72
Aptavani-9
Does suspicion result in prejudice?
You should never become suspicious even when you have
witnessed something yourself. Nothing haunts a person as much
as suspicion. You should never have suspicions. Uproot
suspicion the moment it arises by saying, ‘Dada has said ‘no’ to
it’. Even if someone says, ‘I have seen this man take money out
of someone’s pocket yesterday with my own eyes. He is back
again today,’ you should not be suspicious. Instead of becoming
suspicious, create a safe side for yourself. Otherwise, it is a form
of prejudice. Today that person may not be that way. Many will
never steal again. Circumstances force some people to steal,
they steal out of necessity and then you may not see them doing
so even if you leave money around.
Questioner: And yet some are seasoned thieves! They
have made a profession of stealing.
Dadashri: Such thieves are different altogether. When
they are around, you have to hang your coat somewhere safe.
Nevertheless, you must not call him a thief. Although you do not
call him a thief to his face, you are calling him so in your mind,
are you not? You incur a liability when you call him a thief in
your mind but if you say it to his face, then you are not liable.
If you call him a thief to his face, he will beat you up and that
liability is a gross physical liability; an external liability. You are
liable for saying it in your mind (liable in two ways; firstly for the
adverse mediation and secondly for binding new karma). So
then what should you do?
Questioner: One should not keep it in his mind, nor
should he take the punishment.
Dadashri: Yes, or it is better to tell him on his face. He
will curse you and go away. But there is a danger for what is
kept in your mind. So what is best? The best thing is to neither
keep it in your mind nor say it to his face. To keep it in your
mind is what the Lord calls prejudice. A person steals due to