120
Aptavani-6
Now for You, only circumstances (sainyog) remain. You
do not know how to ‘use’ the pleasant circumstances. It is
because you endure (vedavoon) the pleasant circumstances
through, ‘I am enjoying,’ that you have to suffer the bitter and
painful ones. But if you simply remain the ‘knower’ of pleasant
circumstances, then the ‘knowing’ will remain during the painful
ones too. But you cannot get rid of old habits and that is why
you become the enjoyer. The Self does not enjoy anything at all.
It just continues to ‘know’ everything. The one that enjoys is the
illusionary soul; it is the relative-self (pratishthit atma) that was
charged in the past life. You have to ‘know’ too that, ‘Oh ho ho!
This pratishthit atma has become engrossed in the pleasant
circumstances!’
Lord Mahavir taught His disciples that when they went
out, if people hit them with a stick, they were to take it as, ‘At
least it is only a stick; the hand is not broken. The hand is
spared.’ They were to consider that much of a benefit. If someone
breaks one arm, he has to be grateful that at least he did not
break the other one also. If both hands get cut off, they should
say that at least they have their legs. If both the arms and both
the legs are cut off, they should say at least they are alive and
at least able to see. The Lord has shown you the way to look
at benefit-loss (benefit – laabha and loss – alaabha). Do not
cry; be happy. There is nothing wrong with that; is there?
The Lord Mahavir saw with an enlightened view (samyak
drashti) through which one ‘sees’ benefits even in adverse
circumstances.
Take the Beating and Be Free
What is the rule of this world? The strong take advantage
of the weak. Whom does nature make strong? It makes strong
those who have committed fewer demerit karma (paap); and for
those who have committed greater paap, it makes them weak.
If you want to be free and liberated, then take the beating