Aptavani 02

Author(s): Dada Bhagwan
Publisher: Mahavideh Foundation

Page 35

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worldly life continues to exist. By being partial, one energizes the pillars of partiality and divisiveness. You fools! Do you want liberation or do you want to remain in partiality? Liberation and taking sides is a contradiction. The Lord himself is impartial and yet people have become partial. The Jains say, "This is ours, that is not, that belongs to the Vaishnavs." The Muslims too say, "This is ours. This is not, this belongs to the Hindus." Everyone in all religions take sides. Here, with the Gnani there is clarification for people of all religions. Everyone that comes here, regardless of his or her religious belief, feels no alienation. They feel as if 'We' are talking about their very own religion and that is because 'We are absolutely impartial. Only here is there a coming together of all religions.
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When people become partial, they move further away from the Lord within. Not only have people become partial but they have also created so many different divisions within just one faith. Even amongst Jains, there are eighty-four different sects and there are so many factions amongst the Vedantis too. What is the definition of the Jain dharma? It is when one does not take sides. What is more, if someone creates divisions, a true Jain would go to that person to explain things to him in details and try to overcome any conflict of opinions. The definition of a true Jain is that even when he is right and the other person is completely wrong, he would still approach the other person himself. Many will say to him, "Why do you bother with him when you are right?" But the one practicing true Jainism will say, "I am a Jain and that is why I have to approach him." A Jain is someone who has no obstinacy about any perspective and who listens to everyone. He will listen to everyone and will not allow any viewpoints to cloud his own vision; he remains focused. He would not resort to deceit, 'Yours is wrong and mine is right'. Surely one should listen to that which reaches the self within, should one not?
Lord Mahavir used to listen even when someone of a
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different religion came to him. But people have created so many factions within the very religion of Lord Mahavir.
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Today, the ascetics and sages too have become partial. What is the difference between the sages of religious sect and the sages of the vitarag Lords? The sages of religious sect are partial; they even fight amongst themselves. Just as two brothers fight with each other. The sages of the vitarag Lord are impartial and never interfere in anything. We pay obeisance to the sages of the vitarag Lords who never take any sides, regardless of whether they are a Digambari ('sky-clad' or 'naked' the sect of Jains who believe nothing besides the atma merits owning and hence they do not believe in rituals or idols) or a Swetambar (the Jain sect that believes in idol worship and rituals and visit derasars). But here the maharaj of one religious sect will not go to listen to another religious sect. Can they attain liberation if they are caught up in taking sides? If it is the truth, then it must be accepted even if it comes from anybody's home. But where does truth exist today?
Sages of certain religious sects have quarreled over whether they should clothe the idol of the Lord or to leave it naked. What was the reason behind leaving the Lord's idol naked? Adorning an idol is an undeveloped ritual, but it attracts people to come and do the Lord's darshan, does it not? Whereas the previous concept is for those who want knowledge, but nowadays everything is completely turned around. A sage from one religious sect came to me and told me, "Surely liberation will come only to us, will it not?" 'We' asked him, "Why do you say that?" and he replied, "Why? Did God not say, "Nagga ae mokha magga"? (Only the one who sheds his 'clothes' will attain liberation)?" "We' told him, "Yes, you are right, the Lord did say, "Nagga ae mokha magga", but you have misunderstood this statement. The Lord said to de-clothe (unveil) the Self, not the body!"
All this is nothing but misunderstanding. The soul has three