowledge) of separation. How are you going to
take away the ‘My’ without this Science? You do not have the precise knowledge
of what comes under ‘I’ and what comes under ‘My’. Bhed Gnan means ‘I’ am totally separate from everything that is
mine. It is only through meeting a Gnani Purush that one acquires this science
of separation.
Is it not simple once this
separation between the ‘I’ and the ‘My’ is made? Does not the Science of
Self-Realization become simple this way? The method I have shown makes further
progress in Atmagnan easy. Otherwise in this day and age, one can go on
reading the scriptures to the point of exhaustion and still not attain Self-Realization.
Questioner: We need someone like you to help us understand all
this, do we not?
Dadashri: Yes, it is absolutely necessary. Unfortunately meeting a Gnani Purush
is very rare. In fact it is indeed an extremely rare occasion when a Gnani
Purush comes into existence. At such a time you need to seize the opportunity
and acquire Self-Realization from him. There is no charge for this. It does not
cost you anything. Furthermore the Gnani can give you this separation within
one hour. Once you have acquired the knowledge of the Real 'I', everything has
been achieved. This is the total essence of all scriptures.
If you want material things
then you will have to keep the ‘My’ but if you want to become liberated then
you will need to relinquish ownership or surrender (surrender by means of
understanding only) everything that falls under the category of ‘My’. Surrender
all that is ‘mine’ or ‘My’ to the Gnani Purush and you will be left with only
the ‘I’. The realization of ‘Who am I?’ is associated with the loss of ‘My’. If
‘My’ becomes separate, then everything is separated. The belief state of ‘I am, and all this is mine’ is defined as jivatmadasha. A person with this belief
(prior to Self Realization) is a jivatma.
The belief “I Am” and all of this is
not mine’ (an inherent understanding that comes about as a result of Self-
Realization) is the state of Parmatmadasha.
Everything associated with ‘My’ are obstacles on the path of liberation. Once
‘My’ becomes detached from the ‘I’, everything becomes clear. The realization of ‘Who Am I?’ is
spontaneously associated with the loss or detachment of ‘My’.
(4) WHO IS THE BOSS OF THE
UNIVERSE?
ONLY THE GNANI
SHOWS YOU THE REAL ‘I’
Questioner: How is it possible to understand and realize the Real ‘I’ when we are
living in this worldly life?
Dadashri: Where else are you going to realize the Real ‘I’? Is there any other place besides this world
where one can live? Everyone in this
world must live in it. It is here in this world that you can know
your Real Self. This is the science of understanding ‘Who am I?’ Come to me and I will make you realize your
true Self.
In the process of this
realization, I am not asking you to do anything, because it is not within your
capacity. That is why I am telling you that I will do everything for you. You
do not have to worry about anything. The first thing we need to know is who we
really are and that which is worth knowing?
What is the Real Truth? What is this whole world about? What is all
this? What or who is God?
Is there a God? Yes, indeed
there is God and moreover, that God is with you. Why are you searching for him on the outside? When someone opens
the door for you, can we get His darshan
(see him). The door has been
shut so tightly, that it is impossible to open it on your own. Only a person
who is Self-Realized (a Gnani Purush) can show you the path and open this door
for you.
The Absolute ‘I’ within you
is God. Beyond this there is no other God or a superior above you. There is no almighty power to rule over you.
You are completely independent. There is no one that can hurt or hinder you.
The only thing that can hurt or hinder you, are your own mistakes.
Not only do you not have a
boss, but also no one can bother you or interfere with you. There are
innumerable life forms but none of them ever interfere with you. And those that
do, do so because of your own mistakes. You, yourself had previously caused
interferences and therefore, are now facing the consequences of your past
actions. I see this in my Gnan vision. I am telling you this as I see it.
In the following two
sentences I guarantee a man his liberation. These are:
“You do not have any boss in
this world. Your boss is your
blunders and your mistakes. In the absence of these two, you are the Supreme
Lord”
And…
“No one can ever interfere
with you. This world is such that no one living being is in a position where it
can ever interfere with another.”
These two sentences
will resolve all your conflicts and bring peace and harmony to you.
(5) WHO IS THE DOER IN THE
WORLD?
It is the ignorance of
reality that has resulted in all this obscurity and confusion. So do you now
wish to know about things that are already known or do you wish to know that
which is not known?
What is this world all
about? How did it come into existence? Who is the Creator? What is our role and
relationship with everybody in this world? How should we deal with our
relatives? How does business occur? Am I the 'doer' of anything or is there
another ‘doer’? Is it not important to know all these answers?
Questioner: Yes.
Dadashri: Let us talk about what needs to be known first. Who do you think
created this world? Who do you think made such a complex, entangled world? What
is your opinion?
Questioner: Only God must have made it.
Dadashri: Then why is the whole world filled with worries?
Everyone has worries. There is no being free from worries.
Questioner: That is because everyone worries.
Dadashri: Yes, but if God made this world, then why did he make it full of
worries? If he is guilty of creating such miseries then we should have him
arrested. In reality God is not guilty. The people of the world have made him
the culprit by calling him the creator of this world.
In reality, God is not the
creator of this world at all. All of this is only Scientific Circumstantial
Evidence. Therefore all of this is a natural creation In Gujarati, I call it Vyavasthit
Shakti (Scientific Circumstantial Evidence). This is a very subtle fact.
THIS CANNOT BE CALLED LIBERATION
A child will say, “God made
this.” Even a renowned holy man will say, “God made this.” This is a worldly viewpoint. It is not the
Real viewpoint.
If God was the creator then
he would perpetually become our boss and there would be no such thing as
liberation. But there is liberation.
God is not the creator of this world. People who understand liberation will
never accept God as a creator. Liberation and God as a ‘creator’ are two
contradictory statements. Creator means someone who does you a permanent favor
and if God is such an entity, then you will always be indebted to him. As your
creator, God will always be your boss and you will always be his subordinate.
Even when you attain liberation, he will be your superior, will he not?
Questioner: Yes, he will be our superior permanently.
Dadashri: Yes, he becomes our permanent ‘boss’ and therefore there is no
liberation. Then liberation cannot be called liberation. Instead the
‘liberation’ with one’s wife would be better. At least you can enjoy her
cooking, even if at times she insults you. Even with insults, such liberation
is preferable.
If we were to say that God
is the creator in reality, then the logical question to ask would be, “Then who
made God?” So many different questions
would arise. People come and tell me, “We think that God is the ‘doer’ in this
world and you are saying that this is not the case, but it is difficult for us
to accept this”. At that time I ask
them, “If I accept that God is the ‘doer’ of things, then who made this God?
Tell me this much, who made the maker of this world? ” It is simply a logical statement that if
there is a creator, then there has to be yet another creator of this creator.
There would be no end to this. Therefore such talk is really incorrect.
All this has come about
without anybody creating it. Nobody has created it. Since nobody has created
it, then who can we ask about it? I too was searching for the one who had
created such a chaotic mess and taken on such a liability. I looked everywhere for that person, but never
found him anywhere.
I asked these scientists to
discuss with me their evidence that God indeed created this world. I asked them in which year it was
created. They drew a blank. I then asked them whether the world had a
beginning or not. They replied that
there was a beginning. If there is a
creator, then there has to be a beginning. If there is a beginning then there
has to be an end. In fact, this world is anadi-anant(no beginning-no end). This world carries on without an end.
Therefore there is no beginning and there is no end. If there is no beginning,
then there is no creator.
Then these scientists asked
me if all this meant that God does not exist. I told them that if God does not exist,
then there would be no experience of pleasure or pain for anyone in this world.
So God definitely exists. They asked me where God lives. I asked them where they thought he lived. They pointed towards the sky. I asked them where exactly was he to be
found, what his precise address was and whether one could mail a letter to him.
They did not know. I told them there is
absolutely no one up there. I myself had been there and checked since everyone
says that God lives up there. I have
looked for God there but there is no body up there, only the vast open
sky. Nobody lives up there. When they
asked me for God’s correct address, I told them to write this down: ‘God is in
every creature whether visible or invisible. Not in creation’.
This record player is a
manmade creation. God does not reside in any manmade things. God resides in
nature. God is present in all things that are naturally created. Therefore God
resides in every creature whether visible or invisible. Between you and I there
are infinite invisible creatures, which cannot be seen even under a microscope.
God resides in all of them. Now what
does God do? He only gives light to every living being. How to utilize that
light is up to each individual. Whether one performs good deeds, like giving
alms, or bad deeds, like stealing or cheating; one does so at his risk. You are free to use this light for whatever
purpose you want to.
You too believe that he is
up there don’t you? There is no one up there.
It is your wrong belief that someone is up there. I have come to reveal to you that all these
beliefs are wrong and unless this is openly declared, things can never be
resolved. All your wrong beliefs and
confusion will remain. Traditional beliefs will not die.
THE WORLD IS THE PUZZLE ITSELF
“The world is the puzzle itself”. It has puzzled itself. God has not created this puzzle. If God had
created this puzzle, then we could hold him accountable for all the suffering
in this world. We would ask him why he
makes people suffer. But God has not created this puzzle. God is God; God is
the state of permanent bliss. We accuse him because of our own ignorance and
that is our mistake, which is why this world has puzzled itself. No one else
has created this puzzle.
Now if someone were to say, “
Chandulal has no sense”, would it not give rise to a ‘puzzle’?
Questioner: Yes, it would.
Dadashri: If someone were to insult me right now, it would not faze me, but for
you the puzzle will arise because you are bound. The ropes of ignorance bind you.
The wires of ignorance bind you.
Questioner: So how can this puzzle be solved for us?
Dadashri: There are two viewpoints to solve this puzzle: One relative viewpoint
and one Real viewpoint. Real is permanent and relative is temporary. All these
relatives are temporary adjustments and You are permanent. Once you discover what is permanent, this
puzzle is solved. All these ascetics and people in search of God have not been
able to solve this puzzle. Instead they have become further entangled in it. I
can help you solve this puzzle. I can do it for you in just one hour.
Thereafter this puzzle will not rise again.
You only need to understand
this world as it is and after that you do not even have to memorize anything. Understand
it just once. How it has come into existence? Who is God? Who is running this
world? What this is all about? What is our Real form? Knowing the answers to all these, the puzzles be solved forever.
SCIENTIFIC CIRCUMSTANTIAL
EVIDENCE
Let us continue with this
discussion. Ask whatever questions you need to have answers for.
Questioner: I do not understand this ‘Scientific Circumstantial
Evidence.’
Dadashri: Scientific Circumstantial Evidence is the basis for all this. Without it, not even a single parmanoo (atom) can change in this
world. When you are about to sit down to dinner, do you know what you are going
to be served? Even the person who prepares the food does not know what he or
she will prepare tomorrow. Even the amount of food you are going to ingest is
very precisely determined, all the way down to the atomic level. What is it that brings all this together and
makes it all happen? It is a wonder.
What is this meeting between
you and I based on? It is based solely
on the Scientific Circumstantial Evidences. There are very subtle and
incomprehensible causes behind this meeting. Find out what these causes are.
Questioner: How do we find these causes?
