32 Non-Violence
married life? It is at this level of spiritual development where this quote is relevant.
So understand that flowers can be offered to the deities. People are needlessly cautious about violence towards flowers while they have no reservations about their kashayas and hurting people around them. They do not inflict pain on the flowers but they inflict gross pain on people. The one who truly does not hurt even a flower petal is non-violent in all respects. He would even walk very carefully so as not to disturb a sleeping dog.
This matter of not hurting even a flower petal is only applicable in the last fifteen years of one’ s final life before liberation. Such subtle non-violence commences with the renunciation of married life and happens naturally. Everything comes naturally when a person reaches that level. So until then do not interfere with the social customs.
The Universe of a Single-Sensory Organism
Questioner: What exactly are the jalkaya, teookaya, proothvikaya, vaayukaya and vanaspatikaya( organisms found in water, fire, earth, wind and vegetation respectively)?
Dadashri: These are all embodied souls with a singlesensory function.
Questioner: We know for sure that there are subtle lifeforms in water, which is why we boil water before we drink it.
Dadashri: What you know about the organisms found in water is based on what you have been told, but in reality the facts are very difficult and too subtle for you to understand. Even if you were given a clear explanation, it would still elude you. Not even scientists can understand this. Only the Gnanis understand it. Of the five, only the organisms in vegetation can be understood, the others require a more profoundly developed spiritual level.
Questioner: That is what the scientists are researching.