Aptavani-2 Aptavani-02 | Page 501

452 Aptavani-2 Dwaitadwaita : The Self is beyond all states of duality and non-duality Questioner : Is it true what many say that the Self is adwaita (non-dual) in this world? Dadashri : They say that, but they have not attained the vision of non-duality (adwaita) so it is a grave mistake and a fault to say that the Soul is adwaita. The Soul is a completely different thing. All these talks are mere reference to non-dualism; where does their non-duality go when someone insults them or robs them? That is when you realize whether they have attained the Self or not. Fearlessness and independence arises in those who have attained the Self, but nevertheless the bhaav of one saying that, ‘I am adwaita, I am Chandulal,’ is the relative self speaking and not the Self. I am separate from God, keeps one entrenched in the relative self and there are many such people in India. They do not have the experience of the Self, they simply talk. Everyone is caught up in sectarianism. The Jains are caught up in duality, the Vedantis are in non-duality and they claim, “I am the Atma and I am pure.” If that is so, then why do they bother going to temples? Why do they read scriptures? These people are involved in a one-track (ekantik) belief of non-duality and others are involved in a singular belief of duality. ‘Only if I do it, will it get done’ or ‘I have to suffer because I lost my temper, do I not?’ People are possessed with ‘ghosts’ of all kinds and from that they have started all kinds of business i.e. different philosophies and paths like Vishishtadwaita, Shuddhadwaita, etc. Here I meet people believing in non-duality and I have to ask them, “If you are a believer of non-duality then what you are doing here?” They say they want to know the Self.