Right Understanding to Help Others 7
and precariously and then suffer the consequences later on. And if one wants a friend in the form of merit karma( punya), I would point to a tree and tell him to learn from the tree. Does a tree enjoy its own fruits?
Questioner: No, it does not!
Dadashri: These trees and plants are here to serve humans by offering their fruits. What do the trees receive in return? They evolve into a higher life form and humans too progress with their help! What do you gain from eating the fruit of the tree and what does the tree lose? You experience enjoyment from eating the mango and as a result, your inner tendencies change, consequently allowing you to earn spiritual benefit worth nearly a hundred rupees. About five percent of that benefit will go to the tree for its fruit, which you enjoyed, and the remaining ninety-five percent will remain with you. The five percent of benefit earned by the tree will take the tree into a higher life form, and you too will progress higher. These trees want you to enjoy their fruits and flowers.
Yog, Upayog, Paropkaray
If you like the worldly life, if you enjoy sensual pleasures and have desires and you can afford to do so, then do this much: practice union with the Self( yog), awareness of the Self( upayog) and being benevolent to others( paropkaray) –‘ Yog, upayog, paropkaray.’
Yog means the union of the mind, speech and body. Upayog means to use the intellect, the mind and the chit( subtle component of vision and knowledge in the inner functioning instrument called antahkaran) for others, even if it is for your own family. Why do people feed this dog? It is because she is taking care of her puppies and since God resides in her puppies, she too is taken care of. The entire world functions on this very foundation. Where do these trees get their nourishment? Do they have to make an effort? They are not‘ emotional’ at all. They