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I am the Soul
intellect is limited to the self. Well, that's all right. But what if the person claims that he would accept only that idea which settles in his intellect, notwithstanding who has given it to him? 'It may be something an ordinary person has said, but I would accept it if it is understood by my intellect, or it may be something an intellectual has said, but I would accept it only if the principle can be digested.'
But let us ask him - what is the capacity of your intellect? Have you measured it ever? Quite often we find people saying, "whatever I do, I do it with great understanding and thought", whether it is a matter of their own family or of the society, but every person says so. If all were to be understanding and thoughtful, then why should there be such chaos? Hasn't somebody gone wrong somewhere? But will the ego allow this fault to be acknowledged?
Just as this goes on in the field of worldly affairs, the selfconceited jiva believes so in the spiritual field too. Jineshwar has said the two substances inanimate and animate are independent. One substance can do nothing for the other. In spite of it the jiva believes, “I can do a lot for many. Not only can I do, but I also know it all. What is it that I do not know? I am an allrounder!" Such false-pride is the self-conceit of the jiva on the spiritual path. The self-conceit keeps him from recognising the true principle. Where there is I, I and only I, how can there be faith in what the sages say?
If a jiva has to really understand the principle, he has to adopt the view of a scientist. For years there are discoveries being made in the scientific laboratories. Whenever a new scientist makes an entry into his field, he first properly understands all the principles of the discoveries made by his predecessors. Goes deep into them to study and progresses with a belief that those principles are true. Then on his own merit he may even make new discoveries, but he never thinks, “Is my intellect lower than any? Why should I rest on the principles propounded by
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