DADAVANI

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EDITORIALIn the worldly states of ignorance, those who do not speak any words are considered

silent. Ordinary human beings are unable to refrain from speaking. The worldly spiritual gurusare considered great when they take a vow of silence, but only with Self-realization the realmystery of silence unfolds. For the One who is fully Self-realized, ‘I am not the speaker, thistape recorder is playing,’ is the state. Such a One is simply the ‘knower’ and the ‘seer’ ofthe speech. The real definition of silence is when one listens to one’s own speech. Anotheris when one speaks exclusively about the Self and related matters only and there are no aimsof any worldly interaction in it. Such a state is indeed the silence of the Gnanis and great sages(munipanu).

One may have taken a vow of silence, but still sends non-verbal signals of the desire oftea and food. He may even write his instructions on paper and convey through non-verbalsigns and gestures. Such silence is not really silence. In the true silence of the ignorant non Self-realized state, such gestures, signs and non verbal instructions are not there and one is focusedon the ego based witness state of the thoughts that arise and the acts of the body in the naturalstate. Such a person gets his meals at the right time with ease, without any thoughts or words.This gives him the opportunity to decrease the ego of doer ship and progress further in thespiritual quest of the natural state. This is the aim of the gross vow of silence.

If anyone’s speech is such that it hurts others, agitates others then such a person shouldtake the vow of silence once a week with the Agna of the Gnani Purush. Such an exerciseof overt silence will help diminish the gross ego to acceptable levels. And the people aroundwill have peace for a day. Even if he gets some non verbal messages for his needs, such aperson gets benefit of the continence of verbal speech and gradually gets some spiritualenergies.

Even higher than the vow of this overt silence is the constant investigation and review ofthe words spoken, to ensure that no one has been hurt through one’s speech. Such awarenessis the best. And for those words which hurt others, constant inner sincere regrets results in thechange of the inner code of speech. This change in the inner code brings about a wonderfuland pleasant speech in the next life.

In this Dadavani, the real understanding and knowledge of all matters relating to the topicof silence in all its forms is being presented. This will benefit the reader in attaining theawareness for improving speech in all its aspect.

- Deepak Desai

Editor :

Deepak Desai

June 2006,

Vol. : 1, Issue : 8,

Conti. Issue No.: 8

Publisher, Owner &

Printed by : Deepak Desai

on behalf of MahavidehFoundation, 5, MamtaparkSociety, Usmanpura,Ahmedabad-380014Gujarat, India.

Where There Is Atmagnan, There isthe Silence of The Sages

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DADAVANI

(Please note that great care has been used to convey the exact message of Dadashri. Here ‘Y’ or ‘S’refers to the awakened Self or the Self. For glossary of the terms, please refer to : www.dadashri.org/glossary.html and www.ultimatespirituality.org )

ready gradually.

Questioner: When one attains the Self,does the speech not cease?

Dadashri: If the speech stops, then theSelf has not been attained.

In these times where anything goes, evenwhen one is able to see a little of the spiritualworld one is considered enlightened(sarvadarshi). He may see very little. This isbecause he was not even able to see even thatmuch in the past. So what can the others do?So they give him the title of all seer ship(sarvadarshi, the enlightened, the gnani). Theseare just sentences. It will not work on the pathof liberation. Will anything without substancework? This, ‘speech has stopped, this hasstopped,’ etc. Do you think anything ceases?He remains there and there only.

One does not need to stop speaking. Oneneeds food and drink also. How is he going tostop eating daal, rice, vegetable and ladoosweets? This is just confusing people all themore, because the main path is not known tothem. One does not need to renounce anything.One needs to renounce the ignorance of thatthing. How can man renounce anything? Howlong will he be able to do it?

Speech that flows as a liberating force,is silence

Questioner: Lord Mahavir became fullyenlightened (Keval Gnan) and then he gave theliberating speech (deshna). Until then heremained silent (maun).

Dadashri: Yes then he gave the liberatingspeech. It cannot be given before enlighten-ment.

Speech is necessary till the endQuestioner: In life in the last stages of

satsang is in the form of silence?

Dadashri: What do you mean by silentsatsang?

Questioner: When the mind, intellect,chit and the ego are stilled in you, in yourpresence, and there is stillness in the mind, is itnot the highest satsang?

Dadashri: No, no. The mind is still. Whatelse is there?

Questioner: At that time all are sittingsilent.

Dadashri: No, that is not silence. Theyare not saying words.

Questioner: So how can speech comeforth without thoughts?

Dadashri: There is no need for thoughts.Speech and thoughts are two different thingsall together.

Questioner: Is there any speech withoutthoughts?

Dadashri: Definitely. I never have anythoughts and all this speech is coming forth.

Questioner: But is the mind-speech-andbody separate? You are beyond all this. Youhave transcended them. But at the lowerspiritual levels, how can speech be there withoutthoughts?

Dadashri: In the lower levels ofspirituality, as long as there is any element ofignorance, all speech is thought related. Andthen when one enters the realm of Gnan fromignorance (agnan) then the new state becomes

Where There is Atmagnan, There is the Silence of The Sages

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Questioner: But Lord Mahavir had threetypes of Gnan at the time of birth. Yet he didgive deshna only after becoming absolutely pure(shuddha). Why did he give the speech thatliberates (deshna) so late?

Dadashri: The liberating speech can onlybe given when one stops becoming the ownerof the speech. That is when the deshna beginsto be given. Whoever wants to give theliberating speech is free to do so. Whenownership of the speech is totally gone thenthe freedom is there to give deshna. The Lordhad created a deep inner intent to become aliberator of millions, a Tirthankar (Tirthankarnaam gotra). Therefore for him, the liberatingspeech flowed only after he became fullyenlightened. This late (age 72) expression ofthe liberating speech called deshna from LordMahavir is part of the overall systematic orderin the universe.

Questioner: The liberating speech ofthe Tirthankar has been called silence. Wouldyou please explain its prime importance in termsof the virtues and qualities?

Dadashri: He was not speaker of hisdeshna. The ‘tape record’ ( that which wasrecorded in the previous life) was speaking.When the tape record is speaking, He does nothave to speak, and therefore it is silence.

The saints and renouncers all have the‘upadesh’. And these worldly sadhus andrenunciates (sannyasis) have ‘aadesh’. Upadeshis for those who have attained right vision(samkit). These worldly renunciates do not havethe right vision and therefore they have theaadesh speech. This is the speech filled withorders (ego).

