Dealing with money with the Gnani Purush’s understanding

Deepak Desai

DA D AVANI DA

Pub lisher , Owner & Publ r, Printed by :Deepak Desai

April 2008 Vol.: 3, Issue : 6 Conti. Issue No.: 30

Dealing with money with the Gnani Purush’s understanding

on behalf of Mahavideh Foundation, 5, Mamtapark Soc., Usmanpura, Ahmedabad-380014 Gujarat, India.

Editor :

EDITORIAL We do see in this worldly life that many people have tons of money whereas there are others who have no money even after toiling hard day and night. Now, what might be the reason, the secret behind this? Everyone has a need of money. Nevertheless, how can one comprehend the deep secrets of its coming and going through ordinary worldly vision?

Except the experienced Gnani who can give exact understanding concerning the inflow and exit of money, and the proper interaction with money in worldly interaction?

The great Gnani Purush Dadashri of this current time cycle used to say that money is the centerpiece of all worldly interactions. Therefore, one should never fail to show respect and humility towards money. One must never have contempt towards money. If you want to make money-Lakshmiji (Goddess of wealth) happy then you should develop a love for Narayan (the Lord within all). Money is not an absolute truth it is a relative truth. Money does not come due to intellect; it comes because of one’s merit karma. There is an inflow and an outflow of money, and this is under the authority of nature. With the pure and right money, one can have peace and happiness in his life. One can only earn money that is rightfully his, he cannot take wrong and impure money. It is called punya merit karma when you spend money towards a worthy cause.

If your money flows on the wrong path, then place a control over it and if it is flowing on the right path, then let it flow freely. You should maintain awareness not to bind a life after life account of vengeance with anyone on account of money. Such a experienced and accomplished words of the Gnani Purush presents the worldly viewer with a totally new approach for the worldly interaction in money matters.

Dadashri earned lots of money in his contracting business but he never spent carelessly, he did not spend wrongly, he never wasted his awareness for accumulating or counting the money and in spite of this he took care of all the worldly dealings with money with awareness at the time when it was needed. He lived the whole life from his own earnings only. He has never taken money from anybody neither he has ever asked a favor for money. After Gnan, when people used to return to give money he used to say, ‘I have come to take away your miseries and not money.

I do not have a need of your money. Keep your money with you and if you have surplus then spend for a religious cause, spend for God. It will be useful to you only.

He lived his life with absolute purity and he has shown an extraordinary example for the world. Purity means to be free from the need for money, the need for fame, the need for pride, the need for sex. The absence of beggary of any kind is needed for salvation of the world to happen.

It is our ardent prayer that the reader will progress on the path of purity and bliss by reading the essence of matchless, original speech that continues to flow through the medium of Dadashri, who is the instrument par excellence for the salvation of people of the current era of the time cycle. There is no doubt that such a reader will also become the instrument in the process of the salvation. ~Deepak Desai Subscription :

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Dealing with money with the Gnani Purush’s understanding (Please note that ‘S’ for Self, or ‘Y’ for You, refers to the awakened one in Akram Vignan, or the eternal Self. The ‘s’ for self refers to the worldly self. For a detailed glossary please see: www.dadashri.org/ glossary.html)

Love for Lakshmi – money or Narayan – God Questioner: Dada, what is the importance of money for living an ideal spiritual life?

Dadashri: The world considers money and wealth as one of the most important thing in life. People have more love for money because it is needed in everything they do. Love for God cannot exist as long as there is love for money. Love towards money will disappear when a person develops love for God. There can only be love for either Lakshmi (money) or Narayan (God). Love whichever one you want. Lakshmi will disappoint you through betrayal. There is a saying “Mandave te randave” – ‘That which is built will also be destroyed!’ And Narayan, never builds nor destroys. He keeps you happy all the time.

He keeps you in a state of liberation.

Money is power. Is it not? It includes gold and everything else. Is there anything else which will make you forget God? Is there anything else which can make one so engrossed?

Questioner: I can’t recall anything else.

Dadashri: No? Woman and money.

These two will make you forget everything, and will not let you remember God at all. You may remember God a little, but how can you concentrate on Him? There is hardly any love for God. What is the law? One becomes engrossed in that which he has an inclination and interest in. How can you concentrate on God when you do not feel inclined and have 2

love for God? You can definitely concentrate where you feel the love. You do not have love for God. If you feel the same amount of love for God that you have for money then you will be able to become engrossed in God. What can be gained when one tries to create love for God against one’s inclination?

There is no denying that as long as there are monetary interactions, there is a need for it. But one cannot become preoccupied with it. One can however become preoccupied with the Lord. If you only pursue money (Lakshmi), then Narayan (God) will be enraged. Is Lakshmiji an ordinary thing?

Questioner: Then how can one lessen and remove the love for money?

Dadashri: You should ask people, which one is more worthy, is it the love for money or the love for God? Love that which is worth more. ‘We’ (referring to the Gnani Purush and the fully enlightened Lord within) do not have a need for money, because ‘we’ have love for God. ‘We’ stay twenty-four hours with the Lord. That is why ‘we’ do not have any love for money.

The value of spiritual bliss only Instead of worldly happiness, you should have happiness that is beyond this world, spiritual happiness called bliss. This bliss will bring contentment. Worldly happiness, on the contrary, increases restlessness, and is temporary. If a person makes an income of fifty thousand rupees, he will count and recount his money and his mind becomes exhausted in April 2008

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counting. People’s minds have become so agitated that they do not even like to eat. I too have experienced such income sales and I have observed what it does to the mind. This is not something that is outside my own experience.

I myself have swum through this very ocean and gone across. So I understand what you are going through.

One cannot obstruct Lakshmiji ‘We’ never think about money. People who have not had darshan of Lakshmiji—the Goddess of wealth—will keep thinking about her. But within ‘us’ Lakshmi and Narayan (the fully enlightened Lord) exist; ‘we’ always respect her if ‘we’ come across Lakshmiji; ‘we’ never neglect doing so. Do we not have a saying ‘If you have a son, a daughter-in-law is bound to come’? If Narayan—the Lord is with you, then Lakshmiji—wealth is bound to come.

We only have to give her our address with respect and humility. Lakshmiji only asks for respect and humility. Would there be a shortage of fun and festivities where the Lord resides? One cannot obstruct Lakshmiji even if he wants to. Lakshmiji is the wife of God. Are you trying to detain Lakshmiji, mooah (the one who is dying, special exclamation used by Dadashri to shake up the listener)? If you obstruct a new bride from visiting her parents for the first time after her marriage, then what will be condition of the poor bride? People have started doing the same for Lakshmiji. So now, even Lakshmiji is fed up.

Money is a relative truth This worldly interaction vyavahar is relative truth. Everything is dependent on each other. You seek to make money by various means, and I will not touch money at all.

Money is not the absolute truth. It is a relative April 2008

truth.

Once in Mumbai, many women mahatmas took off their gold necklaces and offered them to me. I said, ‘these necklaces are not useful to me.’ If you have moha attachment then leave them. I do not want your necklaces. Then they said, ‘we have made bhaav a deep inner intent that we want to give them to you.’ Then I said, ‘then it is your wish.’

They said, ‘we would like for them to be used to make a crown for Lord Simandhar Swami.’ Then I said, ‘all right, give them to me.’ Otherwise I have no interest in it.

He gets the ultimate understanding of the world ‘We’ do not have any bheekh beggary, desire. God does not exist where there is beggary. God does not exist at all where there is beggary for maan respect, or beggary for money.

The one whose beggary of all kinds leaves, is the one who is worthy of every spiritual sutras, gifts of this world. But first all traces of any beggary, desire or need in a person must go – only then! There are so many types of inner needs and desires: the need for money, the need for fame, the need for sex, the need for disciples, the need to build temples; any need of any kind is nothing but beggary. But how can anyone’s needs, be quenched here?

Any wealth in the relative realm, for anyone is limited, it is never complete. Even if one has very little, the real wealth within is equivalent to the wealth of an emperor. I have no ownership over any worldly wealth.

Where does real happiness lie?

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In the language of the Lord (Lord Mahavira), what is wealth? It is that which multiplies life after life. One takes this wealth— spiritual and worldly—with him into the next life. The Lord says that the wealth, which divides, decreases life after life is not wealth.

Such wealth dissipates and goes astray and one is at risk of losing it with adverse consequences in the next life. When wealth in the current life does not bring inner peace, how is it possible for peace to arise when the times are difficult? Bliss does not exist in wealth or poverty, it exists when one transcends it.

