The Guru and the Disciple
55
and you have climbed seven, then he will help you climb up to the
tenth step. In fact, there are millions of steps to climb. There are
not just a few steps!
The disciple excels the guru
Questioner: Suppose the guru has not reached all the way,
but if his disciple has tremendous reverence for him, is he likely to
overtake the guru?
Dadashri: Yes, but only a rare one can! Not everyone
reaches there. One has to find another guru further ahead. If a
disciple is very knowledgeable and quick, and if his mind turns in
the right direction, he will climb the path very fast. But this would
be an exception!
Questioner: Is it possible for the disciple to become
liberated upon listening to the guru’s sermons while the guru
remains right where he is?
Dadashri: Yes, it is possible. The guru stays in the same
place while the disciple moves ahead.
Questioner: Does the effect of punya (merit karma), work
here?
Dadashri: Yes, the effect of punya alone! In fact, when
the guru is teaching, many disciples think, “That cannot be!” They,
then start to ask all kinds of questions. If a disciple starts to think,
“I wonder what it is like?” then begins to think, “It must be like
this,” then gnan will immediately arise. For the one in whom ‘That
cannot be’ does not arise, he will not attain gnan.
Questioner: Did he find a nimit for inciting the vikalp, the
doubt of, ‘That cannot be’?
Dadashri: Yes, he found a nimit; it was simply that! So,
the time has arisen for him to attain gnan, and he starts to think, “It
must be like this. It cannot be like that so it must be like this.” So