Atmssiddhi

Author(s): Shrimad Rajchandra, Manu Doshi
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Sadhna Kendra Koba

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Chapter 2: Characteristics of Sectarians
Explanation & Discussion:
Spiritual pursuit consists of treading on the path of liberation. Since the right path for the purpose is unknown, a spiritual aspirant needs to know the same from a true Guru. Those who are truth seekers can recognize a true Guru from the characteristics stated in the 10th stanza. But a sectarian holds wrong beliefs about the gurus. Either he goes in for the outward symbols or attaches importance to the family and sectarian aspects. He is impressed by the external renouncement and would therefore accept such persons as gurus. Those gurus could even be devoid of knowledge and without any sense of internal detachment. Therefore, they might be indulging in passions as well. But a sectarian does not care for that. He goes by the outward signs and regards those as gurus, who wear the monk's cloths, perform different types of rituals, and observes external austerities.
The question may arise, "Is external renouncement of no importance?" The omniscient Lords primarily described the path of renouncement. If that were of no avail, why did Tirthankars and other great persons give up family life and become monks? External renouncement is no doubt useful, but it needs to be associated with internal detachment, resulting from enlightenment. The internal detachment comes from understanding the true nature of the soul. This can take place only when a spiritual aspirant surrenders with great reverence to a true Guru who is enlightened. The absolute and unconditional surrender to a true Guru must take place with the renouncement of wrong beliefs. Only then it will lead to enlightenment. With enlightenment, external renouncement will follow, unless an aspirant has to stay in the worldly life as a consequence of previous Karma. Bare external renouncement, without any implication of an internal one, has little significance in the spiritual realm.
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Those so-called gurus have no renouncement at heart nor are they enlightened. They might have renounced the family life in line with their tradition or on account of some other external considerations. They might adopt the dress of a monk, but they