Unhappiness is the vitamin of atma— the soul You become a beggar of the world if you build a majestic bungalow and a king of the world with a small home. This is because this is all pudgal the non-Self world. When pudgal—that which increases and decreases, rises and falls with intake and output; increases, the energy and expression of the Self is diminished and when the pudgal decreases, the energy and expression of the Self increases.

Therefore, all worldly sorrows are a vitamin for the soul and worldly comforts are the vitamin for the body—the pudgal. And yet you are not taking vitamin for the Self and you are trying to get rid of the unhappiness. You are not taking the vitamin for the soul, are you?

See, how I have become after taking vitamin for the soul ! If someone were to take away fifty thousand from me, by fraudulent means, I would simply keep taking the vitamin of the soul.

Did not find happiness in following the ways of the world Questioner: There are some people who want what others have. If they see others 4

with a car, then they want it too.

Dadashri: When does lokasangnya arise (lokasangnya—to be dictated by societal influence)? It occurs when one is not satisfied from within. Until today, I have not found a single man to give me bliss. Even when I was young, I did not find a need to keep a radio. Are these all not live radios walking around. One is prone to be dictated by the ways of the world when there is greed within.

The real meaning of satisfaction is samatrushna equanimity amidst desire.

People will say that happiness lies in money, but there are some Sadhus—ascetics—who will not accept money even if you offered it to them. Even if you give me all the gold in the world, I would not accept it because I do not find happiness in money or wealth at all. Happiness does not lie in money.

If it did then every one will derive happiness from it. Whereas everyone will experience bliss derived from the Soul because it is real happiness; it is eternal happiness. There is so much anand bliss in the Self that you cannot even imagine it.

True bliss lies only in Self-realization Questioner: You have talked about temporary happiness and permanent happiness.

How can we know the difference between the two if we have not experienced the permanent happiness?

Dadashri: You will not know it at all.

Until the permanent happiness arises, you will only call this relative temporary happiness as happiness.

If you place a big ant that thrives in cow dung on a flower, it will die, because it is used to the pleasure from the cow dung. Its innate April 2008

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nature is to be familiar and comfortable with cow dung. It will not like the flower.

Wandering life after life is due to greed It is greed that really harasses a human being, not his activities for sustenance. This maintenance and sustenance activity cannot harass you at all. Wherever you are, your daily need for the maintenance will be fulfilled for sure. Being human is a great siddhi—accomplishment associated with extraordinary energies. Everything is available to him, but it is greed that makes him wander life after life.

Money comes through merit karma I have spent my time in watching the worldly show and drama only. Why does one need to waste any time in this world? People worry constantly about earning money. Money will come as long as one has merit karma punya effects. Otherwise, even if you toil till death it will not come. These laborers work so hard, and yet they do not get anything for it.

The laborer works hard the entire day and then his landlord will tell him, ‘I do not have any change today, bring me the change for this hundred rupee note.’ Now, who would give this poor fellow the change for a hundred? And so the boss will not give him any money. Without money, how can the poor fellow buy ghee and oil? Well, he may not be able to afford the clarified butter ghee but he needs to buy some oil and spices, so how can he take it home without money? So the poor man goes home empty handed after a hard days work. The worker cannot say anything to the landlord, who does not give him his due wages and abuses him in addition. You folks, on the other hand get paid for the days that April 2008

you have holidays and for when you do not work. Therefore, money is the fruit of merit karma of the past life, unfolding in this life.

‘We’ know the reasons and the causes behind why money comes and goes. Money does not come because of hard work or through the use of intellect (buddhi) or deceit.

How does a person get money? If money were earned through honesty, then our political ministers would not make even four cents! Money comes because of one’s merit karmas. Even a mad man will make money if he has the punya.

Wealth comes through merit karma and not through the use of the intellect. These businessmen bosses do not have an ounce of intelligence and yet money keeps coming to them in huge amounts. Their clerks however, are constantly using their intellect when dealing with the income tax officers and managing the business while also taking a lot of abuse from their boss, who sleeps soundly in his bed.

Merit karma is needed to earn money.

The intellect on the contrary will bind demerit karma. If you try to earn money through your intellect, you will bind demerit karma. I have no intellect and therefore I bind no demerit karma. I do not have even one percent of intellect.

The nature of money is to dissipate The nature of money is to depart-dissipate. One wishes that would be better if the money lasts for my eight generations, but nature of money is to depart. Therefore you should tell her—Lakshmiji, ‘it is not my wish that you leave, please stay here. But, if you want to go, I will not insist that you stay.’ If you say like that then it will not think that you do not care for it. ‘We do care for you ten 5

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times. But if you cannot stay then it is your wish.’ If it does not want to stay then can we say ‘ma baap – mother father’ (begging tone) to it? ‘Ma baap’ is for parents only.

It is all instrumental evidence Therefore, I tell you that money will not come to you if you go through extreme struggles to acquire it. It simply happens. You are merely an instrument—nimit, one of the many evidences when it comes to you. You are merely one of the evidences when you go and return from the court. The speech that comes through your mouth is also nimit— instrumental evidence in the entire scheme of the universe. So do not get too involved in it.

All this is not worth paying too much attention to. What is needed happens with the right amount of attention—dhyan by itself. If you gain this understanding, you will be free from all tension.

Money belongs to the one who spends it In this world there are those who work hard and there are those who simply enjoy.

Everything is such a mixture. Those who work believe they are the ‘doers’ and that it is their hard work that is paying off; such is their ego.

Their ego is in the doer-ship. On the other hand, those who enjoy themselves do not have that ego of doer-ship, they get the pleasure of enjoying, their ego is in the enjoying. Those who toil get the sweet taste of doer-ship– garvaras.

One businessman asked me, ‘Can you say something to my son, he doesn’t want to labor and work hard, all he wants is to enjoy himself?’ I told him, ‘There is nothing to be said. He is enjoying his share of his punya so why should we interfere with that?’ He then 6

asked me, ‘Do we not need to wisen him up?’

I replied, ‘In this world the one who enjoys is wise, the one who wastes - throws away uselessly is mad, and the one who toils is a laborer.’ Yes, the one who toils derives the pleasure from the ego of doer-ship—garvaras.

Everyone around stands up with respect saying, ‘the boss is here,’ as he enters the office with his long coat on. This is his pleasure from the doer-ship and respect. The ‘enjoyer’ on the other hand cares little about such respect.

Enjoying that which is one’s own is the only correct enjoyment.

Causing new merit karma while enjoying the fruits of past merit karma Only the person who shares all his wealth with others knows how to live life. Whatever he gets he gives freely to others! That is called living life. You must not squander away your wealth in madness. Spend it wisely. Madness is squandering it on alcohol and other addictions. Nothing positive comes out of this.

Without any addiction, he gives freely. That is the result of the highest kind of merit karma punyanubandhi punya (causing new merit karma while enjoying the fruits of past merit karma). What is punyanubandhi punya? It is when a person gives happiness to others without any expectation of anything in return. That is called punyanubandhi punya.

Gnani can teach you how to share freely with all ‘We’ also used to give away freely to others. That would hurt Hiraba (Dadashri’s wife). She would say, ‘you are giving away everything.’ Then I would say, ‘I will not give away freely now.’

Questioner: I have not heard this word April 2008

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called ‘bheladavu’ – let it all go, give freely to others. Please explain a little.

Dadashri: We—Patels are landlords, who have some land and some of us farm it ourselves. So if someone were to ask, ‘why are you not bringing vegetables lately?’ Then they say, ‘bhelai gayoon—its all gone.’ What is the meaning of this? These cows and buffalos graze in the farm and they eat away freely, and we cannot object. That means the farm has been given up for fodder for cattle. This is the word in Gujarati language. Whoever comes, may take it. We do not want to give free like that. But if such things are done in proportion and with discipline, then it is fine.

It is very rare that someone comes to you, you have the means and wealth and you spend it for him. No one is free, has the time to come to you at all. One simply does not know how to use this opportunity in life. The taker is more valuable than the giver, because even when one is ready to give there is no taker. If you do not give the moment there is the taker, you yourself will be taken away, grazed away in the vast scheme of this universe. Therefore let it all be taken away— grazed away.

Now what should you do to spend for others? Your intellect will not work there so you are to make a friendship of someone like me. You should make a friendship with Kshatriya like me and accomplish your work.

And if we make a friendship with you (Vaniks) then we will have safe side. Otherwise we will not have safe side.

