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DISCOURSE 7
113
BLIND IMITATION : AN ILLUSTRATION
Once, a Sadhu came to a town situated on the outskrits of Rajasthan. There were some Jain families also in that town. They were extremely delighted on seeing the Sadhu. They went to the Upashraya (a religious centre); saluted the Sadhu and took him to all the houses to give him Biksha (food). They were extremely hospitable to the Muniraj. The Sadhu said to the devotees, "You must come to the Upashray in the evening to perform the Pratikraman i.e. atonement. You must perform Pratikraman along with me." Those people said, "Maharaj Saheb! We do not know how to perform Pratikraman". The Guru Maharaj said, “You must perform it as I perform it." They all agreed to this suggestion. In the evening, they went to the Upashray. The austerity of Pratikraman began. They carried out the austerity as he was doing it looking at him. They were only carrying out the activity but they did not understand anything of it. Even in performing the activity those people had a difficulty.
The Muniraj felt some pain. He was about to fall into an epileptic fit. The Pratikraman was going on well; but the Muniraj had an epileptic paroxysm. He lay down on the floor flat. His hands and legs began to shake. Bubbles appeared at his mouth. The devotees thought that even this was an activity relating to Pratikraman. Thinking thus, they also lay down in the same manner and began to shake their legs and hands; but bubbles did not appear at their mouths.
When the Pratikraman was over, the Muniraj said to the devotees "Please tell me. I think you performed the Pratikraman as I performed looking at me, at every step." One devotee said, “Yes. We performed every activity correctly as you performed it, but one thing has remained incomplete". The Gurumaharaj asked him, "Which one has remained incomplete?" The devotee said, “Bubbles appeared at your mouth; but no bubbles appeared at our mouths. We too lay do vn flat like you; we too shook our hands and legs; We did everything; but only bubbles did not appear at our mouths. This breach has occurred".
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