Guru and Disciple

Author(s): Dada Bhagwan
Publisher: Mahavideh Foundation

Page 72

The Guru and the Disciple
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The Guru and the Disciple
by dravya (effect) through thoughts, speech and acts, kshetra (space or location), kaad(time), bhaav (intent)!
The whole world builds ashrams. You cannot afford the weight of ashrams if you want to be free. It is better to beg for food than to go to an ashram. The Lord has given the freedom to beg for food. The Lord has said to take alms and work for the salvation of others. The problem lies only in feeding your stomach, right? Real ashrams existed in Satyug, when people were earnestly trying to attain only moksha. But in this Kaliyug, ashrams have Decome a collection of resting places. No one cares about moksha nowadays. Therefore, it is not worth building ashrams in the current time cycle. Money and sex are the greatest illusions in religion
People have made businesses out of religion. They want to make a profit (monetary and pride validation) out of being worshipped. There are many such businesses in India. Are there only two or three such businesses? There are countless such businesses. How can we say such things to the owners of such businesses? How can you say no to someone who tells you that he wants to start such a shop? So then what should we tell the customer?
Dadashri: Even if it is used for a good cause, what I am saying is that none of it reaches God (the Self). If it is used for a good cause, it will produce many good results (merit karmapunya), but what benefit does one gets out of it for the Self? There is no religion where there is money. Whatever the degree of priority for money in a religion, there is an equally corresponding weakness there.
Questioner: When money comes, one has to attend to it, take care of it and make arrangements for it.
Dadashri: No, not like that. Not for its arrangement. There will always be volunteers who are willing to take care of all that. But religion becomes weak in the presence of money. The biggest maya-illusion that deceives, is that of money and sex. These are the two biggest illusions people have. And God does not exist where there is illusion (maya), and there cannot be any illusion where there is God.
And when money enters into religion, there is no telling how deep it will trap the guru. Are there any rules here? Therefore, no money should be involved at the very root. Come clean; do not adulterate religion!
Religion is in shambles today In addition, they charge a fee just as there is a fee when you go to see a play. There are about five percent or so gurus that are good. Just as the price of gold goes up, so do their fees! That is why I had to write in the books that neither God nor religion exists in the exchange of money. God exists where there is no exchange of money or business in religion. Whenever there is exchange of money, it has become a business.
There is money involved wherever you go. They charge you a fee everywhere. So what crime have the poor committed there? And if you keep a fee, then charge the poor a nominal amount so they too can attend and get the benefit. But mostly,
Questioner: We should stop him.
Dadashri: No, you should not stop him; this is just the way it continues in the world.
Questioner: Today, people are involved in raising millions of rupees to buildashrams.
Dadashri: But the rupees are like that, there is no substance (impure money) in such money.
Questioner: But what if those rupees are used for a good cause like education or helping people?