Dadashri: When you came to satsang
here, you believed that, ‘I came here today’. It is your wrong belief and
egoism when you say, “I came and I am going.” If I were to ask you why you did
not come yesterday, you may point to your legs. So what am I to understand by
this?
Questioner: That my legs were hurting.
Dadashri: Yes, your legs were hurting. You would blame your legs. Then if your
legs were hurting, did your legs bring you here or did you come here by
yourself?
Questioner: It was my desire to come here and that is why I am
here.
Dadashri: Yes it is because of your desire you came. But because your legs and
everything else was fine, you were able to come here. If your legs were not
functioning well, would you have come?
Questioner: Then I would not have been able to come.
Dadashri: So then could you have come on your own accord? For example if a paralyzed man was to come
here in a bullock cart, he would say, “I came”, but we ask him, “Oh but your
legs are paralyzed so how did you come here?” He would still insist that he
came. But if I were to ask him, “Did you come or did the cart bring you here?”
He would then reply, “The cart brought me here”. Then I would ask him “Did the cart come here or was it the
bullocks that brought the cart here?”
Therefore, your beliefs are
so far from reality. Your ability to come here is dependent upon so many
different circumstances. A lot of circumstances have to be just right and
precise in order for you to be able to come here.
If you had a migraine, you
may have to go back, even after arriving on time. If you yourself were truly
independent and came here of your own accord, your migraine would have no
bearing upon your being here.
Or else, if on your way
here, you meet a friend who insists that you go with him, then you would have
to turn back. Therefore, so many circumstances have to be just right. There
should not be any obstacles from anywhere, only then are you able to come here.
This is Scientific
Circumstantial Evidence. Only when numerous circumstances come together can an
event take place. But you claim with egoism, ‘I did it.’ You take credit for
things that turn out good and blame others or bad luck when things do not turn
out as planned. Some people blame it on negative circumstances, don't they?
Questioner: Yes.
Dadashri: A person is proud of himself when he earns money, but when he incurs a
loss or a failure, he gives excuses or will say, “God is upset with me.”
Questioner: This is a convenient excuse.
Dadashri: Yes convenient, but one should not accuse God of anything. It is okay
if we accuse a lawyer or someone else. But how can we accuse God? A lawyer can
file a suit and claim damages, but who will file this suit? Such accusations
cause terrible bondage in the next life. Can anyone accuse God?
Questioner: No.
Dadashri: Sometimes people will give a variety of other excuses, always avoiding
ownership and acceptance of their own faults and mistakes. One will never
accept one’s own faults. In this context, a foreigner once remarked to me, “Why
don't you Indians accept the blame for your own mistakes gracefully?” I said, “That itself is the Indian puzzle,
the biggest puzzle of all, is this ‘Indian puzzle’. You will not be able to
solve it. Indians would never accept their own mistakes, while you foreigners
are very gracious about accepting your own faults”.
CONTRADICTION IN ‘DOERSHIP’
Sanyog
(an event, association of circumstances) happens by itself and so does viyog (dissipation of circumstances).
But man, with ego, takes the credit. When a man earns money, he says, “I earned
it.” When he suffers losses, he loses all confidence and despairs: “What could
I do?”
Questioner: Yes, sometimes I say the same thing.
Dadashri: If you are the ‘doer’ then you will never say, “What could I do?” Let
us take a simple example of the process of making kadhee (a Gujarati dish
made from yogurt). If the kadhee turns
out well and tastes good, the person who prepared it will say, “I made it” and take credit for it. If it
boils over whilst cooking, she would say, “What could I do? The children were
bothering me, the phone was ringing constantly, or the flame was too high etc…”
Why all these excuses? I came to
understand that everybody talks like this. When a patient recovers from his
illness, his doctor will say, “ I saved his life”, but if the patient dies then
he will say, “What could I do?” Why make such unfounded, unsupported
statements?
DID YOU WAKE UP OR WERE YOU
AWAKENED?
If you wake up early in the morning,
you will say, “I woke up.” What makes you think that you are able to
wake up early? At night when you cannot sleep, you will say, “I cannot sleep.” If you yourself have control over your sleep
then why can you not sleep when you want to? In reality you have no control
whatsoever.
If somebody asks, “ Who woke
me up in the morning?” I would tell him that he woke up because his sleep karma
was over. It was his karma that woke him up.
HOW MUCH OF IT IS IN YOUR
HANDS?
You, the Real You have never
eaten. It is Chandulal who consumes the
food. You have never eaten anything and
yet you believe that you are the one
who eats. Chandulal is the one who eats
and Chandulal is the one who defecates. And you are trapped in this for
no reason. Do you understand this?
Questioner: Please explain that.
Dadashri: No man has ever been born who
has the independent willpower to defecate. If he does not have the independent
power over his own bowels, then what other power can he have? He will realize
this when he becomes constipated. When a few things go according to his plans,
he thinks he is making them happen.
I had satsang in Baroda with
a group of physicians. When I told them that one does not even have the
independent control over one’s bowels, they were all taken aback. I went on,
“You will realize this when you become constipated. At that time you will have
to seek external help.” You never did have this power in the first place, which
is why you have to seek help. Therefore
this is not under your control. It is through your wrong beliefs that you
consider nature’s powers as your own power. To call someone else's power your
own power is illusion, wrong belief. Do you understand what I am trying to say?
Is it a little clearer now?
Questioner: Yes, I understand.
Dadashri: If you understand even this much, you are closer to solving this
puzzle. All these people claim to do penance, japa, meditation and
fasting. All this is an illusion. But
the world will always carry on like this and will never be without ego. That is
its nature.
IT HAPPENS...
Dadashri: Do the events that take place, occur because of our control or do
they just happen?
Questioner: They just
happen by themselves.
Dadashri: Yes, all this just happens. When you wake up in the morning it just
happens. When you drink tea it just happens. When you use the lavatory it just
happens. When you sleep it just happens. Are you making all these things happen
or do they just happen?
Questioner: It just happens.
Dadashri: When you
are working at a job, does it happen or are you doing it?
Questioner: It happens.
Dadashri: Yes, so in this world, ‘It
happens.’ This is what the world is all about. Things just happen. But people
say, “ I am doing it.” “I went to the
toilet.” “ I did this.” “I earned this money.” And so on. When something is happening by itself and we
say, “ I am doing it.” we are creating new karma (sowing new seeds of karma).
If you stop creating (charging) new karma, you will be free. Without Gnan
however, one cannot stop creating new karma.
‘DOERSHIP’ = PRAKRUTI: ‘NON-DOERSHIP’= ATMA
All the human beings in this
world are ‘T-O-P-S’ What is a top? It is a toy that a spin on its tip, when the
string wound around it, is pulled. The top will spin around until all its
energy is dissipated. In this example the winding of the string is the bhaav purushaarth (cause) and the spinning is prarabdh (effect, result). It is prakruti (inherent
characteristics) that makes a person do things, but he says, “I am doing
it”. He is in essence, just like a puppet on a string. Prakruti makes him do penance, ritualized chanting of mantras,
and meditation etc., but he believes that he is the one doing it.
Questioner: Tell us
about prakruti, Dada.
Dadashri: The moment you claim to be the ‘doer’ (karta), prakruti comes
into existence. As Atma you are the ‘non-doer’ (akarta). You have the wrong belief that ‘I am Chandulal’, and that
‘I am the doer’. The moment you say this, you become bound. It is because of this wrong belief, that
prakruti comes into existence. As long as there is ignorance of the Real ‘I’,
one feels that he is the ‘doer’ and he is therefore bound by his prakruti. When
the awareness of ‘I am not the doer’ is
acquired and one ceases to be the ‘doer’, the prakruti no longer remains. From that moment onwards one does not bind
any new karma, but past karma remain
and these have to be discharged.
KARTA (DOERSHIP) AND
NAIMITTIC (INSTRUMENTAL) DOERSHIP
Questioner: If one is not the ‘doer’,
then who is? What is the nature of the ‘doer’?
Dadashri: One’s ‘doership’ is only
‘instrumental’ (naimittic karta) in
any process. One is not an independent ‘doer’ of anything.
This ‘instrumental
‘doership’ can be further defined as a parliamentary process where the final
decision is based on collective votes and where each individual has only one
vote. Thus your vote is one of many in the final outcome. But you believe that
‘I am doing this’ so you become the ‘doer’.
The ‘planning’ (through
bhaav purushaarth) occurs in this way: You yourself are the ‘planner’ and this
planning is the final signature (endorsement); the ‘doership’ is only in the ‘planning’
stage, but this fact is unknown to the whole world. In other words, all that
materializes in front of us in this life is a result of planning in the past
life through bhaav(deep inner intent) The only place for doer ship is in this
bhaav.
The output of this small
‘computer’ (Chandulal) becomes the input into the giant ‘computer’ of
Scientific Circumstantial Evidence. In this manner the planning (bhaav
purushaarth) is fed into the giant computer.
The giant computer then gives forth effects of this ‘planning’. All the events of one’s life are an effect.
The discharge in the present life is the result of causes created in the past
life. Nothing in this life is under one’s control. It is under the control of ‘other hands’. Once the ‘planning’ is done, it is then out of the hands of the
‘planner’ and falls under the control of
‘other hands’. These ‘other
hands’ (Scientific Circumstantial Evidence), play a part in bringing forth the
effects. So the effects may be different from the planning. The unfolding of
the effects is entirely in ‘other hands’. This is a very subtle point. Do you
understand this?
Questioner: Yes Dada, I understand it.
‘DOERSHIP’ BINDS KARMA
Feel free to ask any questions.
Whatever it is that you want to understand, ask your questions. But will you
remember whatever you have understood so far? This Science is worth
understanding. Here you can ask anything and everything.
Questioner: How can we escape from the bondage of karma?
Dadashri: These karma exist
because the belief of ‘doership’ exists. The existence of these karmas is directly dependent upon
‘doership’. There is no karma
if there is no ‘doership’. There is no ‘doership’ in the ‘I’ state and so there
are no karma. Karma can only be created if there is
‘doership’. As Chandulal, when you say and believe that “I did this, or I did
that…” you become the ‘doer’. This then becomes a support for karma. When one stops being the ‘doer’, the karma have no basis and no support, so they fall away.
ATMA (SELF) AND ANATMA (NON
SELF) BECOME ONE THROUGH IGNORANCE
Atma and anatma are two
separate entities. They have not become one, but they are ‘stuck’ to each
other. How? Through bhrantiras (false
interest; or essence; the delusional belief that I am the ‘doer’) they have
become stuck to each other. Where did this bhrantiras come from? The moment one says, “I did it,” the ras (cohesion) of Atma and anatma
occurs. This ras is so sticky that even if it has been there for years, it
will not lose its bonding power, so how can we even begin to talk about the
additional ras that is created every
day.
A Gnani can
dissolve all the bhrantiras, and separate Atma and anatma. Then the Self
remains in its natural state and the non-self remains in its natural state. As
long as there is ego, through illusion, one will always say, “I am the doer and
I am also the knower”, “I did this and I know this”. They will speak in this manner.
When the feeling of “I am the ‘doer’” and “I am the knower” are
together, it is gneya (a thing to be
known), and that itself is called bhranti
(illusion). And when the feeling “I am the Knower and the Seer” is not
associated with “I am the doer”; that is called gnayak (the Knower).
