"Soul Belonging To a Higher Order..."

Shrimadji was once seated on a large slab of stone at the highest peak of the hill at Idar. 

He was surrounded by his seven disciples including Shri Lalluji and others. 

At that time Shrimadji put this question to His disciples, 'Do you think any one down in the plains can see us, seated as we are at a height among these rocks?'

Shri Lalluji replied, 'No, No one from the plains can see us.'

Shrimadji said,'In the same way, a soul of the lower order cannot realize the state of a soul belonging to a higher order, in its true nature. 


Nevertheless, when this same soul attains spiritual merit and moves into higher order, he can realize it...'

"Dharma, Is a Jewel With Miraculous Powers..."

Shrimadji once stayed for a few days at vaso in spiritual retreat. 


During this time, he met a few monks including Shri Lalluji Maharaj regularly, almost everyday, at a grassland about a mile away from the town, and spoke to them on religious matters, giving them spiritual guidance


On way to grasslands, Shrimadji once remarked, "Dharma by its very nature is like a diamond with miraculous power an a-chintya chinta-mani."


Shri Lalluji Maharaj asked the meaning of achintya chintamani.


Shrimadji answered, "The chinta-mani according to mythology is a mani, a jewel which produces the desired results only after you have made the necessary effort to ask for it. 


As against this, Dharma, is a jewel with miraculous powers, that fulfils your desires, effortlessly, without your asking for it; it does not involve an effort on your part to even think of a particular desire, achintya. 


In this sense, according to Shrimadji, Dharma was an achintya chintamani...

"Few Incidents From The Life Of Shrimadji..."

1) One inquisitive person asked Shrimadji... 
"The scriptures say that the earth is flat while modern scientific researchers say that the earth is round. Then which of the two is correct ?"

Shrimadji asked... "Which of the two either the earth is flat or round would benefit you more ?"

The questioner said... "I only want to know"

Shrimadji asked... "Who of the two do you believe more powerful-the great Tirthankar or modern scientific researchers ?"

The questioner replied... "Tirthankar".

Shrimadji said... "Then you have all faith in Tirthankar bhagawan and leave all doubts. If you are benefited by the teachings of Tirthankara Bhagawan and gain your real Self, then the matter whether the earth is flat or round will not harm you at all."

 2) Once Professor Ravajibhai Devarajaji asked Shrimadji... 

"What is the proof of heaven and hell ?" 
Shrimadji replied... "Suppose hell exists and you do not believe it, how hazardous would it be if your actions pave the way to hell ?"

3) Once Shrimadji went out for a walk and on his way there was a cemetery. Seeing it, Shrimadji asked his companion as to what was it, and the companion replied : `Cemetery' 

Shrimadji said... " I see the whole city of Mumbai as a Cemetery".

"Adopt Only Graceful Lord Shrimad Rajchandra As Guru...."

Shree Prabhushreeji also known as as Lallujimaharaj once said...


Adopt only graceful Lord Shrimad Rajchandra as Guru. 


His is the biggest shelter; He constitutes the sailing vessel. 


We worship HIM and that being the safest road, we ask to treat it as true and resort to the same. 


That is the only right view. 


While inserting fanciful concept therein if someone treats us or any other person as worshipful, that would be his self-indulgence and he would get the consequence thereof. 


Do not cling to the person, who provides the information. 


One, who can bend like a golden wire, would deserve it. 


He, who talks of so and so as enlightened, has still retained the fancy; he is stuck with self-indulgence. 


One needs to remain exclusively devoted to the graceful Lord with utmost affection. 


All the enlightened persons are covered therein; all the worshippers of the enlightened are also covered therein, He is not left out.”

"Strengthen Your Detachment With World..."

Once Mooni Shri Mohanlalji put a question to Shrimadji: 
"Mind does not remain steady. What are the ways to achieve steadiness of mind...?

Shrimadji said...

"Do not allow even a minute of time to go in waste.

You must read a book, which will strengthen your detachment with world and think on it.

If this is not possible you should matter religious phrases on rosary. 


If your mind is idle even for a moment, it will cause serious harm and spoil all your achievements. 


Go on giving it food of good thoughts.

Just as cattle goes on eating grass put up to it, so is the mind. 


It needs some food at all moments.