You have not heard the word bheladavu—give up for grazing, have you?

Certain words are lost. Have you heard the word bheladey—give away freely?

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Questioner: Yes, Dada.

Dadashri: What did you understand?

That over which there is no ownership is called shared freely—bhelai gayoon. Nobody will object that you stole it. There is no owner.

Kabir has sung that whatever you have, from that first you eat, drink, drink does not mean drinking brandy, drink milk, tea and eat and feed everybody and get your work done.

‘Hey people, at the time of leaving, not even an almond piece will accompany you.’ Therefore, let it all be fed to others.

Or else if it is not going to be used for others, it will go away in the wrong path for sure. The nature of money is restlessness and mobility.

To get cheated deliberately is rare ‘We’ deliberately allow people to cheat us, this is an exception, and such exception is very rare. People deliberately allow others to cheat them out of shame or because of other inner intents. Otherwise, people would not have a goal of deliberately allowing others to cheat them however; it was ‘our—Dadashri the Gnani’s’ goal of deliberately allowing others to cheat us.

Beautified worldly interaction by taking a loss I was sixteen years old at that time when people would ask me to buy inner garments for them whenever I visited Vadodara from Bhadran. Someone will ask me to buy a hat for him of a certain size. But say for instance if I buy inner garment for twelve anaas (one anaa – six cents) I would ask them to pay me 7

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ten anaas, so they will not blame me that it is available for ten anaas at some other place.

Now I would have lost two anaas and yet people will say I cheated them for two anaas.

Rather than this, I would take two anaas less, and thus I would proceed carefully from the beginning. I would not like someone accusing me. I would not like if someone doubted me.

Doubt and suspicion kills love. When you suspect someone, you will not feel love for that person. Love will leave. I used to take two anaas less in those days. The neighbor would tell me, ‘what kind of a person are you, how can you do such a thing? You are correct, what is wrong in taking twelve anaas for what cost you twelve anaas?’ Then I said, ‘No. With another vendor, I may have been cheated and overpaid. I am an honest person.’ I would pay whatever the vendor demands. I do not know how to meddle.

Ruined in return for praise and respect I was not able to spend money for religion. And where people would praise and respect me, I would donate five lakhs. This is called a tuber of maan pride. Bravo, Bravo!

Hey you, did this praise remain for even a day? Nothing. But no, I would like that. I would feel the taste. I had investigated that I was quite receptive and open and how come it—the mind becomes so stingy when it comes to giving for religion? When it came to appreciation and respective, I was quite open and willing. Should we not investigate how our mind is?

I would evaluate my nature. I had a business of construction contracts. I did not have shortage of hundred rupees notes even during years of 1935, 39, 40 and 42. In those days, the rupee was worth a lot. I had surplus 8

money so whenever visited Agaas I would give for charity. So I would take out a note of hundred and tell them, ‘take twenty-five rupees out of this and give me seventy-five back.’

Now it would have been all right if I had not taken that seventy-five back. But the mind was sticky and stingy, so I used to take seventyfive back.

Questioner: Dada, even at that time, you ‘saw’ such subtle things!

Dadashri: Yes, but what I am saying that this prakruti inherent nature does not change-leave, does it? Then I investigated. In a way, people tell me that I am a very noblegenerous person. I asked myself, ‘in which way I am a noble person, here in religious charity?’ At this place, I am sticky—can’t let go and stingy. I found out that when people praised me, I would spend a lakh rupee otherwise I would not spend even a rupee. That nature was not very sticky, but if they do not pay respect, I would not give no matter whether it is religion or anything else and the moment they praise I would give all the earnings, even by creating a new debt. Now how many days will they respect you? Three days, after that nothing at all. They would applaud for three days and then they will stop.

And these Baniyas (Vaniks, usually trader caste) are shrewd. Praise and accolade will not deceive them. They will look whether is it going to get credited for next life or whether it will remain right here and here only.

The worldly praise is used up in exchange, I took the fruit, I tasted and these (Baniya) people will not look for reputation, they look for the fruit and that is the overdraft for next life, they are very shrewd, they are critical thinkers, aren’t they? They are more intellecApril 2008

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tual than any one of us. For us Kshatriyas (member of the fighting and defending caste), we slice it into two with a sudden stroke, without long-term thinking. All the Tirthankara Lords were Kshatriya. The sadhus—ascetics readily admit that they cannot become a Tirthankara. The reason is that when they become a sadhu, they renounce everything but they will keep one guinea—gold piece inside (referring to holding onto one guinea from the outside while emptying the gold bag).

What if they get into trouble once in a while?

That is their main tuber (greed) and you on the other hand will give right away. Promise to pay means you would give everything according to promise. You would not know anything else. You would not have any understanding.

Not a thinker at all. But then their types will get liberated early.

Questioner: They attain liberation early!

Dadashri: Yes, they will attain moksha after attaining kevalgnan absolute knowledge.

But Tirthankaras are Kshatriya only. And this is (Baniya) a thinker race. They will do everything after thinking. And we (Kshatriya) will feel endless remorse and they (Baniya) feel less remorse.

See, I still remember. I would give a hundred and take seventy-five back. Even now I can see that office. But I said, ‘such behavior!’ How open-minded—generous are these people in charity matters! I had understood my style. All styles. In a way I have a big heart too. But I need someone to praise me, entertain me. If someone entertained—pleased me, I would do everything.

Questioner: Dada, it is the nature of a living being.

Dadashri: Yes, it is prakruti, all that is prakruti—the non-Self.

Never had a beggarly mind Whenever I went to buy a pair of dhoti white garment wrapped round waist and tucked in, each shopkeeper would have charged two rupees more. They will say, ‘Ambalalbhai has arrived, Ambalalbhai has arrived.’ And I would pay too. When there is a deceptive intent of charging extra two rupees and because of this if he derives a little pleasure then what is the problem? The mind is a beggar. My mind has not become a beggar for two rupees. The nature of such a mind does not change. Such things would not suit me. I have always been the critical calculator from the very beginning, so this does not suit me.

Pride was behind the decision to get cheated I have a maani (one with a tuber of pride) nature, so as soon as I enter in a shop he would know that Ambalalbhai has come.

Being a contractor, I had a certain pomp and dignity. Oh, he will arrange a big pillow for me so I can seat at ease. He will arrange certain way and will say, ‘tell me what will you like?’

Then I said, ‘The thought of buying a pair of dhoti and a piece of cloth to make three shirts arose and that is why I have come here.’ So he will show it to me and make a bill right away, ‘Sir, you do not have to pay right now, someone will come and pick it up from your home.’ I said, ‘No, I have money right now.’

So I would pay the bill and if I did not have money then I would tell him to pick it up from my home.

But I do know that he overcharged me

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three rupees for one pair of dhoti. For one pair it is fifteen rupees, but he charged extra three rupees from me otherwise, would they offer me a pillow without any reason? Therefore, I know that the nature of this poor fellow is like that only. So why should I argue and haggle with him that, ‘would it cost eighteen rupees? It is like this and like that?’ Now if someone does haggle with him then he would give it for fifteen rupees. I would not argue so he would charge eighteen rupees from me.

How beautiful are the laws of these people (!). These are very good people! Foreigners are not like this. This is our Indian puzzle. This puzzle is such that nobody can solve, that is the definition of the Indian puzzle.

‘Hey, are you overcharging the good people?’

Then he says, ‘yes, otherwise a weaker (poor) person will not pay more money at all, will he!!’ Now if he will not rob a good person, then whom should he rob? And what are they going to take even after the robbing? Three rupees. For this reason only they will give respect ‘take a seat sir, take a seat sir, I will order a cup of tea for you’.

But I have allowed myself to be cheated deliberately in the entire life. I keep getting cheated. Some will deceive me for two hundred rupees, some for five hundred rupees. I have not met anyone who can cheat me continuously for the whole life. There is a limit to cheating. There is a boundary. Therefore we should affirm the decision to get cheated deliberately.

The one who allows others to cheat him deliberately attains moksha Questioner: You let the other person cheat you knowingly, but what happens to him, the one who overcharged you for the dhoti (a 10

long plain lower garment of males)? Will he have a profit or loss?

Dadashri: Whatever is going to happen to him will happen. He did not do this according to my teachings. I have satisfied his inclination. If someone came to get something from me, whether it is rightfully belongs to him or not, it is all right with me. He is the loser in this, because he took what is not his.