Right now you believe, “I am
Chandulal” (‘I’ and ‘My’ as one), that is why both the Self and non-self have become one. In fact both these entities are separate. You are
separate and Chandulal is separate. But
until you are aware of this difference, what can you do? A Gnani Purush can make this separation for
you through the Science of Separation.
After this, the Real you, ‘I’, does nothing. It is Chandulal that
continues to do everything.
(6) WHO WILL DO THE
SCIENTIFIC SEPARATION?
SCIENTIFIC SEPARATION OF SELF AND NON-SELF
What is Atma Gnan? It is the
understanding of the inherent qualities of Atma (Purush, Self) and the anatma
(prakruti, Non-Self). The one who knows the qualities of the Self and of the
non-self and has been through the process of separation, is said to have
acquired Atma Gnan. When you become
aware of the inherent qualities and differences of the Self and the non-self,
you have acquired Atma Gnan.
It is not possible to attain
Atma Gnan on your own. This is because right now you are living and behaving as
prakruti and you are trying to destroy the prakruti while being in it. How can
this be possible? You will only be able to scratch the surface, but you will
not be able to totally destroy prakruti. If this cloth becomes dirty, you will
need soap to remove the dirt. In the process of cleaning the soap will leave
behind a residue. While you remove one kind of residue another kind will set
in. Then you have to use Tinopal (name brand cloth whitener in India) in order
to remove the residue from the soap. The Tinopal will also leave its own stain.
I am giving you this analogy to help you understand why it is not possible to
attain Atma Gnan through one's own efforts. Unless one receives Atma Gnan, it
is not possible to destroy prakruti, although it can be weakened. Once you recognize the attributes of the
Self and the Non-Self, the solution has happened. The Gnani Purush can help you
know all the attributes. Only a Gnani Purush can separate the Self and the non-Self
for you.
For example, this gold ring
contains a mixture of copper and gold. Who do you think will be able to
separate the gold from the copper?
Questioner: Only a goldsmith.
Dadashri: Yes, a goldsmith can separate the gold and copper because he knows the
qualities of both of these elements. Similarly, a Gnani Purush knows the
qualities of the Self and the non-Self and so he can separate the two.
The gold and copper in this
ring are in the form of a mixture rather than a compound. The goldsmith
therefore, can easily separate the mixture. Similarly, the Self and the
non-Self are in a mixture form and not in a compound form, which is why it is
possible to extract one from the other.
If they were in a compound form, it would not be possible to separate
the two. That is why the Gnani Purush is able to separate the two, and one is
able to understand the Self.
Vidhi is the Gnani’s special
process of separation of the Self and the non-Self.
Questioner: What is the Gnan Vidhi?
Dadashri: The Gnan Vidhi is the process
that separates the Soul (Self) from the body (non-self). It is the separation
of the animate from the inanimate.
Questioner: This principle is correct but what is the procedure?
Dadashri: There is nothing here to be given. One simply has to sit and repeat
what I say, exactly as it is being spoken. (The awareness of ‘Who am I?’ is
attained after a two-hour process, of which 48 minutes consist of speaking out
sentences of bhed vignan (Science of
separation), which separate the Self and the non-self. After that, there is a
period of an hour where you will be explained the five agnas (instructions) with examples to illustrate and clarify. You
will be shown how to conduct your life so that you do not charge new karma and
how you can dissipate your past karma smoothly. The awareness that you are pure
soul will remain constantly).
Questioner: What should one do if one already has a guru prior to meeting Dada?
Dadashri: You can still go to him. If
you do not wish to, it is not mandatory. You must respect him. After taking
Gnan, some people ask me whether they ought to leave their previous guru. I
tell them that they should not, because it was the guru that helped them reach
the point where they are at now. It was the guru that helped them live a
respectful life. Without a guru there would be no purity in life. You can also
tell your guru that you are going to meet a Gnani Purush. Some people even
bring their guru to meet me. The guru too wants moksha. Without a guru you
cannot get the knowledge of the worldly life and even the knowledge of moksha
cannot be attained without a guru.
The guru is needed for the worldly
life and the Gnani Purush is needed for moksha.
(7) WHAT IS THE NATURE OF MOKSHA?
(TOTAL LIBERATION)
Questioner: What goal must a human being have?
Dadashri: Liberation should be the only goal. You do want liberation don’t you? For how much longer do you want to keep on
wandering aimlessly? You have done only this for infinite lives. You have not
left any place to wander. You have wandered aimlessly between different gatis: janwar gati (animal kingdom), manushya
gati (human form) and devagati (celestial
form).
Why did you have to suffer
such endless wanderings? This is
because you have not known your true identity, you have not known the answer to
‘Who Am I?’ Should you not know your Real Self? Despite your extensive wanderings
of countless lives, you do not even know who you really are. Is making money
your only goal in life? Should you not be making a little attempt toward
liberation?
Questioner: Yes, an effort should be made.
Dadashri: Is there not a need then to
become independent? How long can you be in such bondage?
Questioner: I believe it is not necessary
to become independent but rather to understand the need for becoming
independent.
Dadashri: Yes, that understanding is necessary.
It is enough to understand it just once. Even if you cannot become independent, at least there is a need
to understand it, right? Independence will come
later on but for the time being the understanding is enough.
Moksha
means to come
to your Real nature. The worldly life means to go away from your Real nature.
Which one is easier of the two? To come to your Real Self is not difficult but
the worldly life, to go away from your Self, is always difficult. Moksha is
easier than preparing khichdee (A Gujarati dish made of rice and lentils). To
prepare khichdee, you need many ingredients like rice, lentils, spices,
vegetables, water, a pan, fuel, a stove etc. Only then will you succeed in
making khichdee. Moksha on the other
hand, is easier than khichdee. But you do need to find a Gnani Purush,
who can bestow moksha upon you. Have
you not gone through endless reincarnations?
MOKSHA IS EFFORTLESS
I am telling you to come and
get your moksha from me. People are still skeptical: “How can anybody give us moksha
without any effort on our part?” they comment. Very well then, go ahead and try it with your own efforts. With
effort you will only find worthless things. Nobody has ever attained moksha
through effort.
Questioner: Is it possible to give or take moksha?
Dadashri: Moksha is not
something you give or take. But you do
need a nimit (Gnani is your nimit,
i.e. he becomes instrumental in the process of your acquiring Moksha). Moksha
is naimittic (acquired through an
‘instrument’). Your meeting me is also a naimittic process. In reality, there
is no giver and there is no taker of Moksha. What is the definition of a giver?
If you give something that belongs to you, then you are called a giver. When
you give something to someone, you are actually relinquishing its possession.
Moksha, however, is your birthright. I am just instrumental in making you aware
of your ‘Real Self’ through Gnan. I am merely an instrument. I cannot give you
something that is already yours. I am not the giver and you are not the taker.
MOKSHA MEANS ETERNAL BLISS
Questioner: What is the point of acquiring moksha?
Dadashri: Some people tell me that they do not want moksha. I would tell them
that it is not a necessity for them to want moksha. Do they want happiness?
People do not understand
what moksha really is. They just use
the word moksha. They are under the impression that moksha has a particular
location and once they reach there, they will enjoy moksha. But it is not like
that.
Questioner: Ordinarily by moksha we mean release or freedom from the cycles of
birth and death.
Dadashri: Yes it is true, but that is the final stage of liberation. It is the
secondary stage. The first stage of moksha is where you experience a sense of
neutrality towards problems and miseries. In the first stage of moksha, one
experiences indifference towards any worldly unhappiness. Even in worldly unhappiness, one is
unaffected. In the midst of upadhi
(suffering imposed upon you by others or external factors) you experience
samadhi (to be free from suffering and to experience the state of one’s own
bliss). That is the first stage of moksha. Then after death, one attains the
permanent moksha. First stage of moksha should be attained here and now. I experience this first stage of moksha all
the time. Moksha should be such that even while one lives amongst the worldly
things, they do not affect him. That is the moksha one must strive for. There
is no bondage. This stage of moksha is possible through Akram Vignan.
Questioner: Is such freedom or moksha experienced while one is living
(jeevanmukti) or is it the freedom that comes after death?
Dadashri: What is the point of having freedom after you are dead? This is how people become conned into
promises of moksha after death and become trapped. Of what use is a pending
moksha to you in this life? You need to be able to experience or get a taste of
it right here and now. Otherwise how can one be sure whether there is such a
thing as moksha? Moksha after death is
like borrowed moksha. One cannot depend upon things that are borrowed. You need
to have the moksha in your hands, like ready cash. You should be able to
experience this moksha while you are alive. Just as King Janak experienced
living moksha in his lifetime. Have you heard of this?
Questioner: I have heard that.
WHO ACHIEVES MOKSHA?
Questioner: So in reality, who is it that attains moksha?
Dadashri: Only the ego is released through moksha. It is the one that is bound that attains moksha. It is the one
who suffers, that attains moksha. Atma
itself is the state of moksha.
The one that is bound and
the one that suffers from being bound is the one that seeks liberation. It is
the ego that suffers the pain of bondage, so it is this very ego that wants to
be liberated. Now unless ignorance is removed, the ego cannot be liberated.
When you attain Gnan from the Gnani Purush, ignorance will be lifted and the
ego will be liberated.
ONLY GNAN CAN END ALL MISERY
This world is trapped in the
well of suffering. What is this suffering due to? This suffering stems from ignorance of the Self. All suffering in
this world is because of ignorance. This ignorance leads to raag (attachment)
and dwesh (abhorrence) relentlessly and suffering is experienced as a
consequence. Only Gnan can cure this suffering. There is no other remedy. Gnan
insulates you from suffering.
(8) WHAT IS AKRAM PATH?
THE EXTRAORDINARY POWERS OF AKRAM GNAN
Questioner: is it possible to acquire Atma
Gnan (Self-Realization) so easily as a house holder?
Dadashri: Yes, there is such a way. It is possible to attain Atma Gnan, while
living with your wife and your children. You can attain Atma Gnan while living
the worldly life and fulfilling your parental and other duties. I myself, who
is living this worldly life, can make this happen for you. You will have the
freedom to do whatever you wish. Go to cinema. Get your children married. Wear
beautiful clothes etc. What other guarantees do you need?
Questioner: Then it is worth looking into.
If I can have that kind of freedom, I am very interested.
Dadashri: All the freedom you want is yours. This is a shortcut path to Atma
Gnan. It does not require any effort on your part. I will give you your Atma in
your hands so all that remains, is for you to enjoy the bliss of the
experience. This is the elevator path. Stay in the elevator (the shortcut path
as opposed to the traditional kramic step by step path to moksha). You will not
bind any new karma. The only karma
you bind will be through following my Aagnas
(instructions), and they will result in one more lifetime. I give you these aagnas to protect you from any
deviations or obstacles on this path.
Questioner: Is there another lifetime for me after this Gnan?
Dadashri: You have had a past life and you will also have a future life too.
This Gnan is such that it will give you moksha in a couple of lifetimes. First
comes the freedom from ignorance. Then comes the final moksha after a couple of
lifetimes. The current time cycle is
such that one more birth still remains.
Come back to me again. We
will set a date for the Gnan Vidhi.
