"All Are Engrossed In Strong Attachment To Worldly Life..."

                Why Did The All Knowing Saints Preach Non-Attachment?  

Shrimadji said... 


All knowing saints have described worldly life as infinitely sorrowful, infinitely full of miseries, disorganized, like a see-saw and impermanent. 


They seem to have completely reflected on the nature of worldly life before giving it the above adjectives. 


The Soul or Self wanders in the cycles of innumerable births and deaths under the strong influence of infinite ignorance and interminable conflicts of the life lasting for ages, infinite deaths and infinite sorrows and sufferings. 


The apparently attractive lure of worldly pleasures have benumbed our soul so much that it does not find anywhere else the happiness it sees in worldly life, and in such condition the soul has not even cherished a desire to see the nature of truth and enjoy the real happiness following from such knowledge and vision. 


It is mad after the pleasures of the world as the butterfly is mad after the light of a burning candle. 


All knowing saints do not call worldly life happy even for a moment; not even the smallest spot in worldly life is without poison of attachment and hatred. 


From a wild bear to a great sovereign ruler - all are engrossed in strong attachment to worldly life; surprisingly a bear is even more attached to worldly life than a sovereign ruler. 


A sovereign ruler enjoys supreme command over his subjects but at the same time he suffers from botheration of whole kingdom while the wild bear has no such worry at all. 


As this ruler is attached to his wife intensely so is the bear attached to his mate intensely. 


The more lure for prosperity, the more one has to suffer for protecting it or for increasing it. 


Both the ruler and the bear are born and have to die one day. 


Thinking deeply this way both are caught in momentariness, disease and old age. 


In material possessions the ruler is more powerful and resourceful and enjoys the fruits of his good deeds, enjoys comparatively a peace of mind while the poor bear is suffering from pain and fear. 


Both of them have their periods of happiness and sorrow, love and hate, freedom and fear. 


But between the two the sovereign ruler is extremely powerful and capable of deep understanding and higher intelligence, he can search for the lasting happiness and peace of his soul but if he keeps himself under the stupor of ignorance and want of discrimination till death and he loses the game. 


The bear cannot be compared with the praiseworthy sovereign ruler from viewpoint of his superiority but from viewpoint that in enjoying sense pleasures both stoop low; both have bodies filled with pus and flesh etc. 


Thus the position of a sovereign ruler though highest in worldly life is momentary, painful, lowly and full of ignorance; then how can one find more happiness or better condition anywhere else? 


In fine, there is no real happiness either in the worldly life of a sovereign ruler or in the animal life of a wild bear. 


Whatever illusory happiness one sees in them, it is fraught with danger, it is momentary and so it is only misery and not happiness at all. 


Therefore the all knowing saints have turned their back towards any attachment to worldly life in whatever stage it may be. 


Worldly life is total unhappiness, full of miseries, infinitely painful, sorrowful and afflicting. 


A wise man once detached from worldly life should not even look at it, a sea of mere sorrow and suffering. 


Non - attachment is the only best guide to a worldly man desiring liberation and resulting unalloyed happiness and peace.


Shrimad Rajchandra (Mokshmala lesson 52)

"Moment Is Most Precious One..."

     
                      Want of Proper Respect For Religion ( Pramad) 


Shrimadji said...


Disrespect for religion, undesirable elation, idleness, and Kashaya (Anger, Pride, Illusion, Greed) all these are characteristics of Pramad. 


Bhagawan Mahavir said to Gautam in Uttaradhyayana Sutra - 


'O Gautam ! This life of man is as short lived as a drop of water falling on the edge of a blade of grass ; as this drop may anytime fall down so this human body may vanish any moment. 


One should Surely keep in memory the fourth line of this lesson giving Poem 'Samayam Goyama Maa Pamae'.


