Philosophy and Spirituality of Srimad Rajchandra

Author(s): U K Pungaliya
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 98

He defines perverse faith as considering oneself as the Kartā of everything, like “ I am the author, I am the doer. How ably I do things !", Unsubdued ego is the source of unlimited miseries. We have to remember that nobody is able to give to or bestow on anybody anything, nor anybody is able to receive or accept anything. That is mere appearance. People forget that gain, loss, life, happiness, unhappiness etc. are all acquired as per one's karmabandha. To say or think, “ I have given, I have made somebody happy or unhappy”, is nothing but pride and false notion, which invites further karmabandha."
It may be noted that a good Śrāvaka is a partial or miniature monk or muni and all the rules, disciplines, sacrifices etc., required to be followed by a muni or a monk are also required to be followed by a Śrāvaka, but only on lesser or smaller scale. It is significant to note that whether one is a Śrāvaka or a monk, one's internal spiritual height cannot be judged from status as a śrāvaka or a monk. Take for example the case of śrīmad, who had definitely reached such spiritual height as very few munis can attain. The sole test is how much vítarāgată an aspirant has acheived with the acquisition of right faith, right knowledge and right conduct and whether he is constantly aware of duality of soul and body and whether he has cultivated the ability to be