On that special day of the
Gnan Vidhi, I will cut the ropes of ignorance that have kept you bound for
infinite lives. They need not be cut everyday. If that were the case, one would
have to go and buy new blades each day. Whenever you decide, on that day I will
sever only one twist of the rope, nothing else. Then immediately, you will
realize that you are free. The experience of a sense of freedom is enough. You
should experience the awareness that you have been freed. This liberation is no
joke. It is very real. I will give you just that.
What happens when you
receive this Gnan? During the Gnan
Vidhi, the fire of knowledge (Gnan Agni) destroys two of the three forms of
karma. The three forms of karma are analogous to steam, water and ice. During
Gnan Vidhi the first two types of karma (steam and water) are destroyed. One
feels light and his awareness is increased.
The only karma that remain are those in the
form of ice. You have to suffer the effects of these karma (good or bad) because they have solidified and are at the
point of fruition. You cannot escape them. The karma in the form of steam and water will evaporate in the fire
of Knowledge. This makes you you will feel light and your awareness will have
increased. Until one's karma are destroyed, one's awareness will not increase.
Only the karma that have solidified will have to be endured. To make these
solidified karma easier to endure and to minimize the suffering that they may
entail, I have shown you all the ways: Repeat Dada Bhagwan Na Aseem Jay
Jaykar Ho; say the Trimantra and the Nav Kalamo etc. (See appendix)
Along with the destruction
of these lighter karma during
the Gnan Vidhi, many of the aavrans (layers of ignorance over the
Soul) are broken down. At that time through Divine Grace, one becomes aware of
the Self. Once awakened, the awareness never leaves. Pratiti (the conviction that ‘I am Pure Self’) will always be there
along with the awareness. Pratiti will
only remain as long as there is awareness. First comes the experience of
the awakening and then comes pratiti.
Pratiti is the conviction that ‘I am Pure Self.’ Anubhav
(the experience), laksh ( awareness)
and pratiti (conviction) all three
take hold. The pratiti is constant,
whereas laksh will be wavering and last for short periods. When we become
distracted or engrossed in our work we may lose that sense of awareness for
that amount of time. But whenever we have a moment’s respite from our work, it
will return.
Anubhav
of The Self, is the experience that is felt when one is relieved from one’s work and duties
and when one sits in a meditative state.
It will continue to grow because one will perceive what Chandulal is now
as opposed to what Chandulal was before. What makes this difference? It is the
experience of the Atma. Before, one was in dehadhyas
(conscious only of the actions and temperament of the physical body) whereas
now, one is established as the Atma.
Questioner: What happens during experience
of Atma?
Dadashri: The experience of the Self is the destruction of the experience that
‘I am the body’. When the experience of
‘I am this body’ goes, new karma cease to bind you. What more could you
want?
Questioner: I want you to show me this path
of Gnan. That is all.
Dadashri: Yes, I will show you this path. Not only will I show you this path,
but also I will give you your ‘Atma’ in your hands.
Questioner: Then the purpose of my human birth is fulfilled. What more can I ask
for?
Dadashri: Yes, completely fulfilled. That which you cannot find through efforts
of countless lifetimes, I will give you in just one hour. Then you will feel
that you have achieved your goal as a human being. Otherwise you cannot achieve this even after a thousand lifetimes
of effort.
Questioner: Many different ways to attain
Self-Realization have been described in the Vedic
scriptures. One has to achieve the qualities: Vivek (discrimination), vairagya
(renunciation/ loss of interest in worldly things) and mumukshata (intense desire to know one's true Self) and all of
these require time and effort. Then, how is it possible to receive this Gnan in
such a short time?
Dadashri: It does not take time to
receive Gnan. It is like turning on a flashlight in pitch darkness. The light
will appear instantly. Likewise, it takes no time at all for a Gnani Purush to
dispel ignorance with the light of Knowledge (Gnan). After this you will not
stumble.
Questioner: Should one be spiritually elevated to receive Gnan?
Dadashri: Man has reached this spiritual level many many times in past lives.
Due to ignorance of his Real Self, he has been led astray by his ego. As he has
progressed to a higher spiritual level, his ego has become heavier. He has
practiced much vairaagya and vivek, but that has only served to enhance his
feelings of superiority, through this sense of spiritual accomplishment. Why is
all this? He still keeps on
stumbling. Even as he continues to
stumble, he keeps on saying, “I am something”.
He has undertaken many spiritual practices, but he has not attained the
realization of his Real Self.
Your astitva (the knowledge that you exist) is there. There is no doubt
about this fact. You do not have the
knowledge of vastutva (the knowledge
of who you are), but you have
the knowledge that you ‘are’. When the Gnani Purush washes away your sins, you
will have the knowledge of vastutva (Self-Realization). Once you attain
Self- Realization, you will automatically progress towards purnatva - the fully Self-Realized state. Then you do not have to
do anything and you will be independent. The only difference will be the
direction of your ‘vision’. At this moment, all of you are looking one way, and
I am looking the other way. All I do is change the direction of your ‘vision’ (drashtipher). This is the task of a Gnani Purush. Without Divine Grace it is not possible.
THE LINE OF DEMARCATION BETWEEN SELF AND NON-SELF
It is because of Akram Vignan that you are able to achieve
this samkit state (Realization of the
Self) in such a short time. In these times, it is impossible to achieve this
state of samkit through the traditional Kramic marg. Akram Vignan is the
Science, which draws an exact line of demarcation between that which is you and
that which is not yours; the Real and the relative. It clearly defines their
properties and characteristics. As a result of this exact demarcation, the
result is immediate and experiential. In the Kramic marg, this line of
demarcation is not clearly defined and therefore it is very difficult to reach
the goal. Once this distinction is made, the Real will never be relative and
the relative, will never become Real. Unless they are separated, they cannot
stay within their own nature.
PATHS: KRAMIC OR AKRAM
The Gnan of the Tirthankars
is Kramic Gnan, i.e. The Realization is achieved gradually, one laborious step
at a time. One goes higher with each step one takes. As one's parigrah
(feelings of ‘this is mine’)
diminishes, one progresses further spiritually towards moksha. This may take
innumerable lifetimes.
But this is Akram Vignan.
There is no need to climb the steps. One simply has to get on the elevator and
go to the twelfth floor. Such is the beauty of this Akram path. One only needs
to find this ‘elevator’ and one's salvation will be at hand. I am simply a
nimit (instrumental) in showing you this path or pointing you in the right
direction. Anyone that boards the elevator will have all the answers. Surely
one must find the answers. After entering this elevator, how does one know that
he is going towards moksha? Your assurance is that your anger, lust, greed and
pride (krodh-maan-maaya-lobh) will go away. The internal suffering will go
away. There will not be anymore arta dhyan (adverse meditation that affects the
relative self)) or raudra dhyan (adverse meditation causing harm to others).
This is your confirmation. Then this task is completed, is it not?
Questioner: Is the Kramic path not the main
path? The Akram Marg is fairly new is it not?
Dadashri: Yes, the Kramic marg is the main path but it is grueling and it
involves much penance and renunciation, etc. It entails a lot suffering in
order to reach your goal or destination. Ones progress is proportionately
dependent upon ones degree of penance. The Kramic marg is full of penance.
Questioner: Without enduring any of the suffering and hardship, one cannot
progress in the Kramic marg, right?
Dadashri: Yes, Kramic is full of both internal and external sufferings until the
very end. It is like purifying gold. You cannot do it without the heat of the
fire (suffering).
Questioner: Are there any rules in Akram, as there are in the Kramic path?
Dadashri: No, wherever there is a rule, it is considered to be relative. Sitting in a certain position or posture as
a rule, is relative. In Akram, there are no rules. Alas, even though such an
easy path to liberation exists, very few seekers take advantage of it.
Questioner: They refuse to accept that it is possible to achieve moksha without
any effort.
Dadashri: Yes, they say that how is it possible to achieve something without
doing anything? If I ask you to do something, how will you be able to do it
when you yourself are bound by anger, lust, greed, pride, raag and dwesh? You
are the prisoner of your bondage. How will you get yourself unbound? Nowadays,
nobody has the power to do penance. I am here to give you this new and simple
Akram path. I am not only giving you this Akram path but I am also simplifying
the traditional Kramic marg such that heavy penance would not be necessary.
Questioner: Will the Kramic path also become simple?
Dadashri: Yes, we will also simplify the Kramic path. The Akram path is open and
available for a limited period of time. This path is very unique. It comes
directly from Divine Grace. So many people were directly blessed during the
time of the Tirthankars. In those times, when Divine Grace was bestowed upon a
person, he or she would set out on the path of their divine calling, whereas
nowadays, if such an event were to befall on anyone, that person would make
excuses not to go. But this is indeed the Akram path where it is possible to
reach moksha even while living the worldly life.
This is your ultimate
passport. After this, such a passport
will no longer be available, because everything will come to an end.
Thereafter, only dharma (religion) will continue to remain. Through dharma, one
will gain punya (good karma) and fall into the cycle of cause and effect i.e.
having to reap the benefits of the punyas in the next birth and so forth. The
chances of slipping spiritually will be great.
THE ONE WHO MEETS ME IS QUALIFIED FOR AKRAM GNAN
Questioner: For this simple path, do we not need to have any qualifications?
Dadashri: Some people ask me, “Am I qualified to receive this Akram Gnan?” I
tell them, “Your meeting me is your qualification.” This meeting is due to Scientific Circumstantial Evidence.
Therefore anyone that meets me is qualified. Those who do not meet me are not
qualified. What is the reason behind
meeting me? It is his qualification, that this meeting takes place. However, after having met me if one does not
achieve Self-Realization, then it is because his obstructive karma which
prevents him from progressing further.
Questioner: Is this a short cut of some kind?
Dadashri: Yes this is definitely a shortcut. It is direct and short.
Questioner: But what is the ultimate goal in all this?
Dadashri: The ultimate goal is to attain permanent happiness, total independence
and freedom from bondage.
Questioner: What is permanent happiness? Can you describe it?
Dadashri: It is something that comes to
you naturally; you do not have to make an effort for it. It remains permanently. There is no pain or misery.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
KRAMIC PATH AND THE AKRAM PATH
Dadashri: I was asked to explain the
difference between the Kramic and the Akram paths. I told them that in the
Kramic path one is asked to stop doing bad deeds and do good deeds. One is essentially told to ‘do’ something in
the Kramic path. You are told to get rid of your weaknesses of anger, pride,
lust and greed and to turn towards good things. Is that not what you have come
across so far? Akram on the other hand, means you do not have to ‘do’ anything.
Nothing has to be done. Even when someone picks your pocket, in Akram science,
the understanding is that ‘He has not picked the pocket, and it is not my
pocket’, whereas according to the Kramic path, the culprit would be blamed and
the belief would be ‘It is my pocket that he picked’.
Akram Vignan is like a
lottery. When you win a lottery, was there any effort on your part? So many people
had purchased lottery tickets, yet you were the winner. Similarly, this Akram
Vignan gives moksha right away, like ready cash.
Questioner: Does one receive Akram Vignani because of one’s past life acts?
Dadashri: Yes that is the only way one is able to encounter me. It is because of
the collective punyas of millions of lifetimes that one finds such a path.