However, he opened the door of liberation for me. ‘The Vitarag (One without any attachment) walks away after nourishing everybody’s ego.’ People will not let us go if we do not satisfy their ego. They will stop you, ‘this is incomplete, and this is not done, and take care of this first.’ Will anybody let you go further? Oh, even the old parents will not leave you alone. They will complain, ‘you did not do well for us. You did not fulfill what I expected of you.’ Hey, are you looking for this kind of return? If you get the returns (of having raised a son) with naturalness, it is fine. Should parents be looking for something in return for raising their children? Such parents are not parents but ‘renters’ (bhadut). Those who allow themselves to be cheated by others deliberately are very rare, are they not?

I have not been conned because of my straightforwardness and simplicity. I am fully aware when people are cheating me. I deliberately allow them to do so. Foolish are those who get cheated because of their straightforwardness and simplicity. Do you think that I am simple and easily cheated? Those who deliberately allow themselves to be cheated, would you call them naive?

The life passed through practicing April 2008

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benevolence to others I am kind and empathetic. On a rare occasion when I set out to collect money owed to my business, I would return, actually giving them more. As such I never set out to collect money, but when I did and if that person was experiencing difficulties, I ended up giving him more. I would give away the money in my pocket that I needed for my expenses. And the next day I found myself in difficulty. This is how my life has been.

Became a God thus I had opened this very same business throughout the whole life. I have become a God by allowing others to cheat me. See I have become a God by getting conned. I repeatedly allowed these people to cheat me and I feel thankful for them, and tell myself that something good has happened. Even if you were to give five thousand rupees you will not find anyone to cheat you. If I give you five thousand rupees, even then you will not cheat me. You will say why would I take that responsibility and this foolish person takes on the responsibility just like that, who will take it? Foolish people.

There is no wealth greater than to get cheated deliberately There is no greater path to the Soul— the Self than to get cheated by others with understanding. With knowledge and vision, I have allowed people to deceive me, throughout this life. People ask, ‘what is the benefit in this?’ Then I said, ‘what status can one get if he allows others to deceive him deliberately?

The intellect develops so high that he can reprimand even the learned judges of the Supreme Court.’ What does it mean? The brain April 2008

becomes so powerful that he can even show the mistakes of the judge. The intellect will develop so high that he can take control of the laws. The one who allows others to deceive him deliberately, and does not deceive anybody, his brain will become so powerful. But who would allow others to deceive him deliberately? Who would be such a fortunate one?

And how can one adopt this understanding at all? Who can give this knowledge at all?

People will give the knowledge of cheating someone else but who will give the understanding about allowing others to deceive you deliberately?

Proceed with priceless faith So we should progress spiritually by allowing others to cheat us. There is no greater path to the Soul—the Self than to get cheated by others deliberately. To have a faith on a human race is a very noble thing. Should one forsake this trust just because a few people have betrayed him? Certainly not. What do our people do? If two to five friends were to betray him, he would proclaim, ‘he is treacherous, he is treacherous.’ Hey, you cannot speak like this. This is just that the people of our India, although appearing obstinate, are like parmatma supreme Souls. May be their condition has become such due to circumstances, but if I give this Gnan—knowledge of the Self, then behold what they become in an hour! Therefore, they are like the absolute God—parmatma. But they have not met with such a circumstance.

What is really essential?

Questioner: When we do not have money we cannot accomplish and for accomplishment money is required. So without money, 11

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without resource when can we attain the gnan that we would like to have? So this money, is the first instrument to attend the school of the gnan, don’t you think so?

Dadashri: No. Money is not at all an instrument to accomplish the goal. Not only for gnan—knowledge but it is not an instrument for anything in any manner. In this world, the thing, which is unnecessary, is money. The necessity that one feels is a bhranti illusion and people believe this because of lack of understanding. What is necessary? Air is the first thing that is required. If there is no air then you will say that ‘no, air is required since one can die without air.’ We have not seen people who have died due to lack or absence of money. So this talk that money is a necessary instrument is a madness. A person who owns two factories wants money, the one with one factory also wants money, the secretary of the factory also wants money, and the factory laborer wants money. Then who is happy among all these?

The play of the beggarly mind Questioner: Without money no one considers you.

Dadashri: Go and see in my pocket, I do not have even four anaas; even then everybody consider me and come to me.

When you will not have a need for money then you will have lots of money. This idea exists due to the beggarly mind, which says, I have twenty-five thousand rupees so it will keep going there only.

As a result, what comes at the end?

It is like this, people keep earning money from their childhood, but if you try to check in 12

the bank he will say, ‘I have only two thousand rupees in the bank.’ And the whole day he will keep worrying sick, the whole day grumbling, clash and quarrel. Now there is infinite energy within. You have so much energy that even if you just think within, it will happen outside, yet here let alone the thought, even if one toils all day long, nothing is accomplished externally. See, how bankrupt human beings have become?

Money will come without pondering There is always an inflow and an outflow puran-galan of money. And all that is nature’s authority. So when one earns one lakh rupees, there is inflow of money that is the authority of nature, that authority is not yours. Then why are you meddling in this?

You have attained money free of cost. But it is due to greed that these people continue desiring bhavna money.

There is no need for you to desire bhavna to earn money. Let your efforts continue, however. What happens when you have desire for money? If I grab the money for myself, there will be none left for the other person. Let whatever quotas have been assigned to people naturally, be. So then what is the use in keeping the desire? That is what I am trying to say. Doing this will prevent many people binding demerit karma. That is what I am saying.

There is tremendous essence in this single sentence, but only if you understand it.

It is not mandatory that people take this Gnan of mine. If a person has not taken this Gnan but understands that everything is very precisely allocated and nothing occurs outside of one’s account, it is enough. Would you not otherwise understand if you experience a loss April 2008

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even when you are working very hard?

Because hard work is hard work, you ought to be rewarded for it, but do you not also experience a loss even when you work hard?

What are the rules of Lakshmiji?

Questioner: What are Goddess Lakshmiji’s—the Goddess of wealth—rules?

Dadashri: Her rules are that one cannot make or take money dishonestly. How can Lakshmiji be pleased with you if you violate this rule? Then it matters little whether you worship Goddess Lakshmiji to no end. It is of no consequence when you perform the ritual of washing coins on Lakshmipujan Day prior to Diwali! Everyone does that too! Do they wash coins in England?

Questioner: No Dada, no one washes money there.

Dadashri: Even then does Lakshmiji not grace their homes? What is the meaning in washing coins? Here in India, people wash them with yogurt also! Everyone washes coins.

When it comes to money, everyone is shrewd; no one lags behind in doing this. People even come and ask me, “Did you wash coins today?” ‘We’ ask, “What for?” Whenever Lakshmiji meets me ‘we’ tell her, “Our home address is 6, Mamani Poda, Vadodara. You are welcome there anytime it is convenient for you. It is your home, so you are welcome.”

This is all ‘we’ say to her; ‘we’ never fail to show ‘our’ respect. Where money is concerned ‘we’ never say ‘we’ have no need for money. You also speak when you go home tonight that, ‘hey, goddess Lakshmi Devi, whenever it is convenient for you, grace us with a visit and leave whenever you please.

However, please come to our home. Please April 2008

take care of this home.’ You can say like this, can’t you?

Questioner: Please keep coming and going.

Dadashri: No, not like that. ‘This is your home. You are welcome anytime it is convenient to you. It is our wish that you do come.’ After speaking this much you are to go to sleep meditating on ‘Shuddhatma—pure Soul’, and in that if one does sankalp—‘this is mine’—or vikalp—‘I am Chandulal’, then it will create a grave fault. Therefore, be done with it.

The value of the right kind of money In this current era of the time cycle of Kaliyug if the money is pure and right, even one rupee that is destined to bind merit karma (punya-anubandhi-punya) will give peace and happiness to everyone; it creates an atmosphere whereby everyone in the home will continue to have positive and religious thoughts.

How much one is entitled in incoming money?

In this Dushamkaal—the current era of pain and misery, what kind of people abound?

Conflicts, conflicts and conflicts. One will not have inner peace. Money of today will not give inner peace and happiness.

I once asked a woman from a reputable family in Mumbai whether they had any quarrels in their home. She replied, ‘Every morning we have quarrels for breakfast!’ I told her they must be saving a lot of money on food and she replied, ‘No, we still have to spend money. As we butter the toast, the quarrels go on and so does the breakfast!’ What kind of people are these?

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Questioner: Do the clashes occur at certain peoples’ home because of such (impure and wrong) money?

