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Aptavani-8
181
Questioner: So if there is just one kind of chetan (the Self), how can its existence be separate?
Dadashri: It does remain separate, so how can they become one? They can never become one. These bars of gold are all separate, but essentially it is all gold. You can say the same for the Atma; that it is one. But just like these gold bars, they are all separate. There is no other difference in them. It is through the intellect (buddhi) that you see them from the wrong aspect. Otherwise, in the absolute liberated state (siddha sthiti), they are all experiencing their own bliss (sukh)!
Those who have differentiating intellects (bhed buddhi), find it very difficult to understand this! Although they are many, they are one; is something worth understanding, and also something very subtle! If they were to all merge in one over there, then what do you get out of it? Even I heard the same thing when I was young, that one light (deevo) melds with another, to become one. So how did that help me? You want the bliss of moksha, so if they all become one, what kind of bliss would you get? If you become one with Bhagwan (God), then what is left of you? And besides, they are all Bhagwan. Ramchandraji has gone on to moksha, and right now he himself is enjoying the bliss of moksha. Whereas we are here, and so we have to endure the problems that we have over here.
Even in the worldly life (sansar), even in the universe, there is not just one Atma; there are infinite living beings (jiva), but they all have one inherent nature (swabhav). There is never any change in their inherent properties or traits (gunadharma).
It Will Have to Be Scientific
Questioner: But what I believe is that besides the element of the Absolute Soul (Parmatma tattva), there is nothing else, and that which we call Atma, is nothing other than a manifestation of the Absolute Soul (Parmatma).