All the other paths are
called kramic. The kramic path is a relative path. Relative means that it
provides worldly benefits, taking you very slowly towards liberation, one step
at a time. In this path one has to
purify one’s ego through renunciation and penance. Once the ego is pure, it is
at the threshold of moksha. The ego has to be purified of weaknesses of anger,
pride, illusion, lust and greed. The kramic path is a very difficult one. In the Akram path, the Gnani Purush purifies
your ego for you. He takes away both your ego and your attachment. Then you
attain the experience of the pure Self. Only after you experience your Self,
your work is done.
The
kramic path is a ‘comma’ and the Akram path is a ‘full stop’. This Akram path
manifests itself rarely. The main path to moksha is the kramic path. It is a step-by-step
path. Sometimes confusion prevails in the traditional kramic path. And many
people ready for liberation. These people find salvation through a Gnani
Purush.
Many teachers and gurus have
asked me why the Akram path has manifest through me. I have told them that the
kramic path has broken down. The entire
foundation of the kramic path has decayed. They wanted proof of this, so I told
them that the kramic path is viable only when thoughts, speech and action are
in unison with each other, (i.e. when you say exactly that which is in your
mind, and your conduct is in agreement with your mind and speech). They agreed that at the present time there
was no oneness of thought, speech and action. That is why the kramic path is
fractured.
If you chew a whole stalk of
sugarcane you may get two segments with good sugarcane juice. But if the entire
stalk is rotten would you try to chew or return it?
Questioner: Return it.
Dadashri: We tell the vendor to take it back. Please give it to somebody else. I
have eaten a lot of sugarcane. This
kramic path has become like the rotten sugarcane but what can one do? People
have become puzzled and confused. They do not even care anymore except for
enjoying worldly pleasures.
If one has unity of his
thought, speech and action, then he can progress in the kramic path, otherwise
the kramic path is closed.
At the
present time the entire foundation of the kramic path has decayed. Therefore,
the Akram path has manifest. The Akram path does not manifest independently. It
will take up to three thousand years for the kramic path to repair itself. Until the kramic path is repaired, the Akram
path will exist, after which it will no longer be required. This Akram Vignan
will not last too long. It has appeared in place of the kramic path.
Questioner: Are you constructing an elevator?
Dadashri: Yes indeed it is an elevator.
If I tell the people to climb the steps, it will take them forever to do so.
Therefore I invite them to sit in Dada’s elevator. Even these wealthy people
who live in luxury and comforts do not leave me.
Akram Vignan is a wonder.
After receiving this Gnan, one feels a significant change immediately. People upon
hearing this experience are attracted to this path. I have instructed all these
people to write about their experiences. What they were before they met Dada
and what changes they have experienced after meeting Dada.
When the world reads these
experiences, it will be amazed. How can a person change so suddenly? Thousands
have experienced these significant changes in their lives. These changes are
permanent. After Gnan these people see only the faults within and do not see
any faults of others. They do not harbor even the slightest intention to harm
any being.
.
This event is of momentous
significance. It has not happened anywhere. Only Dada has been able to
accomplish this.
Questioner: And what happens after you Dada?
Dadashri: It will continue. It is my wish that someone qualified will continue
the work. Is there not a need for someone to continue this path?
Questioner: Yes there is a need.
Dadashri: My desire will be fulfilled.
Questioner: If this Akram path is to continue, will it be on account of another
nimit(an instrument)?
Dadashri: Akram Vignan only will continue. There will be an extensive and
beneficial spread of the Akram Vignan. If things continue the way they are for
a year or two, the whole world will be talking about it. If there is a right
thing and a wrong thing, it takes longer for the right thing to be implemented,
while the wrong thing will be implemented immediately.
People say that only men can
acquire moksha and that there is no moksha for women. I say that there is
moksha for women also. Why not? They say that it is because attachment and
deceit (kapat) dominate a woman’s nature.
The same weakness is found in men too, but in women it is to a much
greater degree.
Women will indeed attain
moksha despite what these people say. They are worthy of attaining moksha
because in essence they are Atma. They may take longer because the element of
attachment and deceit are more dominant in women.
This entire path is Real.
There is no element of relative (temporary and related to thoughts, speech and
acts) in this path. Real, means beyond this world of thought, speech and acts.
Relative means, of this world and within the realm of thought, speech and acts.
This path is for the one who has tried everything else and has not found the
solution to liberation. Otherwise there are other standards and paths
available. This is for those who want to get out of standards.
This is the inner science
and it is permanent. Everything else you see in the world is external science
and it is temporary. This gives you the experience of the permanent. This is the Absolute Science. This science
liberates. No amount of dharma (duties/religion) you practice will give you
liberation. Through dharma you may attain material happiness and support that
will prevent you from falling. Dharma is that which prevents you from falling
from your spiritual progress. For liberation you need Vitarag Vignan (Science
of Absolutism). This science does not
exist in any scriptures. The Tirthankars knew about this science, but they
could not impart it to the people of their times. In these troubled times, a
rare Bhed Vignani (Scientist who separates 'I' and My') comes along and make
this science available for everyone.
Therefore I am ready to give
you whatever you ask for. Whatever you
ask for! Ask for nirvikalp samadhi (A continued and uninterrupted
state of the experience of the bliss of the Atma - even while performing all
duties in life). Ask for a state free
of anxiety and worries forever. I will give you all this with a guarantee. Ask
for whatever you want, but you should know what to ask for. This science will
give you freedom despite living in the midst of worldly life.
GET YOUR WORK DONE
Get your work done. Whenever
you have the need for it, come here. I
am not forcing you to come. Come if you feel like coming. If you like the
worldly life and the way things are, then continue as you are. There is no
pressure that you have to follow this path. I am not here to write letters
inviting you to come. If you happen to meet me, then I will tell you about this
Gnan and suggest that you take
advantage of it and get your work done. This is all I will tell you. For
thousands of years such a science has not been available.
(9) WHO IS A GNANI PURUSH?
THE SANT PURUSH: THE GNANI
PURUSH
Questioner: What is the difference between those who have become sants (saints) and the Gnani Purush?
Dadashri: A sant purush is someone who
teaches people to do good deeds and to stop bad deeds.
Questioner: You mean the one who saves us from paap karma (sins or bad deeds) is
called a sant?
Dada:
Yes, a sant saves you from bad deeds, but a Gnani Purush saves you from both,
the good and the bad deeds. The sant purush leads you on the right path,
whereas a Gnani Purush liberates you. The sant purush are travelers of a
particular path. They themselves are
walking on a path and encourage others to walk along with them. But a Gnani
Purush is the final destination and he gets your work done.
The sant purush are teachers
at different levels, for example of kindergarten, of the first standard, of the
second standard etc. But only a Gnani Purush can give you total
Liberation. The Gnani Purush is very
rare.
Sants
can give happiness at a relative level. The Gnani Purush will give you
permanent bliss, which is the true nature of the Soul. He gives you eternal
tranquility.
A
true sant is one who has no attachment to any thing. There are others who have
attachment of varying degrees. Who is a Gnani Purush? He is the one who is without ego or attachment.
So
you cannot refer to a sant, as a Gnani Purush.
The sant is not Self-realized.
However, when a sant meets a Gnani Purush, he makes spiritual progress.
Even the sant needs to meet a Gnani Purush. Anyone who has the desire for
liberation will have to meet a Gnani Purush. There is no other way.
Gnani Purush is truly a
wonder of the world. Gnani Purush is the manifest Soul.
RECOGNIZING THE GNANI PURUSH
Questioner: How do you recognize a Gnani Purush?
Dadashri: The Gnani Purush cannot remain hidden.
His fragrance and aura are quite unmistakable. His ambience is quite unique. His speech is extraordinary. You
can recognize him through his words. You can tell by just looking into his
eyes. The Gnani Purush has so many signs of indisputable proof. His every word
is a scripture. His speech, action and humility are so beautiful that they win
you over. He has many unique qualities.
What are the qualities of a
Gnani Purush? The radiance of the sun and the coolness of the moon are part of
his nature. Both these opposite attributes are to be found together in the
Gnani Purush. Nowhere in this world can
one find such a smile of complete liberation. His serene smile makes one forget
his miseries.
The Gnani Purush does not
have a drop of intellect (buddhi -the
light of knowledge which comes through the medium of the ego). The Gnani Purush is aboodh
(without buddhi). How many such people are around? Once in a while when such a person is
around, he will liberate hundreds and thousands of people. The Gnani Purush does not have even the
slightest ego. There is not a single
person in this world who is egoless.
Rarely, every few thousands
of years or so, a Gnani Purush is born. There is an abundance of saints and
experts of scriptures, but there are no Self-Realized persons. Gnanis have full knowledge of the Soul. The
knower of the Soul is full of bliss and does not experience any internal or
external suffering. In the presence of such a person, you too can achieve your
liberation. He who is realized can help
others achieve realization. Without a Gnani, it is impossible to achieve
Atmagnan.
(10) WHO IS DADA BHAGWAN?
‘I’ AND DADA BHAGWAN ARE NOT
ONE
Questioner: Why do you allow yourself to be addressed as Bhagwan(God)?
Dadashri: I am not a Bhagwan. I myself bow down to the Dada Bhagwan within me.
My spiritual knowledge is at 356° and Dada Bhagwan is at 360°. Because I lack the four degrees, I too, bow
down to and worship Dada Bhagwan, the Lord within me.
Questioner: Why do you do this?
Dadashri: I do this because I want to complete the remaining four degrees. I
will have to complete them. I have
failed because I lack these four degrees. I have no choice but to pass the next
time around.
Questioner: Do you have a desire to be Bhagwan?
Dadashri: For me it is burdensome to be a Bhagwan. I am a laghutam (one who really considers everything in the world to be
higher than himself - an ego-less state)person. There is no other being lower
than myself and that is why to become God would be a burden to me.
Questioner: If you don't want to be a God then why do you make an effort to
complete the four degrees?
Dadashri: That is for my ultimate Liberation.
SEEN THE WORLD BUT NOT FULLY
KNOWN THE WORLD
This
Gnani Purush
lacks only four degrees in attaining absolute and total Knowledge (keval Gnan) I have gone beyond the stage
of Self-Realization but have not yet reached total absolute Liberation (keval
Gnan). I failed the attainment of keval Gnan.
Questioner: Which four degrees are you talking about?
Dadashri: The four degrees relate to my outward and worldly conduct. The other reason is that although I truly understand this world,
I have not come to know it fully. Keval Gnan means knowing the world as it is.
I have understood it but not known it completely.
Questioner: What is the difference between understanding and knowing?
Dadashri: I have fully understood but I have not fully known. Had I come to know
it fully, it would be called Keval Gnan. I have fully understood it so it is
called Keval Darshan.
Questioner: Whom do you use the word Dada
Bhagwan for?
Dadashri: For Dada Bhagwan. Not for me. I am a Gnani Purush.
Questioner: Which Bhagwan?
Dadashri: Dada Bhagwan is the One who is manifest within me. He is the Lord of
the fourteen worlds. He is also within you but he is not yet manifest. Here
within me, he is completely manifest. The manifest can give you results
(spiritual fruits). Just by saying his name once, you can benefit. When you say
his name with the right understanding, you will benefit greatly. Worldly
obstructions or difficulties will be removed. You must not be greedy in worldly
matters because greed has no end. Do you understand what Dada Bhagwan is?