This holy line has two meanings 


(1) O Gautam ! When there comes an opportunity to do good to yourself, take it and use it to your advantage soon without waiting or any loss of time 


(2) Second meaning of this line is that we should not miss even a smallest part of the moment of this life as our living body may die any moment, and as we do not know when we shall die, lord of death like a hunter ready with his bow and arrow to kill his prey any moment, we should immediately devote ourselves to working for self-realization or our liberation. 


By negligence we shall miss the opportunity of performing our progressive religious duties.


Excessively wise men like self realized highest souls leave all the worries of worldly life and devote themselves purely to religion for self-improvement day and night and they do not slacken their religious efforts even for a moment. 


While wise Persons i.e. discriminative householders utilize some portion of their daily life in performing regular religious duties and also attend enthusiastically to religious activities whenever opportunities come forth and do good of their soul. 


But foolish persons waste their life in sleep, food, Sense-enjoyments and useless criticism of others and in merrymaking and as a result they invite their downfall and lower births where they cannot avail religious performances again. 


Therefore so far as possible, one should carefully utilize his time in his self improvement by mastering a liberating religious discipline. 


Out of twenty-four hours of a day and night, eight hours are spent in sleep and the rest are spent in worldly worries wasting time in needless talk and aimless wandering. 


Instead, if one utilizes even a couple of hours for his pure religious development leading him to a noble life, it is quite possible. 


What an excellent result may he yield thereby. 


Moment is most precious one. 


Even a sovereign ruler cannot buy a moment in exchange for his whole kingdom.


Losing a moment may mean losing whole life from viewpoint of philosophical truth...


Shrimad Rajchandra (Mokshmala lesson 50)

"A Deserving State Of Soul To Shine..."

 

   

                                       Good Words on Celibacy 


Shrimadji said... 


1) Those who do not have a bit of sexual desire in their mind even while looking at a very young woman but consider her form as a wooden idol are praised in this world as Godlike persons.


2) Woman is the main leading person on the stage of whole worldly life. If she is abandoned everything of worldly life is abandoned as this world full of sorrows and sufferings grows from a woman only.


3) By being victorious over this sexual desire one can be victorious over calamities of this whole world just as by being victorious over a King, one becomes victorious over his whole army, towns and power.


4) Even by a small sprout of sexual desire one's mind is turned away from self knowledge and self-meditation just as even a little quantity of liquor when drunk makes a man intoxicated and indiscriminative.


5) For one who with nine perfect protections observes pure celibacy yielding true happiness there will remain only few births. O Brother! This is the fundamental saying of great persons.


6) Celibacy is just like an excellent Surataru (Kalpavriksha) offering desired happiness. So one who observes celibacy in thought, word and deed gets unmatchable happiness, may be a man or a woman.


7) As milk of lioness needs a deserving vessel of Gold to preserve so needs self realization a deserving state of soul to shine. O wise man ! For achieving a deserving state of the soul, always observe pure celibacy... 


SHRIMAD RAJCHANDRA(Mokshmala lesson 34)

"Not To Eat At Night Is a Great Vow..."

                                            Night Dinner 


Shrimadji said...


"Bhagawan Mahavir has said that not to eat at night is a great vow like five great vows beginning with non-violence. 


All four types of food at night are forbidden by him such as 


(1) Eating breads, rice, sweets etc.
(2) Drinking water etc. 
(3) Eating fruits, fresh and dry, and 
(4) Munching cardamom or cloves etc. 


These foods are forbidden because small germs called Tamaskaya like the food one takes at night, are formed in food and they have the same color shape as that of the food and so they cannot be distinguished by us at night. 


By igniting fire at night many innocent germs with firewood and moving by on walls are burnt by heat, if some poisonous germs are getting into our stomach with eaten food they may cause some serious diseases in whole family. 


Therefore objectively and mentally night eating involves violence, and so it is forbidden.


Even in epics and the religion based on these historical works, night eating is prohibited for maintenance of noble behavior still it is habitually done by the followers of epics. 


But prohibition of night eating still stands as a principle, good to follow.