Thus, you must continuously go on pouring good thoughts into your mind.

Do not submit to the directions of your mind.

We must lead it on the right path instead of being drawn to do undeserving acts as desired by the mind..."

"Freeing The Soul From All Its Binding Deeds Or Karmas..."

  

                                      Thought About Pratikraman


Shrimadji said...Pratikraman means going into one's past deeds looking back on one's deeds minutely and observe how they came to be done. 


Such can be the explanation of this word. 


When we perform Pratikraman on a particular day and time we recollect sinful deeds or faults of our past, admit them one by one, repent for them with pure heart and decide to keep away from them in future.


This is also normal meaning of Pratikraman.


Highest spiritual Saints and devotional Shrawakas repent or beg pardon for their faults by day at sunset and by night before sunrise and this is said here as Pratikraman. 


We should also perform this Pratikraman without fail because one binds himself with many kinds of Karmas by way of thoughts, words and deeds and this has been elaborately described in Pratikraman Sutra. 


Therefore with that help one can repent for his faults committed during day and night.


By regular practice of repentance with pure heart one improves himself day by day, makes his soul free from even minor faults and afflictions and impurities that defiled it. 


One begins to develop a life of clear discrimination, develops fear for next birth and compassion for self and all living beings; his is softened and he clearly knows what is to be grasped and what is to be abandoned. 


With witness of Lord Mahavir as if he is present in life, one can repent for his ignored or forgotten sinful acts and thereby he can purify his soul. 


Thus Pratikraman becomes best means of Nirjara or freeing the soul from all its binding deeds or Karmas.


This Pratikraman is also called as 'AVASHYAKA' and its meaning is worthy to be practiced as a necessity. 


And it is true. 


Since it removes dust and purifies the soul and so it deserves to be performed surely.


Pratikraman performed at Sunset is called Devasiya Padikkamanu, the repentance for sins committed during the day; the Pratikraman performed at the later part of night is called Rai Padikkamanu - these are the words of Prakrit language. Pratikraman to be performed at the end of a fortnight is called Pakshika and Pratikraman to be performed at the end of the year is called Samvatsarika. 


This arrangement determined by Saintly persons is a fine discipline.


Some of the persons of normal or ordinary intelligence say that Pratikraman for repentance of day and night together can once be performed in the early morning everyday but this is not correct to say because suppose all of a sudden there is some event at night or a man dies at night then he would miss Pratikraman for that day time.


Arrangement of performing Pratikraman Sutra is an excellent one - its fundamentals are the best. 


Therefore Pratikraman should be performed as far as possible patiently, in our easily understandable language, peacefully and carefully with mental concentration.


Shrimad Rajchandra (Mokshmala lesson 40)

"Even Hurting a Small Petal Of Flower Is Also Sinful..."

                               

                                 Protection of All Living Beings 


Shrimadji said..."No religion is comparable to Daya (Compassion) 


Compassion is the very body of a religion. 


Where there is no compassion, there is no religion at all. 


There are such harmful religions in the world who say that there is no sin to kill a living being; at the most protect human life. 


Followers of such religious views are fanatical and blinded by their pride and they do not know even an iota of compassion. 


If they minutely think, setting aside their religious pride, they can easily realize that even killing a small germ is greatly sinful. 


As one loves one's soul or self, similarly every living being loves its own soul or self. 


Such followers should ask themselves as to how much unlimited harm they are creating to their own soul by fearlessly and carelessly killing innumerable animals and germs only for a slight gain or a mere habit? 


Not having any root of intelligence in them, they are not able to think this way at all, really they have trained themselves as incapable of such a line of thinking as to what is real compassion and they remain steeped in incurring more and more violence or life killing and hurting.


In Vedas and other books written by great preceptors of Vaishnavism, we do not find any thought about subtle compassion, still they, the followers of Vedas and Vaishnavas are much better than those not understanding at all the nature of real compassion. 


These Vedic followers and Vaishnavas have much thought of saving and protecting animals and birds and even beasts. 


But as compared with these people, we the followers of Bhagawan Mahavir are much more fortunate to learn real essence of religion that even hurting a small petal of flower is also sinful and as such we are quite free from performing all sacrifices involving killing or hurting any living being. 


We try our best to save all lives. 


