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Aptavani-2
difficulty in walking that a provision would be made for such a
rule? Should people not have common sense in dealing with
such situations or is one to hang on to rules with idiotic
obstinacy?
That poor Maharaj came to me and said to me, “Look at
this uncomfortable situation the sangh (company) has put me in.
They keep telling me to leave but no one wants to pay fifty
rupees and arrange for a doli for me. Please help me find a
way.” ‘We’ then made arrangements to pay for the doli. The
sangh sent off the Maharaj with pomp and grandeur. They
arranged a flamboyant procession with a band blaring music and
the sanghpati decked in his fancy turban and clothes lead the
procession!
They spent 500 hundred rupees for the festivities and the
procession to bid the Maharaj farewell but they could not afford
to pay 50 rupees for his doli! If you ask them why, they would
tell you, “There is a rule that allows for paying for the procession
but none for paying for a doli. Such a rule is not to be found
even in our history so how can we make provision for it?”
Now if this is not called avyavahar (discourtesy,
unnatural worldly dealing), then what else can we call it?
We do not have any rules here, but at the same time, we
cannot break other people’s laws and rules. By breaking
someone else’s rules, you become a nimit (instrumental) in
encouraging others adversely. We cannot do such a thing. Really
no one blames you, but if you become instrumental in doing such
a thing, you will incite others to think they too can break their
laws. This is why we should respect other people’s laws.
‘We’ do not have any laws; ‘we’ have only Agnas
(special directives). There are rules and regulations in the relative
world but there are no rules or regulations here.
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