There are two kinds of lotuses in our body, which are crouched at sunset and which open their petals at sunrise and therefore at some places Ayurveda (Lore of longevity and health of human body) also enjoins upon prohibition of night eating as it involves eating some disease-bringing germs along with food and causing harmful diseases.


Saints take their food two Ghadi (48 minutes) before sunset and then they do not take food till two Ghadi (48 minutes) have passed after sunrise. 


More details about prohibition of night eating can be gained from contact with Jain Monks or learning from Jain religious scriptures. 


One immensely gains by avoiding all four types of night eating and this is advised by Jineshwar Bhagawan... 


(SHRIMAD RAJCHANDRA.Mokshmala lesson 28)

"Leads You To Supreme Liberation...."

                  General Daily Rules of Behavior (Samanya Nityaniyam) 


SHRIMADJI said...


Get up before dawn, remember Navakara Mantra and by it purify your mind, and perform morning Pratikraman with proper attention to look over the faults committed during night rather not commencing sinful inclinations in the early morning. 


Illumine your mind by praying to Bhagawan Mahavir according to established procedure after finishing Pratikraman and then praise him and study some of his teachings. 


Respectfully behave with your parents and start your worldly actions very carefully so as to be free from hurting any living being and not forgetting soul's benefit. 


Before taking meals have much eagerness to offer from your prepared meals to the deserving persons i.e. self realized Saints or persons devoted to religious life, and if you get such opportunity please act accordingly.


Keep a fixed time for meals and movements as well as for study of religious scriptures and for reflecting on philosophical works.


In the evening perform religious duties etc., as daily discipline. i.e. perform Pratikraman with proper attention and all care.


Perform Chouvihar Pratyakhyan - Decide not to eat four types of food during night.


Sleep for a fixed time at night.Before going to bed, beg pardon for eighteen sources of sin (18 Pap Sthanak), for faults occurred in observance of twelve vows, apologize all living beings and then after chanting Panch Parmeshthi Mantra take sleep in full peace with best healthy feelings of soul.


These general rules will be very beneficial to you, giving happiness and peace. 


I have told them briefly. 


By thinking more deeply on them and by following them well they will be more and more beneficial to you and lead you to supreme liberation.... 


SHRIMAD RAJCHANDRA (Mokshmala lesson 55)

"Extreme Possessiveness Is The Root Cause Of Many Sins..."

                                     To reduce possessions...


SHRIMADJI said...


A living being having no limit to its possessions, is not happy. 


Whatever such a greedy person acquires, he desires to get more than it and in his burning desire to get more and more, he is unable to enjoy fully what he already has acquired, and sometimes he loses what he has already got. 


By such greed, his mind remains always unsatisfied and it becomes unstable and he indulges in sinful activities to satisfy his greed. 


In case, by accident he loses his life in the craze for getting more possessions, then it becomes the cause of his downfall. 


The best of monks can absolutely abandon all acquisitions or possessions, but even householders can fix up a limit of their possessions, according to their real needs. 


By fixing a limit, one does not try to keep with him more than what he requires within his limits; and this way, he develops a sense of satisfaction in what he has already acquired and he becomes free from a mad desire to get more and more of what he has with him. 


Thus he passes his time happily. 


It is a strange nature of wealth that when one has it, his desire to get more grows and thus his greed increases day by day. 


Rarely a man even possessed of some religious knowledge and firmly believing in leading a religious good life, can free himself from the fetters of greed, and his inclinations get stuck up in this greed.


Those who did not put a limit to greed, have been found to have suffered harm immensely.Thus greed or extreme  possessiveness is the root cause of many sins.


It may be called the father of sins.


Its nature is to obstruct eleven vows.


Therefore one who works for the uplift of his own soul, should at all cost abandon greed and behave putting limit to his acquisitions or possessions.


In short one should live with the satisfaction of his minimum needs... 


SHRIMAD RAJCHANDRA(Mokshmala lesson 25)

  

"Your Soul Also Remains Free From Avoidable Sins..."

