Aptavani-4
373
speaks syadvaad (that speech which does not hurt any living
being), there is no ego in it. However, when he says anything
else, it is only his ego that is coming out. That ego is one that
is leaving. It is called a ‘discharge’ ego.
Questioner: So, it is speech without ego that comes out?
Dadashri: It is called a ‘lifeless’ (nirjiva) ego. If the
speech has a ‘living’ (sajiva) ego, then it will hurt others. ‘Our’
speech is without ‘My-ness’ (nirmamatva), and is egoless
(nirahamkari), which is why people experience joy.
Just by listening to someone speak, you can tell the kind
of ego, and to what extent it has been ‘charged’. Speech that
is without syadvaad is all ego. Ego is not as apparent in one’s
conduct. Only on occasion you might see a person’s chest
inflated with ego, perhaps when you go to a wedding.
‘How well I spoke!’ is a parigraha of speech. ‘I am
talking’ is the awareness by which a new seed of karma is
sown.
Questioner: What is spontaneous and natural (sahajik)
speech?
Dadashri: One that does not have the slightest bit of ego
in it. Not even for a second do I become the owner of this
speech, so therefore my speech is spontaneous and natural
(sahajik).
The worldly self (atma) is sacharachar (mixture of the
still, the Self and the changing, the non-Self). There are three
‘char’ in ‘sachar’: aachar (conduct), vichaar (thoughts) and
uchchar (speech). If these three remain within the bounds of
‘normality’ there is no problem. When they are in normality, a
human’s ‘fragrance’ can indeed be perceived. What is the
greatest test for a person? Do not test him by his conduct, do
not test him by his thoughts, but do test him by his speech.