The Lord who was Vitarag, how wasthe sound of His voice? Ah! Just like the soundcoming out of a beautiful musical instrument!This sound has been likened to be higher insweetness than honey. Of all that is sweet inthis world, the Lord’s speech is considered the

highest and the sweetest.

Silence invites fewer dangers

Questioner: What should we make ofall the advice and guidance (upadesh of aworldly nature) given by everyone in worldlymatters?

Dadashri: There is no danger in worldlymatters. Such a person who gives worldlyadvice has no religious standing and status.Those who have a status in the eyes of theworld in matters of religion, their words areaccepted by the world as 100 % truth. Thereforethe people are misled. The responsibility forthis is on such religious teachers.

And in routine worldly matters you arefree to accept or reject the advice given. Thepeople will know, ‘what intelligence you have.’But the words of the religious ‘experts’, allthey say is accepted as 100 % correct! That iswhy danger and responsibility follows. Otherwisein worldly matters there is no problem.

Even then any word spoken carries withit the danger and responsibility, and therefore ifone does not know how to speak it is better toremain silent. Responsibility is there, for religiousmatters, there is religious danger and for worldlymatters there is worldly danger. The danger ofmis-speaking in religious matters is very grave.It creates serious obstructions for spiritualprogress.

Questioner: In worldly matterseveryone gives advice without being asked, don'tthey?

Dadashri: Yes. And if the advice is notacceptable for whatever reasons, then there isthe immediate retort, ‘you are talking nonsense.’But one will not say this to the religious teacher.Here he will assume that the mistake is hisown only and not the teacher’s.

Control of thoughts and speech is not for us

Questioner: There is a word,

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‘manogupti’. What does it mean?

Dadashri: These terms ‘manogupti’,‘vacchangupti’, means to control negative andbad thoughts that arise within. How is one goingto do this in this life? The bad thoughts aregoing to keep coming. There is a way out of it.But this will only happen in the next life. It isnot possible to stop the thoughts in this life. Ifone employs this solution in the deep inner intent(bhaav) then the result will come in the nextlife. If one resolves (nischaya) that to curseanyone or to think negatively against anyone isa fault then it will not happen in the next life.What has been filled is going to come out nomatter what. If you fill any new stock nowthen it will come out in the next life again.

So we (mahatmas) are done with all theseissues of control and ‘guptis’. We have to settlewith equanimity. These issues of controlling arefor those who do not have any Gnan. Yes oneshould speak sparingly and take short vows ofsilence. Continue the efforts but settling withequanimity is most important for us.

The bad habit of talkativeness

Questioner: My desire is to observesilence.

Dadashri: Then what is the benefit?

Questioner: I speak more than isnecessary and therefore I desire silence.

Dadashri: Then remain silent.

Questioner: Kindly make us silent sothat all this need to speak up so muchdisappears and we get stillness within.

Dadashri: Then how will you do allthis intellectual arguing?

Questioner: I am unable to remainsilent. Why do I talk so much?

Dadashri: In this world all who speakthink that, ‘I am speaking.’ But it is not so. Youdo not have any control at all. This excess

speaking may decrease somewhat with myspecial blessings, but otherwise the words willcome out even when you have no desire to doso. This is the case for everyone. These lawyersalso speak out without control.

When the deep inner intent (bhaav) ariseswithin that this is wrong, then the changes forbetter speech are set in motion. Come to me,I will bless you.Silence does not take away inner burning

Questioner: I talk too much and now Idesire silence. How did I come to thisunderstanding?

Dadashri: You will know. The Self knowsall; it knows the good results as well as the badresults of speech, because really the Self isseparate. This here is a habit of talkingexcessively and with silence there will be somebenefit even as inner burning (of kashayas-anger, greed, deceit and pride) continues.

Questioner: Is it possible to be free ofthis inner and outer burning during the time ofsilence?

Dadashri: Inner burning is always there.In this world there is no human being withoutthis inner burning. The only exceptions are theseSelf-realized beings who have become sobecause of the glory of Akram Vignan.

External silence: Inner chaosQuestioner: Is silence defined by the

lack of desire to speak?Dadashri: When will there be no desire

to speak? When one is hurt through speechone loses the desire to speak temporarily. Andif one is flattered then one is very ready tospeak. ‘Hello, welcome sir’, leads to furtherspontaneous speech.

Questioner: An angry man who hastaken the vow of silence, will not be able toexpress his anger, will he? So then he is notangry.

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Dadashri: But the inner anger has arisen,hasn't it?

Questioner: But the karmas that wouldhave been bound by words have been stopped,haven't they?

Dadashri: The anger that arises withindoes not stop the binding of new karma. Nothingceases. The ignorant (person without Self-realization) person whatever he does goes towaste in darkness, the karmas for the next lifeare being bound continuously.

Questioner: The gross effect will stopwith silence, will it not?

Dadashri: Yet the inner kashaya (anger,pride, deceit and greed) remains.

Questioner: If one says anything inthe outburst of anger, it will create more hurt.And with silence this overt hurt will beprevented, will it not?

Dadashri: Yes, the overt hurt stops. Theinner anger effects continue. With words theopponent will be affected immediately, whereasthe inner anger is not evident to others. Talkingwill inflame the situation so silence is preferable.At least he spent a day in control. And further hedid not scold five people because of the silence.Hence the external speech has been curbed. Theinner anger is going on rampantly. He may besilent overtly but inside he is cursing profusely.

When there is no competence and to goon talking in all matters is meaningless. Can aman have competence in all subjects? He maybe so in one or two subjects. A powerful personmay speak incessantly. No body dares to object.But here we have the goal of going further onthe path to liberation. So those who desire toprogress further should become really silent.The correct adherence to silence will correctthe interfering intellect.

Task done after taking the Agna freesone from doer ship

When one takes such a vow of silence

then one is able to speak the words that havemeaningful results. This speech on the otherhand is like the arrow that has already left thebow before the aim was taken, it can hurtanyone. One only becomes aware of the hurtafter the hurt has happened. This young mantook the vow of silence after taking Gnan andhas made tremendous improvement in hisspeech.

Questioner: On holidays, Dada, I tendto talk a lot.