                           Carefulness in Doing Every Work (Yatna) 


SHRIMADJI said...


Just as discrimination is the root element of religion, Yatna or carefulness to see that no living being is hurt by our action, is the subsidiary origin or root of religion. 


By discrimination, we can grasp religious teachings and by careful behavior in accord with them, the elements of religion can be kept pure and one's behavior can be properly religious. 


Yatna means careful and beneficial non-violent behavior. 


Yatna to be observed by Saints of Jain religion are called five Samities which are super most.


These five Samities or five types of careful behavior which protect the great vow of compassion or non-violence, of Jain Saints cannot be completely observed by a householder, still if he behaves with care, he can to a good extent observe the vow of non-violence. 


What is therefore important, is very careful and modest behavior and gentle action in all possible ways. 


Where there is carelessness, there compassion cannot be easily observed - compassion gross and subtle prescribed by Jineshwar Bhagawan. 


And all this happens because of want of sufficient carefulness or Yatna. 


Swift and fast walk, 


imperfect way of cleaning water, 


use of firewood without removing dust and insects moving on it, 


using anything without a proper look at it, 


imperfect inspection of germs in corn, 


keeping utensils for long without proper cleaning, unclean and dusty rooms, 


Spilling water in the entrance of one's house, 


keeping unused cooked food for long, 


putting a hot dish on floor without keeping it on a good wooden support, 


doing all these things, one gains only uncleanliness, obstructions and loss of health and these cause great sins. 


Therefore one is advised to do every action carefully to avoid any hurt to a living being or a loss of even a small insect or germ. 


So use carefulness in walk, sitting, getting up, dining, and such other daily activities. 


By such careful behavior, you save many things; not only you keep your things and instruments of use clean but your soul also remains free from avoidable sins. 


Walk slowly and gently, keep your house very clean, keep clean water by passing it twice or thrice through a clean cloth so as to free it from dust and small germs, use firewood after removing dust and insects moving in it. 


All this care does not take much of our time and it is not difficult to follow in ordinary householder's life. 


Once you make such rules, it forms into a habit, and by such care many poor germs who have done no harm to us, are easily saved by us from our careless killing them.


It becomes therefore the duty of every discriminative householder or shrawaka to do every work with due and proper care...


SHRIMAD RAJCHANDRA(Mokshmala lesson 27)

"Contact Of a Saint Is The Root Of All Happiness..."

                               SATSANGA (Contact of the Saints)


SHRIMADJI said...


Contact of a saint is the root of all happiness. 


By contact with a Saint, one can achieve his best desires for soul's progress. 


Contact with a Saint is the best means to purify our-self. 


What we gain by a few minutes of contact with a Saint, cannot be achieved by many years of bad contacts, on the contrary such bad contact prompts us to incur many sinful deeds, and defiles our soul. 


The general meaning of Satsanga or Saintly contact is the contact with the best person. 


Where there is no pure and clean air, there is the breeding ground of diseases; similarly in the absence of contact with the Saints, the soul's diseases are on the increase. 


As we try to close our nose by cloth from inhaling filthy smell, so it is necessary to keep away from bad contacts. 


Worldly life is also one kind of contact, and it is infinitely bad contact bringing pain and misery to our soul and therefore abandoning it, is highly desirable. Whatever kind of contact not helping one in self-realization is no good contact. 


Satsanga or contact with al Saint always puts us on the right path of self-realization. 


That which shows us the path to liberation is really good friendship. 


To keep our mind solely engaged in reading and thinking about the best religious books is also a Saintly contact. 


Meeting Saintly persons and observing their disciplined life is also a kind of Saintly contact. 


As the dirt and dust of a cloth is washed out by a good detergent or a soap and clean water, so the teachings of religious works and those of Saintly persons in our contact, help us to remove all binding Karmas of our soul so as to purify and liberate it. 