The one you see with your
eyes is not Dada Bhagwan. You might think that the person in front of you is
Dada Bhagwan. No. What you see is a Patel from Bhadran (a village in India).
"I" am a Gnani Purush and Dada Bhagwan resides within me and is
completely manifest within me. The Lord of the fourteen worlds has been
expressed within me. I have personally seen Him and experienced Him. Therefore
I say this with absolute guarantee and assurance, that he is manifest within
me.
And who is it that is speaking?
It is a ‘tape recorder’ that is speaking. Dada Bhagwan has no speech. It is
this Patel who is talking as a medium for the ‘tape recorder’. After the
separation of Patel and Dada Bhagwan, there is no ego left to say 'I am the
speaker'. The ‘tape recorder’ speaks and "I" remain the knower and
the observer of it. Even in you the ‘tape recorder’ speaks, but you believe
that 'I am speaking', and with this belief a false pride arises within you. For
myself, I too have to bow down to Dada Bhagwan within me. Dada Bhagwan and I
are separate and our relationship is that of neighbors. People think this body
of mine is Dada Bhagwan. No.How can this Patel of Bhadran become Dada Bhagwan?
(11) WHO IS SIMANDHAR SWAMI?
Questioner: Who is Simandhar Swami? Please explain this to us.
Dadashri: Simandhar Swami is currently a Tirthankar. He resides in another location called Mahavideh Kshetra. Like
previous tirthankars called Mahavir and Rishabhdev, Simandhar Swami is the
current tirthankar.
Mahavir Bhagwan had told us
everything, but what can be done if people misunderstood his message
altogether? Alas, this misunderstanding prevents the desired spiritual results.
Most of these people
continue to misunderstand the great message of the Arihants. Arihants are
the fully enlightened beings who have completely conquered their inner enemies
of anger, attachment, greed, pride and abhorrence and are in human body form.
After liberation, the arihants become siddhas. As siddhas they do not have a
human bodily form.
These twenty-four
Tirthankars who have now left this world and no longer exist as arihants have
become siddhas. They have said that and there will be no more Tirthankars in
this world of ours in this time cycle. Therefore aim to meet the current
tirthankar who is living at Mahavideh Kshetra, another location in the
universe. Tirthankars are always present there, yet people have forgotten this
message of Lord Mahavir and continue to worship the last twenty-four
Tirthankars who are now siddha and not in human form anywhere in the universe.
People say "Namo Arihantanam" which means
bowing down to the Arihants. When people ask me where the Arihants are, I tell
them to worship Simandhar Swami who is present in this Universe. He is
currently the reigning Arihant. Therefore worship him. He is there now. An
Arihant must be present in the universe in order for people to benefit
spiritually. ‘Namo Arihantanam’ means I bow down to the Arihants, wherever they
are in the universe. If you do this with understanding, you will achieve
wonderful results.
'Arihant’ means they must be
present and living in this universe. Those who have achieved nirvan (liberated from the cycle of birth and death) are called 'Siddha'.
Once they have achieved nirvan, they cannot be called Arihants again. An
Arihant should be in an embodied form.
People ask me why I only
talk about Simandhar Swami and not the last twenty-four Tirthankars? I tell
them that I do talk about them also but I tell it exactly the way it is. I
speak more about Simandhar Swami because he is the current Tirthankar, and when
you say ' Namo Arihantanam', this prayer reaches him. When you say the Navkar
Mantra, you must remember Shri Simandhar Swami, and then you would have said
the Navkar Mantra exactly the way it should be.
Questioner: Can you describe Shri Simandhar Swami?
Dadashri: Shri Simandhar Swami has a physical body much like our own and he is
175,000 years old now. He is like Lord Rushabhdev the first Tirthankar of the
last twenty-four. He is not on this
planet Earth but he is on another planet, Mahavideh Kshetra, where human beings
cannot physically go. The Gnani Purush can go there through his subtle body,
make inquiries and return. You cannot go there with this physical body, unless
you naturally take birth there. If you acquire the qualities suitable for
Mahavideh Kshetra, then it is possible to be born there.
Here in this Bharat
Kshetra(our world), Tirthankars have ceased to be born for the last 2500 years.
Tirthankars achieve absolute knowledge (Keval Gnan). In Mahavideh Kshetra,
Tirthankars are born all the time.
Simandhar Swami has been in
existence since the presence of the eighteenth Tirthankar in this world. All
the Tirthankars had revered him and had supported his role. Because of this
reverence we are blessed with his grace. That is why work done here progresses
as if it were meant for him. In fact, there are currently twenty Tirthankars in
Mahavideh Kshetra, but amongst them, Simandhar Swami is widely accepted by all.
This must be due to some connections from past lives, which are being settled.
Vitraagi (those who have completely overcome attachment) do not have any new
accounts, or karma. Only their previous accounts or karma are being dissipated.
All the Tirthankars had accepted Simandhar Swami, and if we do the same we
shall benefit from this.
Questioner: Is he currently living?
Dadashri: Yes he is currently living in Mahavideh Kshetra. He is going to live
for a long time. If we make a connection with him, then our work for moksha
will be accomplished.
Questioner: I am experiencing Simandhar Swami's presence here.
Dadashri: Yes it happens. He is presently here. Although totally a Vitarag and a
Tirthankar, he is going through the unfolding of his naam karma (physique
determining karma). Worship of Simandhar Swami brings instant results. It does
not matter if he is on another planet.
His presence is beneficial to us.
Questioner: When you bow down to Simandhar Swami, what is the difference between
saying just, "I bow down to Simandhar Swami" and "With the
presence of Dada Bhagwan as my witness, I bow down to Simandhar Swami"?
Dadashri: After this enlightened vision, the results are superior.
Questioner: Before I met Dada I used to say, "I bow down to Simandhar
Swami", and after meeting Dada, I say the prayer as you have instructed.
What is the difference?
Dadashri: There is a lot of difference.
Questioner: Please explain this.
Dadashri: Is there not a difference when you as a subject worship your king
without ever having met him and you worshiping the king through a prime
minister who has direct contact with him? The Prime Minister relays the message
to the king that you are repeatedly remembering him. Do you understand? You
always get the result. In the direct (living) presence the results are
multiplied and if you remember them when they are not present, the result is
lesser.
If you want to call someone
you need the medium of a telephone. In the same manner, by saying "With
the presence of Dada Bhagwan as my witness" Dada Bhagwan becomes the
medium of your communication with Shri Simandhar Swami. You are able to reach
Simandhar Swami. It might take half a minute longer but it will reach him.
So pray to Simandhar Swami,
and say "Oh Arihant Bhagwan only you are the true Arihant now! My complete
obeisance to you."
Questioner: I
understand that you cannot attain moksha
directly from here. You have to go to Mahavideh Kshetra and there moksha is
attained. How does that happen?
Dadashri: When people here acquire the qualities of those compatible with the
qualities of the Fourth Ara (Satyug – first of the four ages characterized
by virtue, wisdom, happiness and morality), they will be automatically drawn to
that place where the Fourth Ara exists. And if people in the Fourth Ara develop
qualities akin to and suitable for the Fifth Ara, they will automatically be
born where the Fifth Ara exists. That is the nature of the universe. No one has
to be transported back and forth. People will reach the Tirthankars just
through the development of their qualities.
(In the Fourth Ara there are
human beings whose thoughts, actions and speech are in congruence. This ara
always exists in Mahavideh Kshetra. In the Fifth Ara (the current time cycle on
Earth) there is no unity in the thoughts, speech and actions. This means that
people think one way, they say something else and they act in a completely
different manner).
After you get my stamp of approval(the Gnan Vidhi), the only thing
that remains is your meeting a
Tirthankar. A Tirthankar is higher than Dada, and if you acquire His darshan,
you will become liberated. A Tirthankar
who is beyond attachment, has reached the highest spiritual state and his very
darshan results in liberation. A Gnani will take care of all the preliminary work,
but a Tirthankar puts the final icing on the cake.
The most important thing is
to worship Simandhar Swami, who is the current Tirthankar. He is our main
focus.
(12) THE
AKRAM PATH CONTINUES
GENERATIONS OF GNANIS TO
FOLLOW
I will leave behind me a
generation of Gnanis. I will leave behind my heir and
thereafter, the link of Gnanis will continue. So look for a living Gnani. There
can be no solution without one.
I am personally going to
give my spiritual powers (siddhis) to some people. Do we not need somebody
after me? Would not future generations need this path?
Questioner: You say that there will be thousands of people who will mourn for you
when you are gone but there will be no disciples. What do you mean by that?
Dadashri: Nobody will be my disciple. There is no spiritual throne here. If this
were a throne then we would need a successor. You might try to become the
successor as a paternal relative. Only the one who is accepted by the world,
will carry on this work. Only the one with absolute humility will be accepted
by the world. The one who becomes the world’s disciple, will succeed.
Questioner: Almost all the people that have come to you here have come from the
Kramic path to Akram path. Each one of them has experienced this Gnan in their
own way. Dada, the unique feature of Akram is that we have met the pratyaksh
Purush (the One who is present and living). After some time though, the Gnani
Purush will not be present, right?
Dadashri: Yes, you are right.
Questioner: Keeping aside the issue of those who have acquired the Akram path
through your direct living presence (pratyaksh), what about those who come to this path after you are no longer here?
At that time one will not have the opportunity to meet a pratyaksh, will he?
Dadashri: There will be,
indeed there will be.
Questioner:
Everyone will have the opportunity to meet the pratyaksh Purush?
Dadashri: Yes, they will get it all. This will continue.
Questioner: Will it continue like this?
Dadashri: It will continue. Do you understand?
Questioner: But is there not a need for a pratyaksh Purush in the Akram path?
Dadashri: Nothing works without the direct presence (pratyaksh) of the Gnani.
Questioner: Yes without his presence it cannot work.
Dadashri: Otherwise this path will
become closed.
Questioner: Otherwise the path will become closed.
Dadashri: Therefore you will need a pratyaksh Purush.
Questioner: I just wanted to hear this directly from you because so many times I
have difficulty with people trying to interpret according to their own thinking
what Krupadudev (Gnani Purush of Kramic Path, Srimad Rajchandra) has said. I
asked you this because there is a possibility of the same thing happening with
what you are saying. That is the reason I want to know whether pratyaksh Purush
will be available to everyone in Akram.
Dadashri: For some time this Akram path will thrive.
Questioner: For some time.
Dadashri: Yes, for some time, because there is a group of people that have to be
filtered out through this Akram path. Once this is done there will not be
anymore qualified people left and so the Akram path will end. This is only for
the chosen few.
Questioner: Yes, for this group of people only. That is why you called it A-kramic
path.
(13) AFTER ATTAINING
SELF-REALIZATION
Before you received this
Gnan, you were Chandulal and after Gnan you became Shuddhatma (pure Soul). Is there any difference in your experience?
Questioner: Yes,
Dadashri: Do you experience this from the moment you get up in the morning or in
the afternoon?
Questioner: This experience is different from any prior experience. It is
spontaneously present when I awaken.