Dadashri: If the money is pure and right, then you will always be at peace and your life will be good. Clashes in the homes are caused by entry of impure and wrong money. From a very young age I had decided that as far as possible impure and wrong money must not enter my home. For the past sixtysix years not a trace of impure money has entered my home and that is why there has never been any clashes in my home. We had decided from the very beginning that we would run the household within a certain budget. The business may make hundreds of thousands of rupees but if this Ambalal Patel were to work for someone, how much would he earn? He would earn anywhere between six to seven hundred rupees at the most. Business is a play of merit and demerit karma and so we should spend only the amount I would draw as a salary if I were employed elsewhere. The rest of the money would be retained in the business for unforeseen events like taxes. One never knows when an ‘attack’ from an income tax authority will come and if all the money is spent, the attack from the tax office will cause you to have a heart attack! Have such attacks not entered all the homes? How can we call this life? What do you think? Is this not a mistake? We need to break this mistake.

Let money flow in naturally. Do not use it as a support. Never rest and think that it will be there forever. Proceed with caution of this awareness so that when it leaves you will not suffer.

The Lord has said that you should not 14

keep an account of your money. If you have some knowledge of what the future holds, do keep an account. And if you want to keep an account then keep an account of the fact that you may die tomorrow!

The more money you make the more restless you become and the mind becomes dull and you do not remember anything. You are in a constant state of agitation. People keep counting their bills; the bills are left behind and the counter passes on. Money says to us, ‘Understand this much if you want: you will move on and we will stay behind’. Therefore do not create any animosity with it. Invite money to come to you because you need it.

We have a need for everything. But people become obsessed with it. However you have no choice but count it anyway. There are a few businessmen who delegate the bookkeeping, counting and safekeeping of money to their clerks. They instruct their clerks not to disturb them when they are dinning. They tell their clerks to count the money on their own as they take the money in and out of the safe.

They will not interfere with their assistants.

There are such men around. In the whole of India, there are a handful of such men who remain completely unaffected. They are like me. I never count money. What interference!

I have not handled money for the last twenty years and that is why I am filled with bliss.

Did not waste time in counting the money Questioner: You have written in Aptavani that after going to a bank withdrawing some money, why waste our time of focused awareness—upayog in counting the bills? Whatever they give we just have to put it in our pocket.

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Dadashri: It is like this, when I used to do the business at that time they used to give me bunches of one-rupee bills or five rupees bills, and if I try to count this, then how much time would be wasted? My machine is very fast; my machine (brain) will revolve with three thousand revolutions per minute. Now this one has five hundred revolutions so how can it be linked? It will break. At the most, two to five notes will be less and so about twenty-five rupees will be short. As far as possible it will not be short, I know that. We are not going to get surplus but for no reason people will count three times for two rupees. If there is a short of two rupees in a hundred, people will count three times. Hey, look at the time at least! If there is small change and eight anaas are short then he will count hundred rupees again. I will not count all such things. I will just take whatever is handed, more or less.

Taught vyavahar—worldly interaction thus Questioner: So Dada, this man gave this money, here why are you asking to count the money?

Dadashri: Why did I ask this person to count the money? Your habit is different and my habit is different. I am not a person who will think negatively of any other person.

Say for instance, you gave a thousand rupees to this man. Now this man is asking a third person to hold on to the money until he returns, and meanwhile, that third person took out a hundred rupees. Now that first person did not count the money. And he gives me thousand rupees, and again I would give that bunch of thousand rupees to this man. Now this person will say that a hundred rupees are short. Who might have taken these hundred rupees? Now how many people will get hurt?

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And who can we suspect? Nothing else, but it will create a doubt. That is why I ask everybody. When I give money even then I ask them to take the money after counting. Afterwards he should not doubt that Dada gave less money. This law is good or wrong?

Questioner: It is a good law.

Dadashri: And I take money without counting, because I am still and unaffected. I will not have a doubt on anyone at all. I am tremendously still and unaffected. I will not harbor a doubt regarding that matter at all, I will not think at all. This thing is over one or other way. This is not real, the giver has not taken it.

That is why I had said to all these people to count the money. Otherwise, they will think, what happened?

Questioner: This is because Dada speaks one sentence like this and another sentence in another way, and I asked because I was confused.

Dadashri: It is like this, I have stability—sthirata—constant inner equanimity—in every matter and your stability has not developed yet. Until then beware.

And I am teaching this, to maintain steadiness, you just have to let go, do not create problem at all—do not multiply within.

You do not gain anything by multiplying and worthless accusations continue. If one creates a doubt on a chaste woman then what else remains? If he is a noble person and if you create a doubt then what else is left for you?

What a grave mistake if you take this very same person to a restaurant, spend two hundred rupees for him and then doubt him about a hundred rupees? I will not make such mis15

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take. I have not made such mistake in my life.

Questioner: However in the vyavahar worldly interaction, lot more such things are happening.

Dadashri: That is it I am teaching you this new vyavahar worldly interaction.

What can you afford: a flood or a famine?

One woman was telling me, ‘it has been raining so much this year then what will happen next year? Then there will be shortage.’

People expect even during scarcity that it would be better if they can earn two to three lakhs rupees. Hey, from now on every year there will be a famine, so do not expect. You earned the money at once, now there will be a shortage for five years. Rather than this, what you get in proportion of distribution, by installments, let it be, that is correct. Or else if you will earn all the money, then all will be spent. So the payment is decided and that is correct. You should do that which satisfies the other person. You should accept the money which vyavasthit—scientific circumstantial evidence— sends you. If you fell short of two-three hundred on this Diwali (festival of lights) then next Diwali you will earn more. So you should not worry about this.

See the counter exactly as he is In this body also if there is a famine, one becomes a skeleton, and if there is an excess of intake the body swells up. When the body swells up he knows that he has become fat. Hey, it is just the swelling of the body. So therefore, no karma can match the one where there is no flooding and excess.

Such a karma is such that it will bring forth merit karma for next life punyanubandhi 16

punya. When you get more money then only you will have problem of counting money. If you have ten thousand rupees and if you have to count one by one each then when will it end? After this if one or two rupee is missing then he will count again. He will go to sleep after he finishes counting exactly. Then one person asked me, ‘what would you do?’ I said, “you are talking about ten thousand, but if I have to take a change of hundred from some shop and if the shopkeeper says, ‘sir, please count it.’ Then I will say, ‘I have lot of trust on you’.” At the time if I get ninety-nine then it would cost me one rupee to count, but I will loose some time in counting, will I not?

Therefore let there be a rupee less but there is no hassle. That is why I never count money.

For a hundred rupees, there will be hundred bills and I will loose ten minutes! Again he will keep licking a finger to a tongue (to count the money). It is better to have two rupees short than to go through such beggarly gestures. And if there are two rupees short he will fight with the one who is giving a change, ‘you gave me hundred but it is not all hundred, you gave me two rupees short.’ Then the other fellow will say, ‘you count it again and don’t fight for no reason. Don’t bother me any more, or else give me my money back.’ Then the person who is getting the change of hundred will not give him back and will start counting again.

Hey, you are bickering at the time of taking money, you are bickering at the time of giving money too, all the time bickering, bickering and bickering. One is born crying and at the time of leaving this world, will beg from the doctor, ‘please save my life doctor, please save me!’ When have you lived your life without bickering? Not even a day have you spent in joy. In spite of this, he is a parmatma Supreme Soul. He fights but we have to do April 2008

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darshan of him, don’t we! This is how the world is. So it is best not to have abundance or scarce.

Excess money brings externally induced problems I have never experienced shortage of money neither has there been any excess.

Externally induced problems upadhi arises when there is excess money accumulating; one has to put it in the bank. Your brother-inlaw will come asking for money. He will say, ‘you have lots of money so give me tentwenty thousand.’ Again your cousin will come, son-in-law will come and say, ‘give me hundred thousand.’ If you have surplus money then only relatives will come and ask you to give them some money. But what if you do not have excessive amounts of money? Conflicts and quarrels arise when money accumulates in excess.

Coming or going of money is according to account of karma only Money is very easy to earn. It will come naturally. If you were to earn fifty thousand seven hundred five rupees this year, you will earn that for sure and it is not going to go outside of your account and if it appears that you are earning more, it may be nothing but a bubble that is going to burst, leaving only that which is due to you in your karmic account. But it will remain as much it is in your account. It is like the froth that is apparent when you light a fire under a pot, which is half full of milk. It may appear to fill up the pot, however the milk level comes back to the half level once the heat underneath stops.

