Spirituality in Speech

Author(s): Dada Bhagwan
Publisher: Mahavideh Foundation

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Spirituality in Speech
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Spirituality in Speech
Dadashri : It is because of karmas; merit or demerit. Everything that happens is dependent upon your good and bad deeds from your past life. When the effect of demerit is in operation, people will think you are lying even when you are telling the truth. When effects of your merit karma are in operation, people will believe you, no matter how much you lie.
Questioner : Then, does that not harm me?
Dadashri : Indeed harm is there but you will experience it in your next life. In the current life you are experiencing the effects of your actions from your previous life. By lying in this life, you are sowing seeds for your next life. This is precisely how this world functions and no one, absolutely no one can exert his or her influence over the way this works. (the laws of karma)
Questioner: Is it acceptable to deliberately do something wrong and then say that you will do pratikraman for it?
Dadashri : No, you should never do anything wrong deliberately. However, if something should go wrong, then you must do pratikraman.
Questioner : Is it considered demerit karma to lie for the sake of others?
person can laugh about it. The other person will then realize that it was a trivial matter and there was no harm in it.
Questioner : What would happen if you were to discover our lies?
Dadashri : Nothing. I catch people telling lies many times but I also understand that this is how it is. What else can I expect?
One has been lying for endless lives. Has one ever told the truth? If I were to ask this man where he had been, he would tell me he went out for a walk, but actually he went to the movies. People casually tell lies all the time, but they must also ask for forgiveness (pratikraman).
Questioner : Is it wrong to lie when we are working towards a higher spiritual goal (parmaarth-ultimate goal)?
Dadashri : The idea behind parmaarth means anything done for the Soul and anything that is done for the soul does not incur a fault, but anything done for the body does. Your bad deeds will give effect as your faults and your good deeds as your virtues; however anything that is done for the benefit of the soul will not result in a fault. It will result as a fault if you were to be instrumental in hurting someone.
There is nothing wrong in doing something for the soul, even if you have to lie in the process. However, there is a problem if you are doing something for the body, even if you are telling the truth. Whenever you do something for your worldly comforts, even if you are telling the truth, there is a problem (karma continues), but if you have to lie to do anything for the soul, it is beneficial.
Questioner : Who will be held liable if I lie in order to help others? Is it okay to do this?
Dadashri : The one who lies will bear the fault.
Dadashri : In any event, lying is wrong. When you lie for someone else's benefit you bind both merit (punya) karma as well as demerit (paap) karma.
When you lie, you will lose people's trust and when you lose the trust of others, you lose your value as a person.
Questioner : What happens when a lie is discovered?
Dadashri : Then you should admit that you have been caught. I would admit it and tell them, "Yes, I got caught." What is wrong in admitting that? If you do this, then you and the other