Dadashri: Is that so? Then take the vowof silence for that day, it will benefit you. I willgive you the Agna (specific tailored instructionand blessing) and then remain silent the wholeday. If you need to communicate, do so bywriting, but refrain from speaking.

He came to me and admitted that heused hurtful words even when he had nointention to hurt. So what should the other personunderstand? That it is simply a record that isplaying and one must not be affected. I havesaid, ‘this is a record playing and one must notbe affected by a record.’ Any speech is notunder anyone’s control. Yet, we will find away for those in trouble, by giving this Agna ofsilence etc. But know that this is beyond allcontrols.

All overt circumstances, subtlecircumstances and circumstances of speech arethe non-Self and are under the dominion of thenon-Self. This mention of the word, ‘record’, issuch that the moment someone speaks, we knowthat the record is playing.

This is beyond one’s control. This man isregretting so much for his hurtful speech, andpleading me to do a vidhi (special blessing) forhim. So we have to tell him that the continuousregret will continue to improve his speech inthe future.

For the one who is talking excessivelyand hurting others, I instruct him to take a vow

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of silence on Sundays. There is nothing to bedone except to follow my Agna specially givenin this regard. Because this has been ‘done’after taking the Agna, one is not the doer.Whatever task that need to be done, if doneafter taking the Agna, frees you from theresponsibility of doership.

Silence after Agna and Pratikramansreap benefits

When the speech is controlled the innerenergies increase a lot. Have you ever controlledthe speech?

Questioner: I cannot control it.

Dadashri: Silence adopted after askingthe Gnani’s permission is very beneficial.Secondly, pratikraman can be done.

Questioner: What is meant by penanceof speech?

Dadashri: There are two types ofpenance of speech. One is silence after Agna,and the other is silence adopted by one’s owninitiative. These penances are very helpful ifdone well. A lot of energy is wasted away inspeech.

The benefits of silence for the seeker

Questioner: Silence, fasting and solitudeare all beneficial, are they?

Dadashri: Yes, they are useful for theseekers.

Questioner: Silence and fasting are theyfor mental peace?

Dadashri: It is good for mental peace.Silence increases mental strength. Fastingincreases physical and mental strength. All theseare beneficial. Do what is possible.

Questioner: What is the differencebetween silence (maun) and non-silence(amaun)? We understood silence. What is non-silence?

Dadashri: To speak is non-silence.Speaking, chattering, barking and hollering areall non-silence.

This is real silence

Questioner: Please explain the truemeaning of silence.

Dadashri: Not to employ any of thefour modalities of speech is true silence. Not toemploy words, not to use any gestures or signlanguage with hands or eyes is all overt andgross silence. And what is real silence? To talkthe entire day about the Self and the Supremereality and not to say a single word aboutworldly interactions is real silence. If this is notpossible then one should observe overt silence.Even that is very beneficial, because a lot ofenergy is expended and wasted in the speech.Therefore practicing silence of speech is verygood. Even employing sign language for thebenefits of silence is of great benefit. Itdestroys sins of infinite lives. Silence is one ofthe best things one can do.

The mockery of silence to impressfollowers

Questioner: Some sadhus and saintsobserve silence. How does it benefit thepeople?

Dadashri: This is the result of excessivetalking which has gone the wrong way. This isbecause they do not know (meaningfulspirituality) even a word’s worth and therecord keeps playing uselessly. In this era ofthe time cycle the words that come forth fromanyone only increases worldly interaction (vikarivani). Where is the sign of any accomplishmentin them at all? Otherwise would these humanbeings be in this plight? This here is sheer clashand clash all around. The silence is moreeffective than all this. Silence is associatedwith a lot of penance. This has a good effecton the public. The effect of all these records issimply more materialistic and worldly interaction.

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Questioner: A man observes silenceevery Monday and when the visitors go there,he communicates with them by writing hisquestions and answers on a slate. Is this amockery of the vow of silence?

Dadashri: There is no use in this kind ofsilence. This is waste of time and energy for allaround. How can this be considered silence?

Questioner: So Dada please explainyour concepts of silence.

Dadashri: Silence taken by these sadhusis meant to impress the followers who say, ‘ourguru has taken the vow.’ What happens later?He conveys his wishes by writing, ‘bring mesome water, I am thirsty.’ Mooah! (term usedby Dadashri to awaken the individual) why notspeak up instead? Has your bapo (father bossto be feared above) tied you up in any way?Speak up mooah. This is simply a farce toimpress the followers! Real silence does notaccommodate these gestures and other modesof communications. The vow of silence of yourJain sadhus (abhigraha) is real silence (maun).

Questioner: Yes.

Dadashri: Do they make any gesturesor signs? That is silence.

Overt and visible silence

Questioner: What is the discipline andrules for the observance of silence? How canone practice silence?

Dadashri: One cannot make any gestureor communicate through writing. Evenassociated suggestions by gestures are notallowed. To go to the toilet, one can not do,‘this, this’. Some one will come and ask, ‘doyou need to go to toilet?’ And then he goes.One does not need to do anything.

The silence (maun) should be naturaland spontaneous (sahaj). The silence shouldalso exist within. Here one or the other signalis used by him. Otherwise prior instructions,

‘bring me tea at 10, and at 11 do this.’ Wheresuch signals exist there is no silence. Otherwiseinternal vibrations, ‘bring tea, take that, do this,’continue. Such thoughts continue.

Questioner: In the vow of silence oneis asked not to speak. Are we to suppress ourfeelings?

Dadashri: These people shut theirmouths completely but fill up papers afterpapers writing their instructions and commands.This is not silence. He writes, ‘bring some tea.’That is not silence. That is which comesnaturally with ease, has to be taken. Have youseen them writing on a slate?

Questioner: Yes, I have seen them,carrying slates and writing.

Dadashri: Yes, they write very well ona slate, and they even make gestures.

Questioner: What if such thoughts donot arise and he keeps silence withunderstanding?

Dadashri: That silence is superior, butsuch silence is rare. Where will one attain suchsilence? Nothing can be said in the vow ofsilence. There must not be any unnecessaryagility of the mind, speech or the body. Thelesser the disturbances and agitations in themind, inner speech and the body, the better isthe silence. The existence of the slightestdisturbance and vibration effects is absence ofsilence.

The overt silence with gestures is superiorto the misuse of words which hurt others.Hurtful speech wastes a lot of energy. Signsand gestures conserve energy.