Take it for certain that a contact advocating attachment, enticement to pleasures like music, dance and encouraging sweet or tasty food, howsoever you live in such contact, is definitely a bad contact and it must be avoided at all cost. 


Even one saying gained by Saintly contact, gives us invaluable benefit. 


Therefore philosophers, have principally advised us to avoid all worldly contacts and keeping aside all other thoughts and feelings in our mind should think of our loneliness. 


In this advice praise of contact with Saints and good religious books is included. 


Absolute unity of mind means keeping one's mind in deep meditation or in the study of Yoga. 


But contact of similar thinking persons irrespective of their number is also a kind of loneliness because their behavior has exemplary similarity based on identical feeling and thinking and willing. 


And in this way, the contact of the Saints, all working for same goal or purpose of self-liberation, is also a kind of loneliness; If it is asked that why should the contact of many sense-indulging persons not be called loneliness as they also think of similar thoughts and behavior, our reply is that such persons are not of the same nature. 


They are led away by their different self-interests and they quarrel among themselves and work for cross-purposes inviting unending troubles and worries to all around. 


Where a contact involves selfish interest and illusion or Maya, is not to be regarded as good contact at all. 


Such contacts are never pure or faultless. 


When great monks meet they are pleased with one another, they respect each other, they are free from considerations of love and hate, they are all self contented and they all think of purifying their own souls and help others to do so. 


Also to some extent such Saintly contact is of a person engrossed in religious meditation with minimum movement. 


Joy derived from contact with the Saints is highly praiseworthy. 


A Saintly contact gives best knowledge, clarifies several questions from scriptures, describes or tells stories of knowledge and meditations of various kinds, inspires good reflection on the characters of Saints, releases waves of philosophical thoughts, is a place where there is a discussion of essential principles of good religion with an impartial or non-sectarian point of view, where there is much deliberation on statements about liberation - such saintly contact is very difficult to obtain. 


If it is asked as to the possibility of the presence of a deluded person in saintly contact, here is the answer. 


Where there is illusion and selfishness, it is not a Saintly contact at all. 


The crow in the assembly of swans, if not detected by color or appearance, will be easily distinguished or recognized by its different voice; if it keeps mum, it can be identified by its facial features, but it will not go into darkness. 


Besides what will deluded people engrossed in the life of worldly enjoyments gain by going to the assembly of Saints? 


There in Saintly contact, there will be no talk of eating; possibly they may go to the Saint for a little peace from worldly worries and if one goes there once, he may like to go there frequently for developing a love of a life of religious discipline and it may be for his good; and suppose he does not like the talk of the Saint, he may stop contacting him further. 


As you cannot swim on solid earth, you can never degenerate into bad life by saintly contact. 


This is the wonderful effect of saintly contact. 


Which worldly person with delusion would go to a saint whose contact is faultless and whose behavior is morally exemplary ? 


Rarely any unfortunate and that too is impossible. 


Saintly contact is a supreme beneficial medicine for a troubled soul.... 


(SHRIMAD RAJCHANDRA Mokshmala Lesson 24)

"what Is Good Moral Life..."

                                

                                           True Greatness

Shrimadji said...

"Some believe that true greatness consists in wealth, some believe it to consist in having a high family status, some believe it to consist in having good sons, some by positions of power and high authority; but all these beliefs are false or wrong or erroneous when looked at from a discriminative intelligence. 

Whatever these people regard as greatness is not really great at all, on the contrary these things or achievements are insignificant.

You may be believing that in worldly life you become great getting good food, drink, honor, command over servants, prosperity and all these on the strength of your wealth, but just because of these achievements only you cannot be really great, you should not believe this to be greatness at all. 

Wealth is collected by incurring many many sins; when achieved, it breeds pride, inattention towards duties, indiscrimination to what is right and what is wrong in you.

For achieving a high family status you have to maintain a large family satisfying all its needs, and in so doing you have to incur sins and suffer pains and miseries; you have to maintain your family by many immoral acts. 

