Aptavani-6 209
you do happen to hurt anyone, then the Lord has said to do pratikraman for it.
Questioner: Where is the need to do pratikraman when helpful-hurtful is not in the language of Lord Mahavir?
Dadashri: Because the other person gets hurt. The other person should not get hurt; is that not the language of the Lord?
Questioner: But what if our intention is good and he still gets hurt?
Dadashri: Your intention may be good; regardless of what your intentions may be, no one should be hurt. If anyone gets hurt, you will be stuck with the karma. Therefore, get your work done without hurting anyone.
Questioner: People do not like hearing the truth, so what remains to be said anyway?
Dadashri: No, it is not that they do not like to hear the truth. But when is truth considered as the truth? You do not have to look at just the truth. There should be three other parts along with it also. It should be beneficial; it should be pleasant to the other person. Whether you are telling the truth or not, it should please the other person and you should not have ill intention or self-gain in what you are saying. If, in speaking the truth, it hurts the other person, then it means that you do not know how to speak at all. The truth you speak should have the following three qualities: it should be pleasing and agreeable( priya), it is beneficial to the other person( hitkari) and it is short and simple( mita). Mita means that the other person should not feel,‘ This man keeps talking continuously like a radio!’ Words that please the other person are the truth. Those who have insisted on the truth have suffered invariably and consistently.
Questioner: Is flattering someone, or unnecessarily agreeing with them, considered truth?