We do not intentionally harm or like to injure or to take life of any living being. 


We are free from eating prohibited foods; 


we are totally vegetarians.


In our time the observance of compassion or non-violence in thought, word and deed has much been followed by us because of the strength of Yogic acquisition of Bhagawan Mahavir, the son of a great King Siddhartha. 


His noble behavior and spotlessly clean pure and perfect non-violent living has supported the Jain religion and its followers leading to the maximum good of all living beings. 


Men may gain excellent acquisitions, beautiful wives, obedient sons following the wishes of their parents, gain large families, gain honour and fame and positions of high authority and to gain any or all of them is not very difficult but to understand what is true religion and to have indomitable faith in it even to a small extent, is very very difficult.


Those getting acquisitions listed above, by indiscrimination, incur many sins and invite great trouble and tortures for themselves and for others around them, while a little faithful feeling of Jain religion elevates the follower to a very high state of his soul or self. 


Thus compassion followed, leads the follower to a very blissful state. 


Since we have been born in the family of followers of Jain Religion, we should lead a pure compassionate life and we should constantly remember that we have to protect all living beings with the best of our efforts not only this but we should advise others also by all intelligent ways to follow this universally acceptable and beneficial compassion. 


How fortunate we should consider ourselves if we get an opportunity to teach logically essentials of our Jain Religion to Anaryas or foreigners who are not following compassion from all points of view..." 


Shrimad Rajchandra (Mokshmala lesson 29)

"Worldly Life Show Truth As Untruth..."

  

  
                                  Four Analogies to Worldly Life 


Shrimadji said...


1. Great philosophers compare worldly life with a sea. 


The sea of worldly life is unending and unfathomable. 


O people! Employ your best effort for crossing this sea of worldly life successfully! Make the best effort for it! 


These are the repeated words of philosophers at various places. 


This analogy is quite adequate too. 


Just as in a sea, many waves arise, similarly waves of sex and other sense desires arise in a man's mind in worldly life, Just as the sea surface is plain on top, so also this worldly life looks quite simple and easy apparently; just as a sea is very deep at some places this sea of Samsara or worldly life is full of turning a man round and round, leading him to his downfall in a feat of illusion or hallucination or infatuation or intoxication. 


By standing near a seashore in its shallow waters, sometimes we deep our legs in mud, so this sea of worldly life deeps us in the mud of strong desires for worldly enjoyments even in very small incidents. 


Just as a sea when stormy, drowns a boat or a big ship, so this worldly life leads a soul to drown by storms in the forms of contact of women and strong desire for sex enjoyments. 


As a sea looking quiet and cool by unfathomable water contains fire in it called Wadavanala = fabulous sub-marine fire, similarly in worldly life Maya or misunderstanding always burns ablaze. 


As in monsoon a sea becomes very deep by rain water, so the sea of Samsara or worldly life by sinful acts of a person leads him to deep down to his downfall and firms up its foundations for keeping a soul always bound and miserable.


2. Second fitting analogy of worldly life is that of fire. 


Just as fire produces or emits burning heat, so the soul is given many torments, sorrows, miseries and many sufferings by worldly life. 


Just as a person cries tearfully when burned by fire, so a person cries tearfully to get out of worldly life when burnt by hellish unendurable unlimited troubles and torments given by worldly life. 


Just as fire destroys all that is poured in it so worldly life destroys all souls that are led away by it. 


As fire grows by whatever combustible substance like Ghee or firewood is put in it, so this worldly life grows by Ghee in the form of allurements and firewood in the form of attachment to sense objects.


3. The third fitting analogy to worldly life is that of darkness. 


Just as a string gives us in darkness an impression of a serpent, so does worldly life show truth as untruth. 


As in darkness, living beings meet with striking wrong objects and get pained, so many souls wander unconsciously or without a knowledge of their true nature of a soul or self, in the four states or births of a living being. 


As in darkness, glass and diamond are felt alike and none is correctly known, so in the darkness of worldly life, one does not have the knowledge of what is proper and what is improper from the point of view of soul's real nature. 


As in darkness, animals and men with eyes working, behave as if they are blind, so in worldly life even people knowing souls get infatuated as if they are blind. 


As in darkness the trouble of owls and other dangerous animals is on the increase, so in worldly life, greed, misunderstanding (Maya = illusion) etc. are on the increase. 