Questioner: For the observance of thevow of overt silence, are any changes in dietnecessary?

Dadashri: No. Here meditate on yourchosen Lord. You will be helped. There is noother solution.

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The fruits of silence depend on intentionQuestioner: When one becomes silent

in a vow, does one bind the karma that createsobstruction over gnan (gnanavaraniya karma)?

Dadashri: With vow of silence evengreater gnan obstructing karma is bound. Thisis because there is the ego of being silent, ‘Iam observing silence.’ This binds karma.

Questioner: Is there ego in silence?Dadashri: The taker of the vow of

silence is doing it through ego (ahamkari,doership with ego), and therefore he takes thevow. The Self is silent (maun). One is exercisingthe ego, ‘I am taking the vow of silence, I wantto remain silent.’

The taker of the vow of silence, is doingit through the medium of the ego, and the onewho becomes silent (muni), is one and thesame. Have you seen the munis there? Do youknow what they do after taking the vow ofsilence? They observe minutely. They observewhat is happening within and without. It iscalled witnessing (sakshi bhaav). By observingthey are doing the witnessing. It is all beingdone through the medium of the ego (‘I amChandulal’, ‘I am observing’).

Whatever is done through the medium ofthe ego here (vow of silence), results in thebinding of merit karma (punya), but does notliberate. This results in a more pleasant speechin the next life, and better speech content, andworldly happiness.

Moksha, through silence or speechQuestioner: When will silence place

one on the path to liberation?Dadashri: Silence will never take one to

the path of liberation. These other living beingswith the exception of man are all silent. Arethey going to be liberated? Some even brayand bark. Will they go to moksha?

Questioner: No, I am saying that even

though one is alive (chetan) and yet if one livesinert, like the dead (achetan, jad) what then?

Dadashri: Yes, all these trees live as ifthey are dead, do they not?

Questioner: Yes.Dadashri: They do not move, even if

the robbers or tree cutters are around. Arethese souls not inert? And if you want to boilthese wheat (living souls) they do not runaway, do they? So even though they are living(chetan, charged with life element, soul) theylive life lifelessly, mooah! One can weigh andpack 5 kilograms of wheat but how will oneweigh and pack 5 kilograms of frogs? Theywould jump all over the place.

Questioner: The scriptures say that thesouls in the wheat will also attain liberation.

Dadashri: How will that happen? Whenwill one attain liberation? When one comes tothe point when one will be continuously hearingone’s own speech then liberation will beattained.

The power and awe of silence What do these people tell me? Dada

you never scold anyone. Yet 50,000 people livein awe (admiration) of my presence. I do notsay anything to scold anyone. I insist that I willnever scold you. Even if you provoke me, I willnot scold you.

There is no austerity and sternness inthis world that can match silence. The sternnessthat spills in words becomes wasted. Allaround me will improve with my silence. If Isay anything to anyone specifically, he will bevery affected. In the vicinity of Dada (TheGnani Purush) one has the freedom to sayanything. However, when one remains silent, itis the penance of silence (maun tapobud).

The overt silence is also beneficialQuestioner: If a person stops vocal

speech and adopts silence, then is it beneficial?

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Dadashri: Such overt silence (sthoolamaun) will destroy the overt visible ego. Thisweb of worldly life has arisen from words only.With silence there is tremendous increase ininner energies.

Alas my dear, at least the gross accounthas ceased, at least the goods train (overtspeech) have stopped running. Now the trainsthat carry human beings (subtle inner speech)are still running.

Questioner: But Dada, such capacityfor total silence (inner and outer silence) doesnot exist for human beings of this era, does it?

Dadashri: No, it is not possible. It issimply impossible. There is a tremendous valueof silence. This brother here is observingsilence but within it is all chaotic and he iscontinuing to talk from within. Even then it isgood. It is true that others are hurt with spokenspeech and that is the reason why there are somany complications in this world. The wordshurt like hurled stones. Thus when thisgentleman here does not speak, then he will nothurt anyone. On the day of his vow of silence,the others around him breathe a sigh of relief.

Questioner: On those days there arenot many accidents.

Dadashri: No accident of any kind. Hewants to say a lot, but can not. And that is thebenefit.

And silence brings forth control overpassions (saiyam). This overt silence alsobrings forth control over passions. For themahatma, one who has attained Gnan, theawareness, ‘I am pure Soul’, continues duringthis overt silence. For the non mahatma, theawareness, ‘I am Chandulal continues’ andtherefore, ‘I am silent’ continues. This is thesilence through the ego. The other one is thesilence of the Self. ‘I am Shuddhatma’, thisawareness increases with overt silence, whereasfor the other; one feels constantly that he

needs to remain silent. This is the ego ofsilence.

Questioner: When one does not vocalizethe anger by speaking up, but keeps it within,what would be its reaction?

Dadashri: The reactions to speaking upopenly are less than the results of anger that isnot expressed verbally. The reaction ofexpressing anger through words or a small slap(act) is not as serious as the reaction to theanger that is held within (kashaya).

Questioner: Even if I do not sayanything when I am angry at someone, myinner anger remains.

Dadashri: That is why I maintain thatno matter how angry you are in your spokenwords and through your acts, no matter howcrazy your actions may seem to be, pleaseremain on the side of the Lord, ultimately. Evenif all this that has happened through speech andacts are on the side of satan (negative,kashaya) you must remain on the side of theLord, not in the Lord, but on side of the Lord.If your mind tilts and is given to satan, then allis over. Give your mind (surrender) to theLord. Give the opinions (mut) to who ever, butgive your mind (mun) to the Lord.

Questioner: Yes, indeed, it is the mindthat is working in all these matters, isn't it?

Dadashri: This world has arisen becauseof the mind. With one mind, the world sets andwith another mind it arises.

Questioner: What should one do if onedoes not understand the viewpoint of theother?

Dadashri: Remain silent (maun). It wasbecause of silence that the stupid people wereconsidered wise. If one tells you, ‘you have nosense,’ remain silent. And if at that time if youreact adversely to him he will remember andbind within that this person is indeed stupid.

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In this era of the time cycle calleddusham kaal, all bondage is due to speech. Inthe past era called susham kaal (more than2600 years ago), bondages were createdthrough the mind. In the absence of thesewords of these times, moksha would have beenvery easily attained. To label someone aswrong is to throw dirt on one’s own self. Toutter even a small word is filled with suchgrave danger. If one speaks the wrong words,miss speaks; one is throwing dirt on his ownself. Even wrong thoughts have the sameeffect. Therefore you are to repent and dopratikramans for the wrong thoughts andspeech. Then you will be free from theireffects.

