Aptavani 09

Author(s): Dada Bhagwan
Publisher: Mahavideh Foundation

Page 43

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Aptavani-9
retaliate in this manner? If his boss tells him he is being obstinate, he will not speak a word because it is coming from his boss but nevertheless he will retaliate in his mind! And that is because of the ego, what will the ego not do? Everything is based on the ego. Everything is supported by the ego. One is the absolute Self (parmatma) when that ego is gone.
Questioner: But, in such instances, so many times we end up saying, "This is wrong.'
Dadashri: Yes, you will make such statements. That is an old habit of ours from time immemorial! But you also realize that you did some thing wrong. Do you not realize this after having said so?
Questioner: Yes
Dadashri: But it is an old habit that has been there for countless lives. It is subject to the law of action and reaction and therefore it is not likely to cease suddenly.
Never say, 'I cannot do it' From now on, you should not say, 'the obstinacy does not go away. 'Because when I ask people how they are doing, they tell me, 'Sir, I know everything. but I am not able to do it. What kind of people are you? You have turned the Self to this? In spite of my telling you that the Atma can become whatever you imagine it to be, you still make statements such as 'I know everything but I cannot do it.' Is that what you are telling me? Then the Atma will become just like that it will become crippled. You should never say, 'I know it all but I cannot do it.' Especially, you should never say, 'I cannot do it.' When I have a fever and someone asks, 'Are you running a fever?' I tell them, 'Yes, I know that A M. Patel has a fever. 'If I say, 'I have a fever' then it becomes attached to me. You immediately become whatever you envision (kalpey). Therefore, I do not say any such things.
The main nature (swabhav) of the Self is that one becomes whatever he envisions. If you say 'I am God', then you become like God, and if you say, 'I am worthless, then you will become worthless. You become that, the moment you say it. When you say, I should become a God, then at that moment you do become God, but then you will ask, 'What should I do now?' So you do not know it well and hence you revert to what you were before, dim-witted! Should you not learn how? Should you not know what you have to do after attaining the Self? Otherwise, you will revert to what you were before. The Self becomes what it envisions (chintavan) and because it is so it will continue to take on countless different forms and change from one form to another of whatever is envisioned. The one who is envisioning is not doing it independently. The pressure of his surroundings and the prevailing circumstances influences the envisioning.
The knowledge guides one's conduct Questioner: So what is the root cause of obstinacy? Dadashri: The ego. Questioner: But is it not the effect of past life's causes?
Dadashri: It is an effect, but only because the causes were created. How do causes occur? First comes the knowledge of obstinacy that says, 'If I become obstinate and inflexible, everyone will straighten out. I will become obstinate to sort everyone out at home. Obstinacy can be very useful.' One attains this knowledge first, and then the faith (shraddha) sets in. The faith in turn strengthens that knowledge. Knowledge without faith will not last, but when faith develops, it makes the knowledge stronger and then that obstinacy comes into conduct. Then all the fun (!) begins!
Everyone's obstinacy is different
Questioner: Everyone does not have similar obstinacy, do they?