Having good sons, does not give us forever, good name and fame and for maintaining them also we have to perform sinful deeds of many kinds; and with all these what benefit we gain?

By authority or power we become dependent on persons senior to us, we get puffed up with pride of power and sometimes we have to become cruel and inflict pain on others, sometimes we have to employ immoral or questionable means, sometimes we have to bribe persons and be unjust to some persons; sometimes we have to use these means willingly or sometimes we are forced to employ them un-willingly. 

Tell me then what greatness lies in all these? 

Only greatness of our sinful Karmas. 

By sinful Karmas we down our soul and where there is our soul's downfall there is no greatness at all, on the other hand it is only lowerness.

Soul's greatness lies in truth speaking, compassion, forgiveness, benevolence and equanimity. 

Wealth etc. gives greatness to our Karmas and not to our soul. 

Thinking this way wise persons give their wealth in charity, become relievers of other people's pain and sorrow by establishing best schools of learning; keeping only one wife, look at all other women as their daughters. 

They by their families become beneficial to a certain community; entrusting the burden of maintenance of worldly life to their sons they devote their life to a religious discipline; they show to others what is good moral life by wisely conducting their authority or power for the benefit of the King whom they advise or serve and also benefit the subjects of the king by wise and judicious administration. 

In this way a kind of true greatness is achieved. 

But even such greatness is not fixed and firm. 

There is always a fear of death. 

What one hopes to do, he is unable to do and his hopes remain in the precincts of his own mind. 

The world attraction is such that one forgets his plan or one loses his discriminative power. 

Therefore we should definitely or undoubtedly realize that there is no real greatness like truth speaking, compassion, forgiveness, celibacy and equanimity. 

Bhikshuk or one monk observing pure five great vows achieves real powers and real greatness - the like of which had not been achieved by even Brahamadatta-sovereign ruler of a large kingdom by his wealth, family, sons and high authority. 

This is my view..." 

Shrimad Rajchandra...(Mokshmala Lesson 16) 

"Life of a Best Householder..."

                             Best Householder (Uttam Gruhastha) 


Shrimadji said...


"Even while dwelling in his worldly householder's life the best Shrawaka (who has contacted best teachers, hears their teaching carefully, is discriminative and modest) is successfully under going spiritual discipline; his order of a householder becomes praiseworthy.


Such best householder performs 


Samayika = to take a vow Of equanimous behavior; 


Kshamapana = to beg pardon before Shri Bhagawan Mahavir for any of his fault or faults; 


Chovihar Pratyakhyan, a vow not to take four types of food at night; 


Yam = to practice restraints and follow injunctions of good behavior for the whole of his life and 


Niyam = observes some vows for a specific period of time.


He views other women just like his mother or sister according to the age of the woman seen.


He gives as per his capacity money and food in charity to the right persons who have grasped the truth - they are called Satpatra or rightly deserving persons.


He speaks Peacefully sweet and soft language.


He always thinks of right religious scriptures.


As far as possible he does not resort to falsehood, deceit etc., to earn his livelihood in business or other avocation.


He gives due respect to his parents, his wife, his sons, Muni or Monk and preceptor.


He gives religious discourses to his parents.


He takes due care in keeping his house clean, in cooking purpose, in arranging food materials, in sleeping accommodations etc...


He behaves intellectually and teaches his wife and children lessons of modesty and humility by his own modest and humble behavior He makes them religious minded.


He increases unity in his whole family.


He welcomes a guest with due honor and respect.


He never sends away the beggar at his door without giving him food to satisfy hunger.


He always keeps himself in contact with right religious persons or men of noble thoughts and deeds and he always approaches them with a view to learn from them lessons of noble behavior.


He always behaves within the limits of his stature in life and feels contented with what is with him.


He always keeps to his capacity a library of good religious works.


He maintains or runs his family life with minimum needs and with due care, keeps away from hurting any living being.