Looking thus from many points of view, worldly life is really like darkness.


4. The fourth analogy to worldly life is that of a wheel of a cart. 


As while moving ahead, it is moving itself round and round, so this worldly life keeps on going moving itself round and round, like the wheel of a moving cart. 


As the cart wheel cannot move without its axle, so this worldly life cannot move without its axle of unreality or Mithyatva or illusoriness. 


As the wheel is supported by its spokes, so this worldly life sustains itself on doubt and carelessness for reality and infatuation or Pramad. 


Thus in many ways worldly life can be rightly compared with the wheel of a moving cart.


Whatever low analogies can fittingly be given to worldly life are less than it deserves. 


We knew these four analogies. 


Now we should derive a lesson from them.  


1.Just as one can cross an ocean with the help of a Strong boat and an expert boatman knowing the nature of the sea and trend of its water currents, so with the help of true religion and a set realized preceptor or a saintly Guru or Master, this ocean of worldly life can be successfully crossed by the spiritual aspirant for liberation. 


Just as wise navigators have found out a safe way of crossing a deep ocean, so has Jineshwar Bhagawan shown the way of best philosophy which will safely save one from worldly life.  


2.As fire consumes everything it gets but by water it extinguishes, so by the water in the form of total non-attachment the fire of worldly life can be totally extinguished. 


3.As one can see his way in darkness with a lighted lamp, so with the lamp of philosophy, the darkness of worldly life can be totally dispelled and the truth of the self can be seen. 


4.Just as a cart cannot move without an ox or a pair of oxen, so the wheel of worldly life cannot move without the help of attachment and hatred. 


Thus like a good physician, proper diagnosis of the disease of worldly life is shown above, with it analogically the right medicine along with necessary instructions to follow for successful cure are also mentioned above, and one who wants liberation of his soul is advised to constantly keep this in mind and he should advise others also to do the same.


Shrimad Rajchandra (Mokshmala lesson 19/20)

"Non - Attachment Is The Real Form Of True Religion..."

  

  
   


Shrimadji said...


"If a cloth is stained with blood, it cannot be cleaned by blood; on the contrary it will be more stained. 


It is possible to clean the stains if washed in water. 


Use this example for cleaning a soul. 


A soul has been defiled from times immemorial by the blood of worldly life and in every cell of the soul this stain is spread. 


Now if we wish to remove this defilement or impurity by worldly enjoyments and entanglements it can not be removed. 


Stains of blood cannot be removed by blood so it is certain that impurity of soul cannot be removed by worldly enjoyments. 


There are many religious paths known in the world and about them one should first certainly decide that impartially looking, any religion wherein enjoyment of women is advised or advocated, or acquisition of wealth is advised, or wherein all sense pleasures, colourful enjoyments, types of singing, dancing and bodily happiness and ease are favoured or encouraged it cannot bring to us the real peace of our soul. 


Because if such things are called religious, then the whole worldly life is full of such worldly matters and so it should be called thoroughly religious. 


Every householder's residence is replete with all worldly enjoyments - children, wife, sense-pleasures, music, dance, amorous life etc., are in full swing in these houses and to call such house as a religious temple is to say that there is nothing like irreligion at all. 


And what is then wrong in our normal behaviour in worldly life ? 


Suppose someone says that we cannot pray to God in our house and for such prayer only religious temple is a fit place, to him we can only regretfully reply that he does not know the truth of the highest self Paramatma and pure devotion to it in a spirit of non-attachment. 


Whatever else may be said, leave it there and let us turn to our fundamental point. 


Philosophically looking, this soul moves in worldly life quite defiled by sense enjoyments and miseries resulting from them. 


This defilement can only be removed by pure water of non - attachment. 


The unfettered or released preceptor cleans our defiled cloth of our soul, using the truths preached by Arhat Bhagawan Mahavir as his soap, mixes it with pure water of non-attachment on the stone of noble conduct and character. 


For this work non-attachment is absolutely essential and without it nothing else can be of any effective use. 


Therefore non-attachment can really be said to be the real nature of religion. 


As the religious truth preached by Arhat Bhagawan strongly advocates non-attachment, we should accept that non - attachment is the real form of true religion.


