Guru and Disciple

Author(s): Dada Bhagwan
Publisher: Mahavideh Foundation

Page 15

The Guru and the Disciple
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Questioner: That will not do, but this entire discussion is about the worldly life.
Dadashri: No, whatever is applicable in the worldly life is applicable here, too. Here, in spiritual matters too, animit is needed first!
If they did away with all the schools and books, people would not study or learn. With animit, your work would progress but without it, it would not. What qualifies as animit? Books are a nimit, temples are animit, derasars (Jain temples) are animit, the Gnani Purush is a nimit. Now if we did not have all these books and derasars, then what will happen to the upadaan (one's spiritual development)? That is why your work will be done only if there is animit and not otherwise.
The twenty-four Tirthankaras have repeatedly said this very thing. They have said for us to revere and praise the nimit. If upadaan is lacking and one meets the nimit, then his upadaan will arise. Nevertheless the reason they are talking about upadaan is, if in spite of meeting animit, if you do not keep your upadaan awakened and ready, your work will not be done. So be careful. That is what they are telling you.
What is upadaan? It is to keep the oil or the ghee and the wick ready; it is to keep everything ready for the lamp, so it may be lit. People have kept everything ready for infinite lifetimes, but they have not found anyone to kindle the lamp. The ghee and the wick are ready but they need someone to kindle it. One has not found the scriptures of the nimit that will lead to moksha. One has not met animit like the Gnani Purush; nimit who would take him to moksha. He has not found all such tools (nimit). People have been wandering around because they have not found such nimits.
The way people understand nimit is, if the upadaan is there, then at that time animit will be found. But 'finding animit' does
The Guru and the Disciple
not exactly mean that. One has to have the bhavna (an inner intent) to meet the liberator (nimit). Without the bhavna, one will not encounter even animit.
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People have misused this statement. The nimit himself is saying there is no need for animit. Despite being the nimit, he talks this way.
Questioner: Yes, even Shrimad Rajchandra says the same
thing.
Dadashri: Not just Shrimad Rajchandra, but the Tirthankaras too have said that without animit no work can be accomplished. Statements like, "If there is upadaan, then there will be a nimit" and "There is no need for a nimit," are not statements of the Tirthankaras or Shrimad Rajchandra. Anyone who says such a thing speaks with a great liability. The one who speaks this way incurs liability.
Krupadudev Shrimad Rajchandra said, "Do not search for anything else. Seek out a Satpurush (the enlightened one; a Gnani Purush) and leave after surrendering your all, at his feet. And then if you do not feel liberated, then come and get it from me." If that were not the case he would have simply written, "Just stay at home and sleep and the nimit will come to you and keep your upadaan awake and active."
The misapplication of Tirthankara's teachings
Questioner: There is also another belief that, "We accept the necessity for the nimit, however, the nimit is not able to do anything!"
Dadashri: Indeed, if that were the case then there would be no need to search for anything. What need would there be to read books? There would be no need to go to the derasars. Would a clever person then not question, 'Sir, since a nimit cannot do anything, why are you sitting here? What do we need