Such life of a best householder Shrawaka leads him to his best spiritual development and this is what is said by the all-knowing best men...." 


Shrimad Rajchandra. (Mokshmala Lesson 12.) 

"One Who Burns All The Roots Of Karmas..."

                              Truly Divine Soul (Satdeva Tattva)


SHRIMADJI said...


'Three fundamental reals we should necessarily know. 


As long as there is ignorance about them, soul's benefit cannot be secured. 


These three fundamental reals are 


True divine Person, 


True divine Religion and 


True divine Teacher or Preceptor. 


I tell you about the first real namely the True divine person.


A True divine person (Satdeva) is 


one who has achieved absolute knowledge and absolute perception, 


one who has burnt the heap of his all good and bad Karmas by highest penance and steadfast meditation; 


one who has achieved Shukla Dhyan or pure meditation shining more bright than the white moon and white conch. 


One though he be a sovereign ruler of the whole world or such a ruler's son or a prince, knowing the world as totally the cause of infinite sorrow, renounces it for a better life; 


one who destroys three kinds of torments or tortures to the soul namely 


Aadhi =(Mental calamities) 


Vyadhi =(Physical diseases) and 


Upadhi (Worldly troubles) with the help of absolute compassion, peace, forgiveness, non-attachment and spiritual soul power; 


one who moves in his self - pure nature burning four principle Karmas as obstructing pure knowledge, clear vision or perception or insight and noble character and burns other hindrances to highly spiritual development; 


one who burns all the roots of Karmas, 


one who pursues noble life till some of his past Karmas have been either mallowed down or burnt completely and who abandons all Karmas springing from infatuation or false attraction and 


who avoids sleep and keeps himself constantly engaged in burning the roots of all his Karmas, 


one who preaches with his purified speech like a natural flow of rain water to other worldly heated persons for securing them highest peace with a total spirit of non - attachment, 


one in whom one cannot find even in dream the least element about worldly enjoyment of sense life; 


one who does not start advising others about self realization till he has achieved absolute Knowledge, this means that he keeps mum till his own real aim is fulfilled. 


He is free from five kinds of obstructions, laughter, affection, hatred or aversion, fear, disliking, sorrow, misunderstanding (Mithyatva), ignorance, non-remonstrance (Apratyakhyan), attachment, avarice, sleep and sex-desire. 


In short he is free from all eighteen kinds of vices, and he is poised in his self nature enjoying infinite truth, consciousness and bliss and in him very elevating twelve virtuous qualities shine forth; 


he is one for whom, birth, death and worldly life have totally vanished. 


One who possesses all above described qualities, is recognised by Bhagawan Mahavir as a truly divine person. 


Since such a person has realized his pure self-free from all faults or shortcomings, he is called the most venerable Lord. 


A person who still has one of the eighteen vices does not become a true Divine person. 


This highest truth can still be further understood by excellent aphorisms preached by Bhagawan Mahavir."


Shrimad Rajchandra  (Mokshmala Lesson 8.) 

"HE Can Put Us In His True Religious Boat..."

                Truly Religious Teacher -- Part II (Sadguru Tattva Part II)


Father - O son! Teachers are of three kinds - 


(1) Teacher - wood type 


(2) Teacher - paper type 


(3) Teacher - stone type. 


Of these three kinds, the first wood type teachers are the best ones, as they only help us to cross the ocean of worldly life quite successfully. 


Just as a piece of wood swims in the ocean and also helps one who sits on it to cross the ocean water successfully.


The Second paper type teachers are of ordinary type. 


They are moderate between the first and the third types mentioned above. 


Paper type teachers cannot successfully cross the ocean of worldly life nor can they help others depending on them. 


They can only show the way and thereby they can help the pupil to acquire some good meritorious deeds.


The third type of teachers namely stone type are such that they drown in the ocean along with those taking their help. 


The first type namely wood type teachers are available only in the administration of the world by Jineshwar Bhagawan. 


