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170
Aptavani-4
Swadhyaya: Paradhyaya Dadashri: What do you read?
Questioner: Jain swadhyaya (study of the Self), sutras, and I give lectures etc. I do all that.
Dadashri: The one doing the swadhyaya is really doing paradhyaya (study of the non-Self). If you did swadhyaya (study of the Self), just once, then from there on, you would find a solution to everything. Everything that is taking place in the world is paravalumban (dependent upon the non-Self) and this dependency may be correct. With swavalumban (dependency on the Self) there is liberation, and paravalumban (dependency on the non-Self) will lead to relentless wandering life after life. Ultimately the Ego Will Have to be Dissolved
Human nature considers that adopting a path which is shubha-ashubha (auspicious-inauspicious) is religion (dharma). Every religion talks about doing good and avoiding the bad. The Jain religion relegates such discussions of shubha-ashubha to a lower level; there is no discussion about it whatsoever. In their spiritual readings and discussions, they refer to the works and hear the discourses of elevated individuals such as those who have gone on to become the highest Gnanis, the absolutely enlightened beings and superlative men. And from this, arises one's intent (bhaav), to become just like these great men. This is the essence of the Jain religion, but people have instead entered into shubha-ashubha (doing good and avoiding the bad)!
Jainism comprises four Anuyogas (paths that lead to the Self): Kathanuyoga (stories of the great human beings who have attained the Self), Charananuyoga (the path of surrender and devotion), Karananuyoga (the path of understanding the law of cause and effect, the description of the universe) and