Shrimad Rajchandra. (Mokshmala lesson 57)

"One Who Preserves All Of Them Attains Infinite Happiness..."

  

                        Thirty Two Spiritual Disciplines (Batris Yoga) 

Shrimadji said....

Great saints advise attainment of following thirty-two disciplines for enlightenment of our Self.

1. To give knowledge of the scriptures to our disciple so as to make him or train him like us.

2. Whatever knowledge we have as a Preceptor, we should teach it to others and enlighten them with the same.

3. One should not abandon his fixed religious discipline even in times of great trouble or difficulty.

4. Practice penance without any desire for worldly happiness here or in future births.

5. Whatever lessons we have received from our great preceptors we should carefully keep them in our mind and behave accordingly and we should accept new lessons discriminatively.

6. We should abandon the sense of mine and thine.

7. We should perform secret penance.

8. We should maintain greedlessness.

9. We should conquer all afflictions and sufferings.

10. We should keep our mind simple and ready to receive good beneficial spiritual lessons from highly non-attached great souls.

11. We should practice Pure self-control.

12. We should keep pure, our right understanding of the natures of Self and not-Self.

13. Keep your mind in a concentration with healthy self-attitude of liberation.

14. Follow religious discipline without any deceit.

15. Give due respect to deserving persons.

16. Shorten the limit of desires by means of contentment.

17. Merger yourself always in an atmosphere of total non-attachment.

18. Behave without any illusion or attachment.

19. Be attentive in Pure good activity.

20 Observe Samvara or close all doors from which, sinful karmas may enter your soul, and thereby stop the in rush of sin into your soul.

21. Try to get rid of your faults with equanimous mind.

22. Keep yourself unattached from sense-pleasures of all kinds.

23. Observe five great vows as flawlessly in original form.

24. Observe five great vows as flawlessly with all classes.

25. Perform Kayotsarga enthusiastically.

26. Engage yourself in acquiring self- knowledge and self-meditation with a concentrated mind without any Pramad-care-less or idleness or sloth.

27. Always be minutely inspecting in your Self-conduct.

28. Perform meditation with single mindedness for all sense-control.

29. Never be afraid of any misery that may result even in your death.

30. Always avoid contact with women.

31. Engage yourself in purifying yourself by repentance.

32. Propitiate Nirgrantha Bhagawan Mahavir at the time of death.

Each one of these thirty-two disciplines is very invaluable. 

One who preserves all of them attains infinite happiness.

Shrimad Rajchandra (Mokshmala lesson 72)

"Nothing About Me Is Unknown To You..."

                               Kshamapana (Seeking Forgiveness)  


Oh God ! I am much mistakened 


I did not bear in mind your invaluable teachings. 


I did not reflect on incomparable truths told by you. 


I did not adopt the best form of character and conduct prescribed by you. 


I did not recognize or follow well compassion, peace, forgiveness, and purity preached by you. 


Oh God ! I forgot, wandered aimlessly, rambled here and there and I am caught in the snare of interminable worldly life. 


I am sinful, intoxicated or puffed up with pride and my soul is defiled with dust of my Karmas. 


O Highest Soul ! I do not see my liberation without following the truths you have told. 


I am always engrossed in the machinations of worldly life, I have been blinded by ignorance, I have no discriminative power and so I am a blockhead or foolish. 


I have no support or protection, and I am an orphan. 


O non-attached highest Soul! I now seek support of You, Your religion and Your monks. 


I have strong desire to destroy my sins and faults and to be totally free from them. 


I now sincerely repent for all sins committed by me in my past. 


As I dive deep in fine spiritual thinking, the wonders of your truths enkindle my true nature. 


You are non - attached, free from all aberrations, pure truth, consciousness and bliss, naturally joyful, infinitely all knowing, all seeing and the enlightener of all three worlds. 


I simply beg pardon in your witness, for my spiritual benefit. 


Let it be my strong wish and inclination that I may never question or raise my doubt about the truths preached by you; that I may always remain on the path indicated by you! 


O All knowing God! What more can I say ? 


Nothing about me is unknown to you. 


I only seek pardon for all sins resulting from my deeds or Karmas in a spirit of repentance. 


Aum Peace, Peace, Peace. 


Shrimad Rajchandra (mokshmala lesson 56)