Aptavani-5 Aptavani-05 | Page 14

PREFACE All five senses are in their individual functions. The mind (mun), intellect (buddhi), chit (vision and knowledge), and the ego (ahamkar) are also in their individual functions (dharma). Then who has failed to remain in its own function? The Self has. The ears hear and one believes, ‘I am hearing’. The eyes see and one believes, ‘I am seeing’. Similarly, one believes the function of each of the senses as one’s own. The function of the Self is to ‘see’, to ‘know’, and to remain in the absolute blissful state. Instead, one misses the function of the Self and enters into the functions of others. One believes the religion (dharma) of the non-Self to be one’s own and has forgotten one’s own religion! When the one with the experience of the Self (Atma-anubhavi) imparts the awareness of the Self to the seeker; he attains the awareness of the religion of the Self and then one automatically stops believing the religion of the non-Self to be one’s own religion. Once he is in the religion of the Self, liberation (moksha) prevails here and now for him! Mithya drashti (wrong vision) is to believe that which one is not. Samyak drashti (right vision) is to believe what one really is. Attempt at knowing worldly matters is mithya gnan or agnan (wrong knowledge; relative knowledge or ignorance). Once the wrong faith (shraddha) sets in, the knowledge (gnan) resulting from it will be wrong and therefore the conduct (charitra) will be wrong. Once the Self is known; that is samyak gnan (right knowledge). Intent (bhaav) is charge (cause of new karma) and incidents that happen are discharge (effect of past causes). By making a bhaav to steal, one charges karma for stealing and this gives effect in the next life. Then, on the basis of this effect, he 12