Shrimad Rajchandra And Mahatma Gandhi

Author(s): Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: Raj Saubhag Satsang Mandal

Page 84

Shrimad Rajchandra's Message
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in reality, if such a person has not actually implemented what the scriptures teach, he cannot be called spiritual.
Shrimad asks, “What is religion?” And he answers, “True religion is like an ocean. It is nobody's personal property. One who follows it is the true spiritually minded person.”
In the 9th chapter of the “Dash Vaikalik Sutra’ one comes across the following verse:
गुणेहिं साहू अगुणेहिं ऽ साहू गेण्हाहि साहूगुण मुंच ऽ साहू । वियाणिया अप्पगमप्पएणं जो रागदोसेहिं समो स पुज्जो ॥
A person can be considered to be a sage only based on virtues he possesses, the presence of even the minutest vice makes him a sinner. Thus, one should cultivate virtues in one's own life and
work to remove each and every vice. One who has realised his true self through his own consciousness, has overcome all duality
and remains immersed in equanimity is worthy of veneration.
This became evident from an incident involving Shrimad and Munishri Lalluji Maharaj, (Munishri Laluji was a monk and yet had become a disciple of Shrimad - a lay person. This is unprecedented in Jain history). Once, Munishri Lalluji had travelled to Mumbai to spend the four months of monsoon near Shrimad. The monk once boasted in the presence of Shrimad of the numerous sacrifices he had made to become an ascetic. He said he had sacrificed his family including his old mother, two wives and son as well as his property and wealth and much more. In order to dissolve his ego, Shrimad asked in a tone showing annoyance, “What sacrifice are you talking about? By leaving one house, have you not gained ownership over so many others (of your followers)?