Way of Life Part 4

Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

Page 81

DISCOURSE 78
greatness of knowledge is. You must have at least the sense or intelligence to understand whether a man is really enlightened or not. We can find any number of sadhus, who are sadhus only in appearance; who merely wear the clothes of sadhus but who do not carry out their vows properly and who also do not possess any special enlightenment. Those people, to attain their selfish ends wander about flattering the wealthy people of the world.
A sadhu who has undertaken a vow never breaks it. You must know the proprieties and limits of the vows undertaken by sadhus. If you do not have that knowledge how are you going to find out whether a sadhu who has undertaken a vow possesses true knowledge or not?
Do you have the knowledge to understand whether a person is enlightened or not ? "Does this sadhu possess the ripeness of knowledge or not?” How are you going to determine this?
From the Audience : We consider that sadhu as an enlightened one if he can delight his congregations with his discourses.
Maharajashri : Does the sadhu deliver his discourses in accordance with the commands of the Jin or not? Have you weighed and found out the nature of his exposition, his conduct and dealings with others or not? Does he deliver his discourses bearing in mind the impediments and exceptions or not? Are his discourses related to the Jin Agams or not? Are all these virtues present in the discourses of the sadhu whose discourses you like and admire ? You may admire the discourses of that sadhu who explains to you the path of salvation in such an easy language and style that you can assimilate his ideas without difficulty. Do you admire such discourses ?
KNOWING THE COMMANDS OF THE JIN IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE
You require knowledge even to know the extent of the knowledge that an enlightened man possesses and to evaluate his knowledge. Do you have such knowledge ? If you do not have it how are you going to identify the men of enlightenment?