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[8] Freedom from the Chains of Life-After-Life Accounts
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Pratikraman
I do pratikraman for it at night or should I meet with that person and do direct pratikraman?
Dadashri: In such an event, what would someone who does not have Self-realization (agnani) resort to? He would fight, curse, shout insults, etc; this is what an agnani will do.(166)
Questioner: Yes.
Dadashri: He may curse and swear, but that will not stop the harm. He has brought such an account (karma) with him and so that is bound to occur. But when he retaliates, he creates a new account (karma) for the coming life. He perpetuates the account. That is not what we do here in Akram Vignan; we simply have to see and know what is happening. The underlying foundation of this awareness is, 'The harm the other person is doing is the result of my own past karma.' Just like when the step-well (vaav) echoes back thief' if you first say 'thief in it; can you then claim that the water well is harming you? No, it is the effect of your own action coming back to you. Because the echo comes back to you right away, you can know that it is the result of your own doing. Otherwise, one does not recognize it. Therefore, there is no need to do pratikraman in this case of the other person harming you at all. You have to do pratikraman if you are the one causing the harm. We do not have to do pratikraman if he is causing the harm. You just keep 'seeing.
Pratikraman Also for Those Who Insult You
Questioner: Sometimes I feel unappreciated and disheartened. I feel that no matter how much I do for that person, he keeps insulting me.
Dadashri: You should do his pratikraman. This is the way of the world. There are so many different kinds of people who will hold you back from your liberation.
Questioner: Why should I do that pratikraman?
Dadashri: Pratikraman should be done because in your unfolding karma effect, he has to bind a new karma. That is why I am doing pratikraman and I will never make such a mistake again where I become instrumental (nimit) in another person binding karma.
The world will not let anyone become liberated. The bondage of this life is such that only pratikraman can release you. For this reason, Lord Mahavir has given us alochana, pratikraman and pratyakhyan in just one word, 'pratikraman.' There is no other way out. When is one able to do pratikraman correctly? It is when he attains the knowledge of the Self from the Gnani Purush. With this knowledge, awareness (jagruti) arises and this awareness will allow you to do pratikraman and be released from the burden of karmic liability.
You should do pratikraman so you become free of liabilities.
This is How You Regain Trust Questioner: How can I restore the trust I had for someone who has betrayed me?
Dadashri: You should repent for all the times you have harbored negative thoughts about him. Whatever bad thoughts you had for him after you lost trust in him, you have to repent
If someone does us good, that is the result of our own doing and if he causes us harm, that too is the result of our own doing. Worldly people (those who do not have Gnan) react differently in both situations. They have attachment towards the one doing good and abhorrence towards the one doing harm. Both are the results of attachment and abhorrence in the previous life). No one does good or bad; it is simply the echo of your own doing. There is nothing else. How can anything come from outside this?