The sensitive (those easily affected bywords) ones have the extra reason to remainsilent. Instead of observing silence, it is superiorto keep in mind, or be aware of what effectsone’s speech has on others.

The penance of silence

Questioner: Silence is considered theenergy of penance. In what sense is this so?

Dadashri: Silence of penance (mauntapobud) begins when, in situations of the needto speak up one remains silent. If underextreme duress of the need to speak up, oneremains silent then the penance of speechbegins. When the servant is bringing tea to you,breaks the china cup, and if you remain silentthen it is penance of silence. Here the silencehas a power which is matchless in the world.If you say anything angrily, this power is lost.Silence is the highest penance. When there isa conflict with the father, observance of silenceis penance. In such penance a lot melts(karma) within and the science expresses.Nowadays people adopt silence one day andvomit their anger out the next day. Thepenance of speech is very beneficial. It has thecapacity to render the entire world free. Thatis why Kavi has written, ‘the penance of

silence of the realized Soul, will definitelyliberate the entire world.’ (‘Sat purush numaun tapobud, nischaye akaha jaga ne taadey’).

In the vicinity of Dada (Gnani Purush)one has all the freedom to say anything. Yet ifone remains silent then, the silence is withpenance.

Questioner: What is the real meaningof silence (maun)?

Dadashri: Whatever is spoken for thebenefit of the Self (here for the salvation ofothers) is silence.

Questioner: So then how should thesilence be?

Dadashri: The true silence is withoutany passions. All passions (no kashaya,discharge kashaya) ie, laughter, grief, disgust,fear are all absent. There is no subtle innerspeech in such silence. In such silence, obviouslythere is no spoken speech, but communicationsthrough written words is also absent. All suchunsteadiness and vibrations are absent, writtennon verbal gestures etc., are absent.

Silence is the final essence of all life

Questioner: Does the vow of silenceincrease the effect and power of spoken words(vacchan bud)?

Dadashri: No. Silence does not increasethe effectiveness of spoken words. The energyand effect of speech arises when one’s speechbecomes such that it does not hurt any livingbeing to the slightest extent. Even an enemywill not be hurt by such speech.

Questioner: So then one will not speakat all, no?

Dadashri: Let him become silent. Silenceis the final essence of this world. In the finalanalysis one is asked to come to silence. Thisis because silence is the real means of ‘Seeing’(as the Self). In the worldly silence vows, it

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becomes the means to see what is happeningin the world. Here, one will bring tea, and thatis seen. Then one will forget to bring tea. Thatis also to be seen, and one has to let go. Thiswill increase the understanding of the world.

What is the ultimate essence of theworld? It is not worth uttering even a wordrelated to worldly life. Speak only about theSelf.

The silence of the munisTo speak words on the Self and Supreme

Self, have nothing to do with worldlyinteractions. The Lord (Mahavir) has calledthis silence (real silence).

Questioner: I understand the term sage(rishi). And then there are the munis also. Whywas it said like this?

Dadashri: Our people used to call thesages munis. They will say, here comes the‘rishimuni’. Some of them do not speak. Thereis silence and so he is a ‘rishimuni’. The realmuni is the one who speaks and yet is called amuni. The Lord states that this muni is realeven though he speaks and the conventionaldefinition is that he can only be called a muniif is silent. He has put a seal on his mouth(overt silence).

Where there is Atmagnan there issilence of the sage

Questioner: Who can be called amuni?

Dadashri: The muni is not concerned atall with worldly matters and does not speak aword that leads to more worldly interaction(sansar). Such a one speaks only words thatlead to the Self and the paths to the Self(adhyatma). This is called total silence(sampoorna maun). Do you understand themeaning of this?

The one who speaks continuously andexclusively on matters of the Self and the paths

that lead to the Self, and does not utter a singleword, with any worldly intent, is called a muni.He may speak continuously, as if a record isplaying. That is why Shrimad Rajchandra(Gnani Purush) has said, ‘The Muni is wherethere is Atmagnan.’

This ‘record’ of ours (the speech ofDadashri) keeps playing all day long, but eventhen I am silent. Our speech has no otherintent except for the salvation of the otherperson (atmartha). Such a silence is one of amuni. Whereas, these other munis while beingsilent are filled with inner conflicts. How canthey be called munis? I am a ‘mahamuni’ (thegreat silent one). I am absolutely silent. This isthe silence of the highest order (paramartha,for the Self).

Worldly words and yet the speech ofsilence

Do you know what the experts ofscriptures, have said regarding speech. Theyhave said that all speech that has been said forthe Self is silence. And the world definessilence differently. As long as any signal ofcommunication continues, it is not silence, saysthe Lord. They do communicate through signals,do they not? How many ways do they signal?

Questioner: They make gestures andeven write.

Dadashri: That is not silence. Dadaspeaks all day and yet he is silent. Why? Thisis because there is no worldly aim in thesetalks. There are worldly talks but the aim is notof the world, but it is of the Self (atma lakshi).If there is any worldly talk, it is ultimately forthe aim of salvation of the other and thereforeit is silence.

The scriptures say that any speech forthe worldly aim (bhautik) is called speechwhere as any speech for the Self is silence. Doyou know this? This vision is difficult to see.

Questioner: Yes, I have heard this.

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The speech of silenceDadashri: The vow of silence (maun)

taken for worldly intent and aims is non-silence(amaun) and anything said for the Self issilence.

Look, the Lord says this person is silentdespite talking. And this other one who is silentis really chattering (buk buk) and talking. Andthe one, who is talking for the aim of the Self,is silent. Whatever is said for any worldly aimsgoes in useless chattering. And I speak thesilence of the sage. My day long talk is calledby the Lord as the speech of silence.

The living UpanishadI am the speaking Upanishad, the living

Upanishad (the ultimate teachings about theSelf at the end of the Vedas, also calledVedanta). The other Upanishads are scriptures,books. So which one is correct, the living oneor the book? The living Upanishad is right. Sotherefore, if you accept these words as theultimate truth, then you will come to the finalsolution. Those in the scriptures are writtenthrough the medium of the intellect and thesewords are beyond the intellect.