Dadashri: When you wake up in the middle of the night, what is the first thing
you remember?
Questioner: Shuddhatma.
Dadashri: Yes, when you spontaneously remember Shuddhatma, upon waking up in the
middle of the night, it is proof that you have realized the Soul. Now you have
to follow the Gnani Purush’s agnas. These agnas are paramount.
After I give you this Gnan,
the reality takes hold in you. Then you become a Purush (Self-Realized). You realize that you are Shuddhatma (Pure
soul). I destroy your sins. I give you the Divine Vision (Divyachakshu) whereby
you are able to see Shuddhatma in everybody. After giving you the right belief,
and unifying you with your Soul, I give you the five agnas (cardinal
principles). These five agnas will guide and protect you.
Dadashri: How long do you remain in this awareness of ‘I am Shuddhatma’?
Questioner: When I am sitting alone quietly in a solitary place.
Dadashri: Yes. After this what is your feeling? Do you at anytime feel that ‘I am
Chandubhai’? Do you ever really feel
that ‘I am Chandubhai’?
Questioner: It has not happened after taking Gnan.
Dadashri: Then you are Shuddhatma only. One can only have one feeling. In their
daily lives, some people even forget their own names. There is no problem with
that. Your state of Shuddhatma will remain for sure.
Questioner: But, in the daily life many times the awareness of Shuddhatma does not
stay.
Dadashri: Then, is it replaced by the awareness ‘I am Chandubhai’? If for three
hours you are not aware that you are Shuddhatma and then if I ask you,
"Are you Chandubhai or Shuddhatma", what will you answer?
Questioner: Shuddhatma.
Dadashri: It means that the awareness is there all the time. Suppose a man got
drunk and lost his awareness during that time. What happens when the effect of
the alcohol goes away?
Questioner: He becomes aware of himself again.
Dadashri: This is how the external circumstances affect you.
If I ask you, "Are you
really Chandubhai?" or "Are you Shuddhatma?" You reply
"Shuddhatma". I ask you again the next day and you reply,
"Shuddhatma" again. If I continue to ask the same question for five
days and get the same answer, I know you have attained the Soul. I have the key
to your liberation, so that even if you complain or protest, I would not
listen.
KNOWLEDGE THROUGH EXPERIENCE
The Gnan that you have acquired
encompasses the essence of all our scriptures. Whatever is said in the
scriptures is correct. Akram Vignan is all that is above and beyond the
scriptures. In the scriptures they describe the Soul but its qualities and
characteristics are not included. You are only able to acquire the Soul because
I give you its complete description. Whatever positive attributes you acquire
in the kramic path, you acquire only a corresponding fraction of the Soul, but
not the spontaneous awareness of it. One has to remind oneself of that
awareness in the kramic path, but in the Akram path, the awareness is
spontaneous and natural. It is there even when you wake up in the middle of the
night. Things you have to make an effort to remember, fall under the category
of the body matter (pudgal). You do not have to remember the Soul. Once your Real nature as the Soul has
been realized, you do not have to make any efforts to remember it.
ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERIM GOVERNMENT
After the Gnan, the state of
Shuddhatma results. However the state of Paramatma (Supreme-fully Realized
State) has not yet been attained. The state achieved is the interim state, the
partially realized Self (antaratma).
Questioner: What is the state of the partially Realized-Self like?
Dadashri: This antaratma, the interim state of the Self has a dual role. One is
to settle the worldly affairs and the other is for the acquisition of final
moksha. That means to deal with all your ‘files’ (Dadashri has used the term
file for all that meets the individual after Gnan) with equanimity and meditate
on the Pure Self. Once all the files have been dealt with, the state of the
Supreme Self (Paramatma) is attained. The function of antaratma is to deal with
file number one (the worldly person Chandulal) and other files. I am Shuddhatma
and file number one, Chandulal has to settle the accounts of all worldly files
with equanimity.
Questioner: Is this only for those who have received Gnan?
Dadashri: Yes, only those who have received the Gnan, acquire the antaratma.
Antaratma is the interim government. Once all the files have been dealt with
equanimity, it will result in a full Government. Full government is the
Absolute Self.
Questioner: If we
say, "I am Pure Soul" does it
not amount to an expression of ego?
Dadashri: No. If other people say it, then it is an egoistic expression. We have
all decidedly realized that we are Pure Soul and so it is not egoistic to talk
about what you are.
Many people can say "I
am Pure Soul". But this is like someone telling you that he will give you
$500 in his sleep. Would you believe him? It would be different if he were
wide-awake while making the offer. There is no meaning in saying any thing
without awareness. In the same way, when people say, "I am
Shuddhatma", without acquiring Self-Realization, it is like talking in
their sleep. They achieve nothing by talking this way, and in fact such talk is
liable to cause errors in life. One is only entitled to say, "I am Pure
Soul" after realizing the Self.
Questioner: So the awareness has to occur?
Dadashri: Yes, only after Self-Realization, one can say, "I am Shuddhatma". Then it is appropriate,
because he is saying so after realizing his true identity. After becoming
Shuddhatma. Now if after becoming Shuddhatma, he asks for proof, then we can
ask him who he is. He would answer that he is Shuddhatma. Next we ask him if he
has lost attachment to Chandulal, and
he would say that he has. This confirms that he has become a Pure Soul.
After this Gnan, you
recognize that your home is your Real Self and everything external to it, is
foreign. That means your work is completed. This is like the man who is now
alert and wide awake after someone wakes him up from sleep. He responds to his
real name.
Once made aware of your real
identity as the Pure Self, you become awake.
But as long as one has the belief, ‘I am Chandulal’, he is considered to
be sleeping. A Gnani is able to destroy
this wrong belief and awaken you to the right belief that you are Shuddhatma.
Once this awareness becomes established within you, you become separated from
Chandulal, forever.
Srimad Rajchandra referred to
this as:
Through
the Supreme teaching of the Highest Guru (Sadguru)
Came
the awareness, never before realized.
Self remains in the Self.
Ignorance is gone forever.
Prior to this Gnan, one is only
aware of the body. The one who acted as Chandulal now reverts to the state of
the Self. That, which was the original abode, becomes the original abode, and
the false abode of ‘I am Chandulal’ is gone.
BECOMING NIRVIKALP
After this Gnan, 'I am Chandulal',
is for identification in worldly matters only.
'I am Shuddhatma', and ‘This is mine’ fall into in their correct and
separate places. After Gnan the sankalp(‘I am Chandulal’) and the vikalp(‘This is mine’) no longer
exist. This is the nirvikalp state. (Nirvikalp state
is the absence of the illusion from I being in the wrong place). Nirvikalp
state can only exit in the absence of sankalp and vikalp. Initially you
experience a taste of this nirvikalp samadhi, which progresses with time. But
Gnan does not remain ‘exact’ for you, because for endless lives you have not
experienced this real state.
The experience (anubhav) of
the Soul is not easy to attain. One can say, "I am Shuddhatma, I am
Shuddhatma", but the experience does not come. There is no other method to
acquire the experience of the Pure Soul other than through the Gnan and the
Gnani's grace. The acquisition of Gnan, leads to pratiti (conviction), laksh
(awareness) and anubhuv (experience). Furthermore, the conviction (pratiti)
never leaves.
EXPERIENCE, AWARENESS AND CONVICTION
Questioner: What is conviction
(pratiti) of the Soul?
Dadashri: It is the conviction that, "I am Soul', that becomes ingrained in
ones being. This conviction has taken hold initially through the medium of
words. Eventually he will experience 'I am Soul'. Your former conviction that
you are Chandulal is now broken, and the absolute conviction that you are Pure
Soul has been established, along with the laksh
(awareness) of Pure Soul.
Once you become Pure Soul,
your liberation is guaranteed. There is absolutely no doubt about this. How much of the Pure Soul state do you
experience? It is primarily from the conviction. If you are awakened in the
night, immediately you become aware that you are Shuddhatma. This means that there is a hundred percent
conviction and the awareness has also been established. Awareness (laksh) means jagruti (alertness, vigilance, and state of spiritual awakening).
This jagruti will keep
increasing until it becomes complete. Thirdly, you have the experience (anubhav).
It is due to this experience of the Pure Soul, that you are attending Satsang (Sat = absolute truth. Sang = association)
daily. You have tasted something and found sweetness in it.
From now on you will have
experience, awareness and conviction of your Real Self. This is a natural
occurrence. The duration of time may vary. Experience and awareness fluctuate,
whereas conviction of the Pure state
is constant. When the conviction is constant, such a state is called kshayak samkit. The conviction that fluctuates is called samyak darshan or upsham samkit. Awareness tends to change,
depending on what one is doing. If he is talking to someone, his awareness will
not be there. As for experience, this occurs when he is alone. So through these
three aspects: conviction, experience and awareness (pratiti, anubhav and
laksh), all mental and bodily tendencies (vrutis)
that have wandered outwardly, for endless lives, now revert to the Self.
They change direction, ending all aimless wanderings.
Questioner: What kind of tendencies (vrutis)?
Dadashri: All kinds. These are of the chit
(the component of inner vision and previous knowledge in the mind), those
related to acquiring materialistic things, those wanting to experience sensual
pleasures. There are many different kinds of tendencies. Those tendencies that
used to wander in the market places of the world now revert and return to the
Self and stop wandering.
After this Gnan, your
preexisting illusion that "I am
the Doer” is shattered. You are Absolutely Pure. To perpetuate the state of the
pure awareness, the state has been called "Shuddhatma”(Pure Self). It represents
the awareness that is pure.
Whatever happens, even if
‘Chandulal’ becomes angry and abusive towards someone, even then, ‘You’ are
absolutely pure. In such negative circumstances however, 'You' have to tell
Chandulal, "Why are you committing this aggression (atikraman) that results
in unhappiness for the other person? Do pratikraman.”
If you have said and done
anything that hurts others, it is an act of aggression. It is an atikraman and
therefore pratikraman should be done. Pratikraman means, apologizing and asking
for forgiveness from the other person. ‘I have committed this fault and I
understand that it is wrong and I am making a decision not to repeat this
mistake again.’ Such a vow must be taken. If you commit the same fault again,
then again you have to repent and apologize and ask for forgiveness. You have to do it as soon as you realize
your mistake. In this way your faults will decrease and will eventually go
away.
Questioner: So how should we perform pratikraman towards an individual?
Dadashri: Recall the Shuddhatma, the one who is absolutely separate from
thoughts, speech, actions, bhaavkarma
(charge karmas), dravyakarma (effect
karma), nokarma (neutral karmas), of
that person, the Shuddhatma that is separate from the name and all the
associated attachment of that person. In this way the Pure Soul has to be
recalled. Then ‘Chandulal’ will need to
recall his mistakes (aalochana), repent for the mistake(pratikraman), and ask
for forgiveness and vow never to repeat it (pratyakhyan). You the Shuddhatma,
have to remain an observer of how ‘Chandulal’ performs the pratikraman and with
how much sincerity.
DEHADHYAS IS ‘I AM THIS BODY’
Ordinarily, people in this
world are not able to let go of the awareness of ‘I am this body’. They are not
aware of the Real Self. You however, have received this Gnan and are now
without ego. ‘I am Chandulal’ is egoism and when the awareness of Shuddhatma is
established, there is no attachment to anything connected with the body. Even then initially mistakes will be made
and you may feel a sense of suffocation.
