Aptavani-9
369
If the Gnani Purush can draw a line of demarcation for
you between the ‘real’ and the ‘relative’, then this puzzle can be
solved.
Besides the Tirthankara Lords, no one had this line of
demarcation. The twenty-four Tirthankaras had placed this line
of demarcation correctly as did some others who became
Gnanis. Then, ‘we’ have placed a precise and exact line of
demarcation. Whom can you call a Gnani? You need Gnanis like
the Tirthankaras, who differ only slightly and who place a
precise line of demarcation between what is real and what is
relative. They make it clear: “This is real and this is relative.”
What has happened in the world is people believe the
relative to be real and then they go about their life with this
belief. They have not attained the reality even for a day and they
accomplish nothing. They wander around for countless births
from one life to another. There has never been a line of
demarcation between the real and the relative and that is why
the world is in a state of confusion. Because of this people
believe the relative to be real and they try to make the relative
gurutam; give it increasing and undue importance. They make
gurutam of that which is to be made laghutam; that which
needs to be devalued. This verily is the illusion (bhranti). Then
what do they claim? ‘We are removing the illusion’, but the
illusion is actually increasing. Don’t you think so?
Say a scientist carries out a certain experiment and I carry
out the same experiment. If I do not know how to conduct the
experiment, what is likely to happen?
Questioner: A sudden fire.
Dadashri: Yes and all the ingredients would be wasted.
All my efforts would be wasted and on top of that I will burn
my fingers. What would happen if I stuck my finger in the
experiment to test it? And if the scientist were to stick his