Questioner: I have read the scripturesof Upanishad. I have also read thecommentaries on the Bhagavad Gita. I havealso read the Sankhya philosophy of KapilMuni. However after attending these satsangsof Dadashri, I am finding some places wherethese scriptures have errors. This is becausethe analysis of the scripture is presentedthrough the medium of one’s intellect andindividual view.

Dadashri: Yes indeed, that is exactlyhow it is.

Questioner: Yes, in them, whatever theoriginal writer is trying to convey is one thing,and the subsequent person who comments haswritten something different according to hisown understanding. Some then go on to

translate in English. After attaining the Gnan ofDada, I find all these commentaries areabsolutely bogus. I feel that they simply havenot got it.

Dadashri: It is all written according toones individual intellect. This here, to listen tothe fresh speech of the Gnani Purush constitutesnew scriptures.

When the Gnani is present, one must notrefer to or take the support of any scripture.The scriptures have been written by theexperts of scriptures (shashtra purush). Whenthe Gnani is not around, then they may beused. There is no Gnan in the scriptures. Thescriptures are gross. What is a word? A wordis a gross thing. There is no subtle, no subtleror subtlest meaning in the scripture. Thescripture is only gross food. Therefore, whenthe Gnani is present, these words are of nouse. Be it the four Vedas of the Hindus or thefour Anuyogas of the Jains, they are not of anyuse. The Gnani is superior to all these Vedasand Anuyogas. Each and every word of theGnani is exact. Therefore if the Veda needs tobe ‘corrected’ (given the exact meaning relevantto the current time) then it can be done here infront of the Gnani.

Questioner: Through the speech of theGnani?

Dadashri: Yes, if one wants to improveand correct the error in the understanding ofthese major scriptures, from the beginning, thennow is the time. I have allowed this to bepublished in the Aptavanis (new scriptures ofDadashri). Upanishads are a different matter.But ‘correct’ the Vedas. The speech of theGnani is natural (sahaj), is also called deshna(the speech that liberates) and is consideredthe living goddess of speech (pratyakshSaraswati). Where Saraswati exists there is noerror. That is why I do not mention anyscriptures.

Questioner: When the original is

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available what is the need to use a substitute?

Dadashri: Yes. On the contrary we aredoing damage. Therefore when the GnaniPurush is around the books are of no use.There is no book which will be of any use infront of the Gnani. The Gnani Purush’s speechis for the purpose of improving the scriptures.So whatever errors that are evident in theVedas, go ahead and get them corrected. Ihave said the same to the Jains and theirspiritual teachers get the four Anuyogascorrected. If you ask me, you will get the totalcorrections for all of them. The opportunity tocorrect is very rarely available. Otherwise theoriginal writers of these scriptures say, ‘I amsaying what the all knowing One (sarvagnya)has said.’ But this will not work. To absorb(dharan) what the all knowing One has saidonce, is difficult. Further to understand it iseven more difficult. So how would then thewriter have understood anything?

One man came to me to talk aboutManusmruti (scripture dealing with duties ofMan) and said, ‘manusmruti can be comparedto the words of the Gnani, can't he?’ I told him,‘do you not know how to read? What is themeaning of Manusmruti? Whatever sage Manuremembered (smruti) he wrote.’ Thesescriptures are all food to be taken when thereis a famine. Not when the Gnani is around.

Questioner: Here Dada, here you gaveus all the solutions.

Dadashri: When the Gnani Purush isthere, all the scriptures should be corrected.Now someone comes to me and wants me totell the meaning of scriptures! What can bedone! If one tells me, ‘explain this,’ I will saythat this is a mistake on your part. Thescriptures have been written by the experts onscriptures and here The Gnani Purush is aboveall writers of scriptures. The Gnani Purush islower than a Tirthankar (the fully enlightenedOne) but above the writers of the scriptures.

When the direct light of the Sun is available,what is the need to light a candle? When thereis no direct sun light, the candle is necessary.

Questioner: Dada, today this speech ofYours has the power to eradicate any insistenceof any one of us who is stuck on any scripture.This is because some of us have the tendencyto repeatedly go back to referring the scriptures.

Dadashri: Yes. That is why I had to tellyou all this. When? When I know that this isgoing on (dependence on scriptures in thepresence of the Gnani). Otherwise to insult thescriptures, is a fault. When such things aregoing on, then I have to resort to even an insultto the scriptures for your benefit. To insult abook is to insult the knowledge of the scriptures(shrut gnan) and it is a fault. At a certaincritical time, if I do not commit this fault thenyou would have gone a long time on the wrongpath.

That is why I have said that it is notnecessary to read a single sentence ofKrupaludev (Shrimad Rajchandra). However,if you are habituated to it, read it. Where is theneed to read anything after meeting the GnaniPurush? All the scriptures, all the Vedas and allthe Upanishads, all are encompassed in thesefive Agnas. Is this talk understandable?

Questioner: Yes all is contained withinthe five Agnas.

Dadashri: Otherwise, would I tell younot to read the words of Krupaludev? Suchbeautiful words, and magnificent sentences,and speech! But why do you need to botherwith it? All that has been deeply discussed andthe end has been attained. If you have suckedof all the juice, what is left? If you drunk itwhat is left?

Great munis like Kapil and others werevery pure. I have read the scriptures. Kapilmunihas clearly written, ‘I am saying what the allknowing One has said.’ And then he became

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free from any responsibility. ‘I am merelybringing the message.’ He was a very elevatedsoul, yet he does not take any responsibility.Errors in this path, is a sure way to end up inhell. These words are not to be teased ormessed with.

Even I remain silent. What can be done?If you take the wrong path after meeting me,I do not like it. I prefer to remain silent in thesecritical matters. Even I have to do pratikramanvidhi for 15 minutes for assaulting the scriptures.The attacks done, call for the vidhi ofpratikraman. I commit the fault to save youfrom going on the wrong path.

Questioner: Where is the objection ifall are benefiting?

Dadashri: No, it is an attack, isn't it?The scripture was sitting quietly somewhere. Itwill claim, ‘why are you attacking me?’Whatever it was, it was free and independent.Therefore, there is the attack within. We donot let even a single mistake go by withoutwashing it off with pratikraman. This is adeliberate mistake. Otherwise if the wrongmixture went in this person’s mind, then he willcontinue to bang his head reading the scriptures.And an attack is an attack. Do I not understandthat? For us there is nothing to say ‘no’ to. Forus (Dadashri and the Lord within) mokshaexists in ‘yes’. Moksha comes with ‘yes’. Veryrarely when the wagon goes off on the wrongpath, I have to say something. Do youunderstand?

