512
Aptavani-2
cannot answer questions of new young disciples, then he is not
a great sage; he is not a sage in fact, he is nothing. No matter
what the other person is saying, even if he is lying, hear him out
once and then discuss things and think about it. This way at least
he will take something with him. Therefore, the Lord has said,
do not speak with ego based insistence and obstinacy. Discuss
things and think about where you are making a mistake. You are
a sadhu of the current cycle of dushamkaal (bad times) so
therefore, do not sit alone; have a sanghpati and the sangh
(organization of people) with you, because the Lord has said
that a sangh is the twenty-fifth Tirthankara. A committee of the
company will judge what is right and what is wrong. The
sanghpati will tell you something is correct because there is a
Self within him. On the other hand, if something is not right he
can recognize that too. What harm is there in all of you sitting
together?
There is not even a little bit of insistence in the vitarag
path. These people have become excessively obstinate and
insistent. The sadhus, who cannot sit together, discuss and think
about what is right and wrong, are not true sadhus of Lord
Mahavir. Lord Mahavir’s disciple would sit down to discuss and
think with someone who has read the forty-five Agams but also
with the one who has read only two. Further, no matter how
many mistakes a person makes, such a sadhu would not harbor
any kashays. A worthy sadhu does not quarrel and sits with
others to discuss things in an attempt to seek the truth.
If they ask me, “Patel, would you come and explain to us
so that we may learn the truth?” ‘We’ would go to them and tell
them precisely what Lord Mahavir is trying to say. ‘We’ would
only do that if they are willing to sit quietly and listen without
their self conceited ego of, ‘I am Acharya’ or ‘I am superior.’
The true path of Lord Mahavir is where there is no feeling of
division. Here even a handful of people cannot live together;
they quarrel and fight amongst themselves. We know that you