The froth is not real milk. That which froths does not last. Only the money that is really meant for you will stay. Therefore, money April 2008

comes in by itself, I have become a Gnani, I do not have even a single thought related to worldly life, and even then money continues to flow in.

Do not slip into the meditation of money The money that is going to flow in cannot be changed. This is not going to be changed whether one becomes religious or evil. If he falls into evil deeds, it will be a waste of money and invite more suffering. If he turns religious and spends the money rightly, he will invite happiness and this may show him the path to liberation. The amount of money will not change.

To delve constantly about making money is a bad habit.

Money comes in proportionately and accurately. You should carry on doing your work. You should not be negligent about your work. Money will continue to come. You are not to think about money that I want this much or that much and think that it would be better if I get money. You are not to think like that.

Lakshmiji becomes angry because of this desire. I meet with Lakshmiji everyday at that time I ask, ‘why are you angry?’ Then Lakshmiji says, ‘now these people have become such that they are asking me not to leave from their home.’ So Lakshmiji cannot go to her parent’s home? Can you detain Lakshmiji inside the home?

Money is a by-product. Do you worry whether your arms or legs will remain functional? No. Why not? Do we not need our limbs? We do, but it is not something we have to think about. In the same manner there is no need to think about money.

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How can you spurn money?

The other point is that you can never shun or reject Lakshmi. Many people say: ‘I do not need money. I do not even touch money.’ It is fine if they do not touch money, but when they speak this way and mean what they say from within, it is very dangerous.

They will wander for many lives to come without any money. Lakshmi is vitarag (without attachment). Money is inanimate. For that matter you should never shun anything either; whether it is animate or inanimate, because by doing so you will not encounter it again.

I may say that I am aparigrahi (one who is not attached to material things), but I will never say that I will never touch money.

Money is the center of all worldly interactions.

All these deities have been organized to support the rules and principles of scientific circumstantial evidences, called vyavasthit. So you should never reject anything.

nessmen chase me so hard that they have sores on their feet. When they run after me they fall so many times and scrape their knees and they tell themselves it is not worth chasing money. But I entice them again and once more they get up and start chasing me. Their feet swell and yet they do not come to their senses.’

Lakshmiji got tired over there too So now Lakshmiji tells me that I am so much tired of these businessmen. So now I will go to your mahatmas’ place. This is because when I go to your mahatmas’ place they welcome me with garland and when I return then they give me farewell with garland.

Whoever detains me I will not go there now and whoever rejects me with contempt, I will not go there for infinite life times. Money will come and after ten years that money will not last. It will continue to change. It will continue to grow.

What does Lakshmiji say?

What are the results of rejecting money with contempt?

Many ascetics, sages, monks etc., will say ‘No! No!’ when someone offers them money. They are doomed to spend many lifetimes without a penny when they react this way. You fools, do not shun Lakshmiji in this way otherwise, you will not have the opportunity to even touch money again. You will not be able to do even darshan of Lakshmiji in your next life. You cannot shut it. You cannot afford to shun anything. Shunning Lakshmiji is same as shunning the interactions of worldly life, that is why ‘we’ say ‘Jai Sat Chit Anand’ to Lakshmiji when she comes to ‘our’ home and also when she leaves. You have to tell her, “This is your house, come and go as you please.” Lakshmiji says, ‘The wealthy busi18

Questioner: How much money should one earn?

Dadashri: There is no such rule. Do you worry about how much water you will get for your shower every morning? Similarly you should not think about money. Everything is preordained; whether you get one or two buckets of water, it has already been decided.

No one is able to add or take away from this.

Make all efforts to earn money through your mind, speech and body, but do not hold any desire for it. Money is a bank balance; will you not get it if it is meant to be for you?

Desire for money will further delay the money coming to you. Nor should you shun money.

If you were to say, ‘I don’t want any money’, that too is a great offence. There should be April 2008

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neither rejection nor desire for money. One should only have respect for money. Money will come when the time is right. Desire for it will create obstacles for its arrival. Lakshmiji (the Goddess of wealth) says: ‘Whatever the time and circumstances you find yourself, accept that situation for that time and from time to time I will send to you whatever is due to you. Whatever is due to you will come to you at its preordained time; however do not harbor a desire for me. I will send with interest what is rightfully yours. Those who do not harbor desire, to them I send their money on time.’ What else does Lakshmiji say? She says that if a person wants liberation, then he may take only the money that is his by right; he must not cheat or deceive anyone for money.

What Gnani’s grace cannot do?

Otherwise, people’s meditation is constantly in artadhyan adverse internal meditation hurting the self and raudradhyan adverse internal meditation that hurts the self as well as others but regardless of what they do, the amount of money they will make will only be the amount that is coming to them (due to their punya). The Lord has said that money increases with dharmadhyan absence of arta and raudradhyan and it leaves with artadhyan and raudradhyan. Nevertheless, people resort to the latter two, in order to make more money. A person can only make money if he has accumulated punya in his karmic account from the past. You will attain everything through the grace of this ‘Dada’. Why? It is because His grace breaks all obstacles in life. Money is always there but it does not come to you because you have created obstacles in your past life. These obstacles will be broken through ‘our’ grace and then you will attain April 2008

everything. Dada’s grace will destroy all obstacles that cause diseases of the mind, body and speech, along with all other pain-inflicting obstacles. All suffering that can be experienced in the world is destroyed here.

Obstacles to money will remain as long as you harbor the desire to earn it. When you become inattentive to money, it will come to you in abundance.

Money after 1942 Questioner: I make ten thousand rupees a month, but why does it not last?

Dadashri: After 1942, money does not last. Money after 1942 is tainted with sin and that is why it does not last. Money after a few years from now will last longer. Even though ‘we’ are Gnani the money that comes ‘our’ way does not last. It is fine as long as enough money comes to pay income tax.

Questioner: What should ‘we’ do since it does not last?

Dadashri: That is the nature of money; it will not last. But you should change its direction of flow. Change its flow from all other directions to the path of religion. Whatever you spend towards a worthy cause is worthwhile. Once God (Narayan) comes into your home so will Lakshmiji, how can she otherwise? Where there is presence of God, there will be no quarrel, but there will be quarrels where Lakshmiji alone is present. People make a lot of money but they spend it on useless things. Money is only to be spent on a worthy cause at the hands of a person with merit karma. It requires merit karma to spend money towards a worthy cause.

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After 1942, there is no worth left in the money. Today money is not being spent in the right places. It would be very good if it were.

Here now, liberation is all that is left for us.

Let me explain to you the nature of black market money. When there is flooding due to a heavy rainfall and the water enters your home through your front yard, you feel glad that the water is coming to you without any effort, but when that water drains away, it will leave behind sludge of mud. You will have a hard time getting rid of that mud. Black money is like the water of the flood. It will sting you all over before it leaves. This is why I have to caution all the wealthy businessmen.

money. Do not waste it, do not throw away that is called sticky—multiplying and complicating matters. It is a waste to throw away money and not used for a good cause. If you have accumulated money then it will not be wasted, it will be helpful. It will help you. But it should not be sticky—complicating through attachment and excess involvement or wasting on useless purposes. You should not be preoccupied with the money that you have accumulated. Let it be twenty lakhs but do not throw it away. I will not have stickiness even ghee—clarified butter were to touch me.

Whatever you pour, no stickiness. A tongue of some people is such that even if you were to pour ghee, it will not become sticky and for some people even if they drink milk it will become sticky. A tongue has such capacity that it can remove any kind of stickiness. Similarly, there is such ability in this Gnan too and it will develop in you too.

Understanding accumulating money

What is the balance sheet of the world?

Questioner: Dada what you said in the matter of this money, applies to business too?

Who has the authority? Evaluate the balance sheet and come to the bottom line.

Have you ever calculated the balance sheet of life?

If your money flows on the wrong path, then put a control over it. If it is flowing on the right path, then decontrol it.

The nature of black market money

Dadashri: You have to have the same understanding in business too, you have to remain sincere in business, but do not harbor stickiness—excessive involvement. It will happen, now it is vyavasthit—scientific circumstantial evidences, there is no problem if it will happen later. It should not be like that. That it is vyavasthit, it will be late then what is the problem? These words should not be there.

You need sincerity over there too.

Questioner: I do understand after this Gnan—Self-knowledge.

