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12
Aptavani-8
Dadashri: They are different by their inherent properties (gunadharma). Does everything not have its own property? This gold has its own property; copper has its own property. Do not we recognize things by their properties?
Questioner: Yes, we do.
Dadashri: That is how the properties of the Atma and the non-Self (anatma) are. They do have some of the same properties, however, in certain cases, some of their properties differ. The inherent nature (chaitanya swabhav) of the Self is not found in anything else. Chaitanya swabhav means Knowledge (Gnan) and Vision (Darshan).
So, Knowledge and Vision are the innate qualities (guna) of the Atma (the Self). The inherent nature (swabhav) of the Atma is to continually know. That inherent nature of Knowing is not present in any inanimate (jada) thing. This attribute of Knowing does not exist in this body. The inherent attribute (swabhav) of Knowing is that of the Atma, and that itself is the Parmatma (Absolute Soul)! The Atma Is the Abode of Infinite Properties
Questioner: Does the Atma not possess Knowledge (Gnanvado) anyways?
Dadashri: It is itself Knowledge. Not that it has Knowledge; it is Knowledge itself! If we call it “Gnanvado (with Knowledge)", it would mean that with (vado) and Knowledge (Gnan), are two separate things. Therefore, the Atma itself is Knowledge; it is light (prakash) itself! And it is because of this light that you are able to see all this. It is because of this light that all this is ‘seen' (understood) everything, and ‘known' (experienced). It is because of this light, that one can understand everything and know everything.
So the Atma is the Absolute Soul (Parmatma); the abode