Truth and untruth in the relative worldQuestioner: Why should one do

pratikraman for saying the truth?Dadashri: This truth (satya) is itself the

untruth (asatya). All that is the truth is alluntruths. Which matter is true, tell me? I willprove that it is untrue.

Questioner: When we speak the truthopenly to his face, he is offended, and why

should there be a pratikraman?Dadashri: No one can tell the truth. In

this entire country there is no one born whocan say the truth. Even I am not able to say so.How can man tell the truth? It is only trueaccording to one’s view-point, not true fromthe view point of the opponent.

I do not see anyone at fault at all. Eventhis speech flows it is associated withpratikraman within when necessary. That meansthe opinion within, ‘this must not be so,’ existswithin for sure. How does it appear to me?Flawless. Then, why is the fault in speech?There must not be any negativity (avarnavad)in the speech. I should remain silent. If I doremain silent in these matters, you will go onthe wrong track. This is not called the truth.

The science of speechThis speech that is interacting with you

is the original tape record speaking. And thistape recorder (machine) here is secondary. Inthis entire world, this term ‘tape record’ hasbeen used by me for the first time ever, and Ihave explained it totally. This speech mooah, isnot of your baap (yours, the relative self here)!Do you know how the record is taped within?

The vibration of the self within is not inthe form words. It is in the form of deep innerintent (bhaav). Whatever one is trying to say,there is this intent only. This is turned into‘code word’. Later this becomes like ‘shorthand’ and finally when it comes into expressingor unfolding as the spoken speech. Thisexpression is the result of friction within thesound apparatus. Then the nice exact wordsare heard. That is why this speech is a tapedrecord playing.

Questioner: Dada, is this called thebinding of the subtle attachment (sookshmaraag)? Is the main formation of speech basedon attachment (raag)?

Dadashri: The speech arises from either

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attachment (raag) or abhorrence (dwesh).When there is abhorrence within, the speech ofabhorrence and disgust results. When there isattachment and attraction, the speech ofattachment comes forth. The world verily isthe cause of this. The second cause is the ego,‘I spoke.’ Now, even while talking so prolifically,I am considered silent. Why? I am not theowner of the speech. And all the rest of thepeople are the owners even when they remainsilent. The owner of the speech can never besilent. I am not the owner at all.

The secret of changing the code

Questioner: The speech is taped fornext life according to the intent at the time ofthe speech (bhaavna, the result of deep innerintent the bhaav) as well as the awareness ofthe speaker?

Dadashri: No. This taping does nothappen at the time of the speaking. This tapinghas happened in the past life. What happensnow? It plays according to how it was printed(taped originally).

Questioner: Now at the time ofspeaking, if we keep awareness then what?

Dadashri: If you scold some one now,and then you feel in the mind, ‘this scoldingwas right. This scolding was necessary andcorrect.’ So then again a ‘code word’ isformed of such an account. And if you feel,‘this scolding was a wrong event. It should notbe so’ will result in a new ‘code word.’ In thefirst example the weight of the ‘code word’increases, and in the second it decreases.

Questioner: Now, ‘this is correct’ doesnot happen and, ‘this is wrong’, does nothappen within, then will a ‘code word’ arise?

Dadashri: If silence is determined within,silence will arise.

Questioner: At many times one maynot say anything, but the inner speech (antar

vacha) will continue, no? The inner feelingswill continue to be spoiled, what about that?

Dadashri: You have to tell your selfwithin, ‘these wrong feelings must not exist.They should be good and wonderful.’

Questioner: Then the code for thepleasant speech will come in, will it not?

Dadashri: Yes, the code of the pleasantspeech will arise.

Questioner: But then, for this newcode will we have to enter another body?Instead, we would rather have no code at all.

Dadashri: This is only for one morelifetime. Ahead, in the next life, your codes willnot be like this. The ones who do not havehurtful speech, they have not changed thecode. And those with hurtful speech havechanged the code. Therefore, the codes forpleasant speech have increased whereas thecodes for hurtful speech have decreased.When one who pleads, ‘Dada, when will thisspeech of mine improve?’ Can we notunderstand then that he is changing the code?

Questioner: The one who is bent upongoing to moksha, attaining liberation, he simplydoes not let any codes in, does he? What doeshe need to do?

Dadashri: There is no impediment ofany kind on the path of liberation now.Whatever codes, that are necessary for finalliberation, moksha, will arise in the next life. Inthis life, if one fills the necessary stock afterasking me, then in the next life, those liberatingcodes will arise. There remains one more lifetime for you all.

Questioner: What are the codes of thespeech of a Tirthankar (the fully enlightenedOne) like?

Dadashri: They have decided the codeof not hurting any living being to the slightestextent through the speech. Not only hurt, but

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also not to hurt the foundation, the core base ofits existence (praman) of any living being. Noteven that of a tree. Such codes have happenedonly to the Tirthankars.

The vow taken after Agna improves speech

Questioner: What is the way to improvethe speech?

Dadashri: This is the place (in front ofGnani) to improve the speech. Here you shouldask the questions repeatedly and arrive atsolutions and get closure.

‘The gross circumstances, the subtlecircumstances and the speech circumstancesare the non-Self (par) and are dependent onthe non-Self (paradhin).’

When only this simple sentence remainsin one’s understanding and awareness, then nomatter what the other person says, it will nothave any effect. This sentence is not animaginary sentence. It is exact. What is‘exact’ (as is), I am telling you. I am not tellingyou to follow my words by respecting them.Exact is this only. You are suffering becauseyou do not understand the facts as they are.

Questioner: When the other personsays something hurtful, then there is equanimitybecause of your Gnan. But the main questionthat remains is that when I speak somethingbitter and hurtful, then if at such times, if I takethe support of this great sentence above, thenI will be misusing the license (Gnan sentence),wouldn't I?

Dadashri: One can never take thesupport of that sentence at such times. Atthose times, the support of pratikraman has tobe taken. When hurtful speech has come forth,pratikraman should be done. And when theperson says anything hurtful, then taking thesupport of the Gnan sentence, there is no hurtat all within you.