Dadashri: Yes, you would not understand before at all, would you? Everything was tangled. All the accounts were tangled. It is not possible for anyone to calculate this balance sheet and see it as it is.

Questioner: Is accumulating money stickiness?

Questioner: The things that you are talking about, we had never heard before at all.

Dadashri: No, there is no harm in accumulating money. One should accumulate

Dadashri: You had not heard before,

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had you? Such talks do not exist anywhere.

All these talks are unprecedented, you would not have heard before, or read before. This is entirely new method. Then only you can have solution, otherwise how can you get solution?

Profit verily from loss I had calculated from my younger age that one could not recoup the losses that occurred in certain trade by doing another trade. Some people think along those simple lines. You cannot recover losses of contract business from a beetle nut shop. One can recover losses of contracting business from contracting business, but he will open a beetle nut shop, but he will not earn the profit, on the contrary people will close down your shop and work you to death. Rather than this, if you do not have money even then you should continue doing the business that you used to do. On that day, just dress up nicely and go to your business. If you were to find a friend then your business may start again and you will find friends.

You should make a decision that you do not want to do the wrong thing, you do not want to do anything wrong for ever and for money, you want to pay off each and every penny owed to anyone, sooner or later. You should make a decision that you want to pay all debts definitely, in this life.

So the law is that, wounds can only heal in the trade in which they were created, the remedy lies in the same trade. Remedy lies in the same area where the wound happened.

The errors one has committed in a certain trade are to be cleared in the same trade otherwise the account remains unsettled. Here intellect is the one that traps a human being April 2008

into further complications.

If you want to attain liberation then God has not given importance to dravya money or matter. You have to maintain only the intent that you do not want to hurt anyone in the slightest degree. Money is the eleventh life energy, therefore do not retain anyone else’s money. A human being has ten life energies and money is the eleventh life energy. There is no problem if someone else has your money, but your goal should only be that you want to pay back every dime that is not yours. First keep this goal in your awareness. There is no problem after this if you play the play of money. Play the game after keeping that goal in your awareness but do not become the player—competitor, ego-based actor. If you became a player then you are finished. So there must be some laws in this world. All businesses arise and close, do they not?

Everything rises and falls for sure.

Become free from vengeance Once an acquaintance of mine borrowed some money from me. He never came back to return the money he borrowed. I understood then that this was because of some unsettled account from past life. I told him that he did not have to return the money and that he was free to keep it. If you are able to break the recurring cycle of vengeance by letting go of your money, do so. Break the vengeance by whatever way you can otherwise even one person’s bondage of vengeance with you will lead to your wandering life after life.

That is our guarantee Relative path means sansar worldly life.

To the one who follows the relative path, I 21

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say, ‘practice complete honesty and ethics.

And if you are not able to do so then practice ethics and honesty within a certain discipline, within certain limits and decide to do that.’

“And if you are not able to do this then be unethical but do set a limit and stick to the discipline. This discipline will take you further.” That is ‘our’ - referring to the Gnani Purush and the fully enlightened Lord within, guarantee. The reason is that we need a liberator in the Kaliyug—Current fifth era of the time cycle characterized by lack of unity in thought, speech and action.

Understand this statement, in the language of the Gnani If you understand what I am saying from the simple basic perspective, then salvation will be yours. If you understand each of these sentences, then liberation is yours. But what happens if you interpret it according to your own intellect? Everyone has his or her own language and intellect based viewpoint, which prevents him or her from understanding this, ‘discipline in dishonesty’.

Questioner: Dada, even when I read first time I started thinking immediately, that what is this, what is Dada trying to say!

Afterwards I felt that this is a wonderful sentence.

Dadashri: Yes, Akram Vignan means there is no negative policy at all like ‘why do you steal and why do you lie? Why are you spoiling the vyavahar worldly interaction?’

There is no such negative policy at all.

Change the goal of life thus The entire world needs money. Hence, how hard are we going to work so that 22

money comes to us? It is necessary to understand this. Money is a by-product. So it will come in by-production and it is such that it will come naturally. However people have opened the factories—business—main production facility—of money. They have made money the main production.

We have to change the aim—purpose—intent only, nothing else. If we connect one belt of the engine of the pump in the farm on one side then it will raise water from the stream and if you connect the power train on the other side, then it will extract the rice from the husk, so the difference is only in transferring the power—energy. The goal has to be decided, and that goal must remain in the laksha awareness: ‘That is all, enough, I do not want anything else.’ Money should not remain in the awareness.

Attain the inner intent of the Gnani Underlying every task, action or work lies the intent, which answers why it is being done. In all this, if one decides a worthy and lofty goal, say like opening up a hospital so that patients can attain good health, how they be happy and attain total health that leads to a good life, how their life energy can be boosted, and if one proceeds with this with the devotion of service, then what will be its by-product? Money! So money is a byproduct, do not consider money as a main product. The whole world has considered money as a target of the main production, so they do not get the benefit of the byproduction. Therefore, if you make only the decision of serving humanity then increased influx of money will be there as its result as a by-product. If you keep money as a byproduction only, not a priority—a goal, then April 2008

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more money will come, but one does the service for the purpose of making money, and that is why one does not get money. That is why I am saying to set this goal. ‘Constant intent of doing service to others.’ Then the byproduct will come automatically. You do not have to do any effort for the by-product, you do not have to spend anything, it is free of cost. If you get money free of cost then how nice it would be! So decide to have intent of doing service, service to every human being.

You opened the hospital, so whatever knowledge you have that knowledge you should use for the intent of doing service to people, you should have just this much goal. Consequently, other things will continue to come free of cost. And then you will never have a shortage of money and the one who works for only money incurs a loss. Yes, if you opened the business to earn only money then there is no by-product left at all, because money verily is a by-product. Therefore, you have to decide for the main production and you will continue to have by-production free of cost.

All other productions are by-product, you can get everything necessary and easily in that. See, people have made production for money so they are not getting money easily, people are running here and there in a hurry, they are wandering restlessly, are confused and their glum faces have the look of the one who has just swallowed some castor oil.

People have good food and drink, how nice facilities are there, how nice the streets are!

When you walk on the street you will not feel the dirt. So do service to human beings. God resides within human beings. If you search out side, you are not likely to find God. You are the doctor for humans so I am asking you to do service to the humanity. I ask veterinarians April 2008

to serve animals. God also resides within animals too, but God has manifested especially in the human beings.

Whatever you do to know and attain your real Self is your ‘main production’ and because of this main production, the byproduction will automatically be there and whatever you need for your worldly life will come to you. I only keep one kind of production: ‘May the entire world attain permanent peace and many attain liberation’.

This is my main production and because of this I continue to get the resultant byproduction. The tea and snacks I get served are different from what you get served. Why is that? It is because my production is of a higher quality. In the same way if your main production were of a higher quality, your byproduction would also be of a higher quality.

Do the work for the people of the world, and your work will happen by itself. If you will work for others, your work will happen automatically. Then you will be surprised!

A solution to shatter the tuber of greed Questioner: Dada, what should I do to destroy this tuber of greed of mine?

Dadashri: Shrimad Rajchandra has said that one should serve a Gnani Purush with his mind, body and wealth, ‘He’ is the giver of moksha—final liberation, he is such a Gnani Purush and he has come to give moksha. Then someone asked him, ‘sir, we surrender our mind and body, but you have no need or use for money at all.’ The answer to this is that, in that situation, who will help you to break your tuber of greed? Gnani Purush will tell you to give to some charity. So 23

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you will give according to his direction.

Otherwise, you will not give on your own. Of your own free will, you will not give even if you were to be slashed to death. You have love for the Gnani, so because of your love towards the Gnani you will give, and then your tuber of greed will be broken. And once you give then your mind will become separate—free. After that, your greed will leave. You should give at least once. These are tubers only. It will not end, come to a closure, until you have broken this tuber of greed. So he is mentioning money to break your tuber of greed, not to reduce your money. That is why Krupadudev Shrimad Rajchandra has said that one should worship a Gnani Purush with his mind, body and wealth.

Questioner: Until this happens, bhakti devotion does not begin.

Dadashri: Yes, bhakti—coming nearer to the Self—does not begin. The relative devotion bhakti does not attain any result, and he has said it out of his own experience of liberation. Or else why would we bother to dissolve these tubers?

for money. So how can you offer it to Me? The answer is, ‘may be some kind of a way will arise that allows this offering. Do you think you are attached to Me since you gave money last year?

Questioner: Yes, Dada.

