50
Aptavani-5
bad person will overtake the straightforward person in spiritual
development. The straightforward person will develop slowly.
He does not meet any obstacles. ‘Invention’ occurs when one
is lost and does not find a way out.
The rule of nature is that eighty percent of those who go
to moksha go to hell first. If one has not been to hell he will not
be allowed to go to moksha. One has to experience suffering.
‘Invention’ stops if one has a comfortable life and he gets food
and drink and is respected wherever he goes.
Questioner: Many feel that they are on the path of
dharma and so they do not need to know anything else. What
is that?
Dadashri: Each is progressing through his own
understanding of dharma (religion). But it is very difficult to
understand dharma. What currently is taking place in this world
is not real dharma, it is relative. They are all moving about in
the relative dharma. The whole day long they are doing their
own dharma (religion), are they not?
Rendering selfless service to others is verily the definition
of dharma (duty, religion) for the one who is straightforward
and simple. To give happiness to others, to help get rid of their
worldly obstacles, is dharma but that is not considered real
dharma.
Real religion (dharma) does not arise as long as there is
a belief of ‘I am doing it’, ‘I am the doer’, and ‘I am the
sufferer’; as long as there is a feeling of ‘I-ness’. It gives rise to
the worldly or relative religions (laukik dharma). Alaukik
dharma (religion of the Self, Real religion) arises when one
endures suffering and ‘invention’ begins within. Otherwise how
will ‘invention’ occur?
It is not easy to find the Self (the Soul), only the
Tirthankars did. The Self is not what people believe it to be.