Because this Gnan is
scientific, you will experience it increasingly, and it will alert you from
within automatically. You will not have do anything. The other traditional kramic
path knowledge necessitates a ‘doer-ship’ on your part.
Questioner: Yes, I experience something within that alerts me.
Dadashri: We have now found this path and have crossed the first entrance into
the realm of Shuddhatma. No one can turn us back from here. Who warns you from
within? Pragnya. Pragnya begins after this Gnan Vidhi.
Pragnya in the samkit state
is like a partial phase. It is like the second day of the moon (like a sickle
shaped moon as compared to a full moon). Here for all those who have received
Gnan, pragnya is fully expressed, like the full moon. The full force of pragnya
keeps you constantly alert. Its role is to take us to the final liberation.
King Bharat had to employ servants to warn him and keep him alert. His servants
used to yell three times every fifteen minutes, "Be aware...Be aware King
Bharat". On the other hand
pragnya warns you constantly from within. That is the experience of the Soul.
Questioner: Is it necessary to do anything to further the experience of the Self?
Dadashri: Do you have the awareness of Shuddhatma all day long?
Questioner: Yes.
Dadashri: Then what other experience is needed? That awareness itself is the
experience of Shuddhatma. Go ask anyone else in this entire population of India
whether he has the awareness of Shuddhatma? After this Gnan the experience of
Shuddhatma has occurred and its phases keep growing day by day.
Enlightened World View
itself is the experience of the Soul. You have experienced the fact that you
are Shuddhatma. That fact is decided. From now on, there will be a gradual
increase of this experience, until you reach Keval Gnan (Absolute State). Keval
Gnan is the state of complete, full experience. Currently there is partial
experience.
The moment you receive Gnan,
the experience does not leave. How can it? The experience of that which I gave
you, Gnan, remains forever. The effects of your previous karma however, tend to
cloud the experience. I cannot change that. That effect has to be endured.
Questioner: We do not think of it as suffering anymore, Dada.
Dadashri: That is a different matter. But the accounts are there nevertheless.
Some have many accounts while some have a few. Some may have to suffer more.
What does it matter? I have lifted you to the state of Pure Soul. You may
experience mild suffocation because of your past karma.
EXPERIENCE OF THE SELF
EXPERIENCE OF THE BODY
When mental problems (aadhi), physical problems (vyaadhi) or external problems (upadhi) do not bother you, then you know
that your Gnan is real. If you lose your wallet with a lot of money in it, then
you will experience some inner restlessness and at such time, if ‘You’ say from
within, "This is vyavasthit", you will be able to pacify ‘Chandulal’
(file number one). This inner
experience is the experience of the Soul. If on the other hand, ‘Chandulal’ is
unable to remain calm and he loses his peace of mind, then that is the
experience of the physical body (dehadhyas).
Are you familiar with these two experiences?
Questioner: Yes the bliss prevails. Such is the experience, Dada.
The other path is kramic.
This is the Science of Akram. This is the Gnan of the Vitarags, the Fully
Enlightened ones, the Omniscient, the Absolute Knowers. There is no difference
in the Knowledge of the two paths.
After this Gnan you
experience the Soul. What else is left
for you to do? All you need to do is to follow the agna of the Gnani Purush.
These agnas become your religion. These agnas represent your penance. My agnas
are such that, they never interfere or become restrictive in any matters
related to the worldly life. Even though you live the worldly life, nothing of
the worldly life will affect you. Such is the glory of the Science of Akram.
This extraordinary Science
is such a wonder that it keeps you alert about your True Self from within. Even
as one is involved in negative acts, he is warned from within immediately.
Therefore there is no need for you to do anything. The Science of this Gnan
itself takes over all doership. All you have to do from now on is make a firm
decision (nischay) that you want to follow Dadashri's agnas. These agnas will
protect you from influences of every kind. The warnings will come even in your
sleep. Now what more do you need?
Follow the path of my agnas
if you want to be liberated within one more lifetime.
AGNA IS THE RELIGION
The one who desires liberation
does not need to be involved in doership. The one who wants moksha needs only
Gnan and the Gnani's agnas. The one who wants to go to heaven or desires
worldly pleasures, needs doership.
There is no need for any
penance or renunciation in the path of liberation. The only thing required is to meet a Gnan. Then the acquisition of his aagnas
become your religion and your penance. Gnan
(correct knowledge), darshan (correct
vision), charitra (correct conduct)
and tapa (penance); are the four
pillars of the foundation of moksha. The direct result of agnas is freedom,
because all the four pillars are contained in them.
STAY WITH THE GNANI
Never before, has love
arisen for the Gnani. Once this love arises, all solutions
follow. In your previous lives you have
not acquired anything else besides a spouse and children. The Enlightened Ones
said that one should stay with the Gnani,
after acquiring Gnan from him.
Questioner: In what sense can we stay with
him?
Dadashri: There should be no devotion in any other direction except in the
direction of the Gnani. We know that this is Akram Science and people have brought with
them innumerable files, and therefore I have given you the freedom to go and
deal with these files. But I am not letting you go away completely. I am
letting you go so that you can deal with files with equanimity. Otherwise it is
desirable that you remain with the Gnani.
This aside, you should feel
troubled from within, night and day, that you are not able to take full
advantage of this opportunity and be in the presence of a Gnani. Your only desire should be to increase the opportunity to be with
the Gnani. Your innermost drive
should be that the files decrease so that you can give yourself the opportunity
to be with Him.
Mahavideh Kshetra awaits
such a person. The one in whom the awareness of Shuddhatma is established, cannot remain here in Bharat Kshetra(our
world). The rule is that the one who gets the awareness of the Soul goes
to Mahavideh Kshetra. He does not remain in this Dusham Kaal (current time
cycle). With one or two more lifetimes in Mahavideh Kshetra, after the darshan
of the Tirthankar Shri Simandhar Swami, one attains moksha. Such is the
simplicity and ease of this path. Stay in my agnas. Agna represents religion
and agna represents penance. You are to settle all your files with equanimity.
Stay in the agnas as much as possible. The State of Lord Mahavir can be yours
if you abide by them constantly. Look
at the relative and look at the Real and your chit will not wander. But alas!
The mind will erupt with new thoughts, which cause puzzles.
After this Gnan if you follow the five agnas you will
be in bliss, as Lord Mahavir did. I live with the same bliss. I am showing
you this path, the very path that I have walked. Your spiritual awakening in
the Real realm is same as mine.
(14) THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FIVE AGNAS
SPIRITUAL PRACTICE AFTER GNAN
Questioner: What should one do spiritually after this Gnan?
Dadashri: The only endeavor is to follow the five agnas. One should not have any
other endeavors. All other endeavors cause bondage. These five agnas release
you from bondage.
Questioner: Is there anything higher than your five agnas?
Dadashri: These five agnas are a fence protecting your priceless treasure. If
you have a fully enclosed fence, nobody can take away the priceless treasure
that I have given you. If this fence of five agnas, becomes weak then chances
are that someone will enter and spoil the contents. Then I have to come and
repair the fence. So if you stay within the five agnas, I guarantee your
eternal bliss.
These five agnas are given
for your protection. I have given you the Gnan and the knowledge of separation.
But for this separation to prevail, I give you the five agnas for further
protection. This age is that of kaliyug (deceit, dark age), and without
protection, you are likely to be robbed of this invaluable treasure of Gnan.
For the seed of Gnan to blossom into a full-bloomed tree, you will have to
water it and nurture it. You will have to provide protection and create a small
enclosure to protect the young plant.
Dadashri: The five agnas are simple, are they not?
Questioner: But they appear difficult in daily experience.
Dadashri: They are not difficult, but it seems that way because of your large
stock of discharge karma from past life. At such times you need to be more
aware. Spiritual laziness under such
circumstances will not do at all. If you remain within my agnas, you can
experience the bliss of Lord Mahavir. The previous tendencies of the mind do
not let you stay in the five agnas. Maintaining the 'Knower-Known state (the
state of 'I' in the correct place as the Knower or Observer and the 'Known'
being file number one, Chandulal), you will be beyond these tendencies of your
mind. Do not accommodate these tendencies. Do not be pleased with any of your
previous tendencies. They may express in all ways and may dance around you and
mesmerize you. That does not mean that ‘You’ have slipped. They may even cause
variable anxiety and tribulations. If this happens, it only clouds the state of
your real bliss. If your peace is interrupted, it is because of these prior
tendencies.
With determination you will
be able to follow the agnas. But the problems occur when one is indecisive. You
have to make this decision, ‘I want to stay within the agna’. Such a
determination is possible, is it not? If this is not possible on a daily basis,
why not take one day at a time and experience the bliss that follows by
resolutely following the agnas every instant? I am not telling you to follow my
agnas. I am telling you to make a decision to follow my agnas.
The greatest thing of all is
to decide to follow Dada's agnas. You should decide to do that. Do not concern
yourself about whether you are able to do so or not. However much you are able
to follow then, that much is correct and exact. At least be determined to follow them.
Questioner: So if they are not followed fully, it is acceptable?
Dadashri: No, not quite. You should be firm in your determination that you want
to follow the agnas. From the time you wake up decide, "I want to stay in
and follow the agnas." This decision will keep you in the agnas, and that
is all I want. I know the causal reason why you are not able to follow the
agnas. Your decision however is needed.
Moksha is the reality of our
Gnan. If you stay in the aagna, moksha is guaranteed. There is no argument
about it. Even if one does not want to follow the agnas, because he has
attained the seed of Gnan, one day it is bound to grow. People ask me what
happens to those who have taken the Gnan but do not follow the agnas. I tell
them that they are not to be concerned about this. That is my concern because
they have taken the Gnan from me. One’s
sins are destroyed in the fire of the Gnan. When one abides by the five agnas,
bliss will prevail.
The task shall be
accomplished if you follow the agnas. I follow these agnas constantly. The
state that I am in is the state that is given to you. It will only work if the
agnas are followed. If one tried to attain this through one’s own efforts, he would
not succeed even in a hundred thousand lifetimes. There are situations where
one follows the agnas through the medium of the intellect. This only weakens
the protective wall of the agnas, even though he still may have the bhaav to
follow the agnas. So one needs to be
alert and attentive.
Do pratikraman if you forget
to follow the agnas. Yes, it is human nature to forget. When you forget, do
pratikraman, by saying, "Dada, Please forgive me. I forgot to follow the
agnas for these two hours. I do want to follow your agnas. Please forgive
me." Through pratikraman, you will be relieved of your responsibility.
Once enclosed in the
protective sphere of the agnas, nothing in the world will bother you. Karma will not bind you. Does it bind the
one who is the giver of the agnas? No, because they are given with a view to
help others.
THESE ARE THE AGNAS OF THE LORD
To follow Dada's agnas does
not mean that you are following A. M. Patel's agnas. These are agnas of the
Lord of the Fourteen Worlds, Dada Bhagwan. I am guaranteeing this. Yes, they
are coming to you through my medium. Follow them. I stay within these agnas.
JAI SAT CHIT ANAND
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