Dadashri: This is the only art for this; otherwise it (the inner bonding of the mind with the Gnani Purush) will not stick. It will remain separate and separate only. Now at our place—the environs of Dadashri and His satsang during 1962 to 1981, we did not have any reason to collect money. We were not taking money at all, were we? This led to the mind remaining distant for sure, and continuously so. When the matter of money arises, the mind is stuck there. It is because one gave the money, that the mind remained there. Or else mind will become detached from there. It is because one loves the Gnani, that one lets go—give the money. The Gnani Purush directs that it be given for charity.

When one loses the love for money, one becomes the Self.

The science behind surrendering the self

Donate money to a temple of Simandhar Swami

What you wish to attain (the Self), when will you attain that from me? When will you be able to come close to Me? It is when you offer me that which is the dearest and most precious to you. You can come closer to me when you offer me the thing, which is most valuable to you in this relative world—sansar.

You surrendered this mind, speech and body to me, but one thing is still left, it is money!

When you give me this you can come closer to Me—the Self. Now I do not have a need

If you have a lot of money, there is nothing better than donating it to a temple of Simandhar Swami or other vitarag Lords (omniscient Lords). And if you do not have a lot of money, then the best thing is to feed mahatmas, people who have attained Selfrealization through this Akram path. If you have little less, then give to someone in misery, but do not give cash. Send them food, clothing etc! So if you want to make a donation, you can do so even with little

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money.

Surrender everything unto the lotus feet of the Gnani If you arrange everything the way ‘we’ have conversed, your work will be done.

Having done it on the support of Dada—the Gnani Purush—breaks the dependency on all worldly relative supports. All the supports fractured and that was verily the worldly self – the non-Self and thus became free from the worldly fears. Otherwise he will hold on to one guinea. He will say, ‘it will be helpful.’

Hey, why are you so afraid? You are not afraid of all these and are you afraid of this little?

Total arpanta surrender is needed, total!

Questioner: This is all complete dedication only, is it not? Dada, what else is left!

I do not want anything except Dada.

Dadashri: Whatever is left, will happen for you. Everything else is there too. It is that to get rid of separation-difference that this is yours and this is mine I told you at home that you should give this much to this sister.

Arrange such a way that you will not have any burden over your head, or pay taxes. Live like me. When I need money I say, ‘Niruben, give me!’ What need do you have for money now? People will be around for sure to give it to you.

Then it—the ego that is looking outside—will stay in the Self. If the self returns to the Self, that is liberation! Otherwise ‘it’ will say, I have this and I have that, that is the dependency! What have you understood? What support will ‘it’ rest on?

April 2008

Whatever the remaining two to five lakhs exist!

Questioner: Sickness came and money was spent. The spending was done because the money was there, otherwise, who cares?

Dadashri: No, no we believe that someone will look after me, care for me, but that also becomes wrong at the end. It becomes a betrayal. That is why this is the top most thing that everything is laid at the Lord’s home. After then the responsibility will be of Dada! I am not going to keep even four anaas. I will put all in this (temple), everything and whatever I will get in future, I will donate that too in the temple. I will be getting money from the land that too I will donate there. I do not want anything. Why do I need that? People (mahatmas) from America want to give me a car. Why should I take it?

Here, you ask for money, not leave money Many people come here and leave some of their money. You do not need to leave your money here; here you have to ask for money.

Is this a place to give things? Do you have to give anything to the emperor of the universe?

On the contrary, you have to ask him to remove all your difficulties. Give your money to a guru. He may be in need of clothes or something else. The Gnani Purush does not need anything.

This association of Dada’s workers is pure. I wear my own clothes; I wear my own dhoti. I have bought my clothes with the money that I myself have earned and that is why I go around looking a little scruffy. If the associa25

DADAVANI

tion were to buy my clothes, then today you can even buy dhotis for four hundred rupees can you not? Not only do I not accept anything from the association, but neither does Niruben. Niruben stays with me and takes care of me. She also wears her own clothes, which she buys herself.

I have come here to take your miseries, not the money As far as your problems are concerned, all I have to do is to pick up the ‘phone’ and call the dev-devas (celestial beings in ready service of the Gnani Purush). All I have to do is act as an intermediary and carry out the exchange. Otherwise, the Gnani Purush does not get involved. The Gnani Purush does not meddle in such things, but he is here to listen to people’s miseries, is he not? He is here to get rid of all the problems, is he not? If you have difficulties, come and ask for money.

Now, I do not give out money, but I will make the appropriate calls; just do not be greedy.

Come only if you have difficulty and I will do everything, but only as far as your difficulty demands. I will stop the moment you start to become greedy.

Hand over your miseries to me and, if you have faith (vishvas) in me, they will not come back to you. But they will if you lose faith in me. So if you have any difficulties, tell me, ‘Dada, I am surrendering my miseries to you.’ If I take away your miseries, then you will get somewhere, otherwise, how will you?

I have come to take away the miseries of the world. Keep your happiness with you. Do you have a problem with that? If someone like you gives me money, what am 26

I going to do with that money? I have come to take away miseries. Keep your money; it will be useful to you. There is no exchange of money where there is a Gnani Purush, he comes to take away your miseries, not increase them.

Only pure can speak pure Questioner: You say all these things; no one else speaks like this.

Dadashri: Yes, but one can speak this way only if he has become pure, otherwise, how can he? They want to enjoy the worldly temptations and worldly happiness. How are they going to say such things? Therefore, purity is required. I do not want anything in this world, including all the gold and money in this world. I do not even have thoughts about women. I do not have any beggary (bheekh) of any kind. I remain continuously as the Self.

In America, on Gurupurnima day (on this day, devotees have the divine full darshan of their guru or the Gnani), people would put gold chains weighing as much as three ounces around my neck and I used to give them back; what was I going to do with them? One woman began to cry and pleaded, ‘You have to accept my chain.’ So I asked her if she will wear a chain if I were to give her one. She replied, ‘I do not have a problem with that, but I cannot take yours.’ I told her, ‘I will have someone else give it to you.’ If I were to give someone a very heavy gold chain and make them promise to wear it even at night when she went to sleep, is she likely to wear it? She would return it the very next day and say, ‘Here, Dada take your chain back.’ If there is happiness in gold, then the more gold you get, the happier you will be.

But your belief that happiness exists in gold is a April 2008

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wrong belief. Can there be happiness in it? Bliss lies where there is no need to get anything. Bliss is where there is no need to acquire anything from this world.

The one who takes the money of a disciple becomes spiritually bankrupt If I use anything or spend even a rupee that I have not earned, for myself, I would become spiritually bankrupt. One should not spend even a single dime of the disciple’s money. Those who have started such a business will go into bankruptcy and waste away whatever siddhis (special spiritual energies) they have attained. The guru had attracted people with whatever little siddhis he had attained, but then those siddhis will get used up. Any siddhis that are misused will be lost.

Purity of the Gnani You cannot find purity in this world.

Everything is impure. Now at some places you may find a noble saint purush. You may find straightforward people but then they might not have a skill. Straightforward from within. If I were to take money from people, people would give me as much as I wanted. But what am I going to do with money? I have attained the status of this Gnani only when all beggary (bheekh) left.

‘We’ are beyond the boundary We are to keep one home pure in this world, there may be many other people who are pure. But their purity is according to their own set limit—boundary. They cannot stay out of—transcend the boundary. ‘We’ are beyond the boundary. At this time we have boundary in this world.

April 2008

‘We’ do not enjoy—I am not the enjoyer—in spite of having everything. In spite of having everything with us, even a thought will not arise. And that other person has the desire to enjoy, because he does not have ‘this’.

You will not have a thought about taking a bribe until you meet a person who wants to give you a bribe. Such evidence has not arisen.

And there are such strict people who will not take a bribe even if someone were to offer them. They are in the boundary. A human being cannot transcend the boundary. Only a Gnani Purush can transcend and remain out of boundary, the one who has become separated from the body, the one who does not remain in the body. This is not possible for anyone else.

Only purity can attract everybody In this world, the greater your purity, the more of the world is yours. You own the world! I have not been an owner of this body for the past twenty-six years and that is why my purity is complete. So, become pure, pure.

Questioner: Please clarify purity.

Dadashri: Purity means that you do not need anything in this world; there is no beggary for anything.

When can you help others achieve salvation? It is when you yourself become pure– absolutely pure. Purity will attract the whole world. Anything pure will create attraction.

Impurity fractures the world. So there is a need to bring in purity. ~Jai Sat Chit Anand

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