The second and third types of teachers are working for increase in the coverings of Karmas which keep the soul away from knowing its real good. 


We all need the best of things and such things can be available in properly the best places. 


If we select a best religious teacher he can put us in his true religious boat and along with him we also can successfully swim the ocean of worldly life. 


We cannot understand without the help of a best religious teacher, fine philosophical distinctions, fine distinctions of different selves, clear understanding of Loka Lok = this world and many other worlds and the nature of this worldly life with all its intricacies. 


Hearing this you may be prompted to ask me as to what are the specific characteristics of such a wood type teacher?


Then I tell you the same: - 


The wood type teacher will well know the precept given by Jineshwar Bhagawan; 


and he would follow it in his behavior fully well; and he would also advise others to follow it; 


he would have completely renounced riches and sexual life, 


he would live on innocent food and water; 


he would suffer patiently twenty-two types of torments; 


he would be full of forgiveness or sympathy or compassion; 


he would control his desires and he would keep away from all actions arising from desires and he would be thoroughly self-controlled and may be a master of all his sense powers; 


he might always be engrossed in the knowledge of all fundamental reals; 


he might be maintaining his bodily life purely for religious purposes; 


he will never be shy or coward in scrupulously following the religious path prescribed by Nirgrantha Bhagawan Mahavir, 


he would never touch or take even a blade of grass not given to him; 


he must have abandoned all sorts of dinners during night; 


he would be equanimous in his behavior and he would preach truth without any feeling of attachment. 


In short such are the merits of a wood-type religious Teacher. 


O Son! You can find in Jain Religious Scriptures the details of a true teacher's character and his knowledge acquisitions quite properly and with due considerations. 


As you grow thinking more about this in future, I shall gradually teach you further truths.


Son - O Father! You have told me in brief very useful and about beneficial truths. 


I shall always think and reflect more and more about them. 


Shrimad Rajchandra  (Mokshmala Lesson 11.) 

A Good Religious Teacher Shines Like a Priceless Jewel..."

                  Truly Religious Teacher -- Part I (Sadguru Tattva Part I)


Shrimadji explained with a beautiful example....


Father - -  Son! Who is your teacher in your school?


Son - - Father! My teacher is a very learned Brahmin and a man of right understanding.


Father - - How are his speech and character?


Son - - He speaks very sweet words; he is never calling anybody without giving him due honour and respect. 


He is never inconsiderate. 


He is very deep in his thinking. 


His words are felt by us as soft and fine as flowers. 


He never insults anybody and he teaches us good lessons with proper patience and right understanding.


Father - - Please let me know why do you go to him?


Son - - Father! Why do you ask this question to me? 


I know you are sending me to learn skill from him so that I may be wise in my worldly life, that I may learn proper method of good behavior to make my life successful and fruitful, that I may learn from him lessons of good moral conduct.


Father - - Suppose your teacher was of bad character or wrong behavior?


Son- - O! Then it would be quite wrong and harmful to me. 


I would have learnt his bad character and also would have learnt to use bad language in behavior with others. 


Who then would teach us good conduct for leading a moral life?


Father - - O Son! From this I can teach you a best lesson. 


As for worldly life good moral conduct should necessarily be learnt, so to know right religion and proper religious discipline is necessary for preparing essential requisite for a better future birth. 


Just as lessons of good moral life can only be given or taught by a good moral teacher, so lessons of good religious life can be taught by the best preceptor or religious teacher. 


Naturally there is much difference between a good moral teacher and a good religious teacher. 


A good moral teacher is only a prismatic piece; a good religious teacher shines like a priceless jewel.


Son - - O my protector (Shirachhatra)! What you say is quite correct. 


There is a perfect need for a teacher of right religion. 


You have many a time told me about many unending miseries of this world and to get over all these miseries of worldly life, only right religion can be most helpful. 


Then please let me know by what kind of a teacher we can be initiated into right religious life? 


Shrimad Rajchandra  (Mokshmala Lesson 10)