12
Aptavani-8
Dadashri: They are different by their inherent properties
(gunadharma). Does everything not have its own property?
This gold has its own property; copper has its own property. Do
not we recognize things by their properties?
Questioner: Yes, we do.
Dadashri: That is how the properties of the Atma and
the non-Self (anatma) are. They do have some of the same
properties, however, in certain cases, some of their properties
differ. The inherent nature (chaitanya swabhav) of the Self is
not found in anything else. Chaitanya swabhav means
Knowledge (Gnan) and Vision (Darshan).
So, Knowledge and Vision are the innate qualities (guna)
of the Atma (the Self). The inherent nature (swabhav) of the
Atma is to continually know. That inherent nature of Knowing
is not present in any inanimate (jada) thing. This attribute of
Knowing does not exist in this body. The inherent attribute
(swabhav) of Knowing is that of the Atma, and that itself is the
Parmatma (Absolute Soul)!
The Atma Is the Abode of Infinite Properties
Questioner: Does the Atma not possess Knowledge
(Gnanvado) anyways?
Dadashri: It is itself Knowledge. Not that it has
Knowledge; it is Knowledge itself! If we call it “Gnanvado
(with Knowledge)”, it would mean that with (vado) and
Knowledge (Gnan), are two separate things. Therefore, the
Atma itself is Knowledge; it is light (prakash) itself! And it is
because of this light that you are able to see all this. It is because
of this light that all this is ‘seen’ (understood) everything, and
‘known’ (experienced). It is because of this light, that one can
understand everything and know everything.
So the Atma is the Absolute Soul (Parmatma); the abode