When you hurt others with the words,

then do pratikraman afterwards, you will nothave any hurt within you for the words spoken.In this manner all solutions are attained.

Questioner: The speech is inert (jad),yet why is it so effective?

Dadashri: The speech is inert, yet it isthe most effective of all. It is the reason for thecontinuation of the world. The very nature ofspeech is its effect.

Questioner: How is one to bring aboutcontrol over speech?

Dadashri: The control over speech isattained by taking the vow of silence from theGnani. If one wants to become silent on hisown, it is not under his control. And thecircumstance of silence will not come on itsown. This is because the unfolding of thecircumstance (udaya) of silence is dependentupon scientific circumstantial evidences(vyavasthit). Therefore silence adopted aftertaking the Agna of the Gnani is beneficial. Theother way to control speech is pratikraman.The speech is a taped record. What has beenprinted (taped) will come forth only, not more,not less. Therefore these two are the onlyways to control speech.

Questioner: What is the meaning of‘has been taped’?

Dadashri: When the boss is dictating aletter very fast, and the assistant is writing itdown, how is she doing it? What language isthat?

Questioner: Shorthand.

Dadashri: And then there is somethingnew beyond that. It is called code language,isn't it?

Questioner: Yes, code language.

Dadashri: All this gets typed in codelanguage and shorthand within. The momentthe feeling within (bhaav), ‘I can make anyone

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shut up with my speech,’ such code words leadto such speech in effect. This is what I meanby a taped record. For you, the current tape(speech) is of the code words that you hadmade.

And even the speaker of the mosthurtful speech speaks very pleasantly in frontof a saint. And therefore are we not tounderstand that he is not the speaker? Who ishe, the speaker of the hurtful language or thepleasant one?

Questioner: When the speech comesforth, what kind of and type of awareness(jagruti) should one keep?

Dadashri: When you hurl such a bigstone that it totally shuts off the other person,gravely hurting him, the awareness goes out ofthe window. If you have hurt him with a smallstone then the awareness will stay. Therefore,when your stone becomes smaller, theawareness will begin.

Questioner: So how do we make thestone smaller?

Dadashri: With pratikraman.

Questioner: How can the speech thathas been taped be changed?

Dadashri: The only way to change it isby only taking the Agna from a Gnani andremaining silent. Otherwise, it is like changingthe will of nature. Therefore if you try tochange it, do it with the Agna of the GnaniPurush. The Gnani is such that he does notbecome responsible (is beyond thoughts, speechand acts) and hence by taking your responsibility,the responsibility vanishes. So this is the onlysolution.

The awareness at the time of speech

Questioner: What kind of awarenessshould be there when talking?

Dadashri: The awareness, ‘who and

how each person listening will be affectedthrough these words.’ This has to be ‘seen’.

Questioner: The same words are spokento five different people, but everyone is hurt toa different degree. What can I do about it?

Dadashri: You should keep theawareness and then speak. Do your bestaccording to your understanding. There is nosolution otherwise. Now even when,‘Chandubhai,’ is talking justly, the other personmay be hurt repeatedly. What can one dothen? What is the solution? This happens withspecific individuals only (karmic account), notwith all. So here if there are no counter shots(reactive hurt), then only your fire works willstop. Otherwise, when one shoots you will alsoshoot back, even when you do not want to.Therefore in such situations when all decide toclose the fire works then only it will happen,otherwise it will not.

Questioner: The new code, does it giveits effect in this life or the next life?

Dadashri: What would happen if the potmaker, who generally heats the clay pot for 24hours to make it ready for use, takes out thepot after a few hours?

Your acceptance of ‘The next life will befilled with everything working well’ is thereason why you have faith in me, and keeplistening to me for hours. In this life yourspeech that is the result of taped codes frompast life, will be exhausted and then yourspeech will not be hurtful anymore.

Questioner: So then one will becomesilent?

Dadashri: Yes, silence will be there. Bysilence it does not mean that here will be noverbal output. By silence (maun) means onlythat speech will come forth which is necessaryfor simple basic worldly interactions. Thatwhich was filled in a tank will be emptied forsure.

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The awareness during speechQuestioner: We had asked you how to

improve our speech, and you had replied thatthe speech is a charged battery that is beingdischarged in this life. Now I wish to changeand improve my speech. Then you had saidthat for this, I need to take the Agna of theGnani, because the Gnani’s Agna can bringabout the change. Will this vow of silence bringforth the changes?

Dadashri: That Agna is hard to get, andno one will give the Agna. If He gives theAgna then the changes can happen.

Questioner: Yes, but if He gives theAgna then the changes will occur, will theynot?

Dadashri: No, but he will not grant thatAgna to anyone, that is only a rare event.

Questioner: Yes, but it is possible toget it, whenever it happens.

Dadashri: It happens, it is not given.That Agna happens when one is graced,otherwise it does not happen.

Questioner: So then this can changethe vyavasthit (scientific circumstantialevidence)?

Dadashri: There is only that muchchange in the vyavasthit. The Gnani is the doer(in the realm of the Self) and therefore has theindependent highest inner endeavor (purusharth).

Questioner: So then can the prakruti(the non-Self complex) be changed or not?

Dadashri: If there is the highest innerendeavor, anything can be done.

Questioner: Can vyavasthit bechanged?

Dadashri: That is possible only by theGnani Purush. He has the power of the words(vacchan bud), the highest inner endeavor(purusharth). But this change happens in the

rare one, not for all. It is not easy to grantspecial grace to someone.

Questioner: If I want to improve myspeech now, how can I do so?

Dadashri: You cannot improve yourspeech yourself because that speech hasalready been ‘recorded’.

Questioner: Yes. That is exactly why.It has become vyavasthit.

Dadashri: It has become vyavasthit butnow here through the grace and compassion ofthe Gnani Purush, it can be changed. However,it is difficult to receive this grace.

Questioner: Vyavasthit means thatwhich is discharge. The grace also is what hasbeen brought forth from the past life as adischarge. So how is the new grace of this lifegoing to be of any use?

Dadashri: What is vyavasthit? Thatwhich happens after grace is vyavasthit. Theresult of vyavasthit also is there for anynegative interactions with the Gnani (viradhana,avkrupa). The surrendering and devotion to theGnani (aradhana) also has its fruits in vyavasthit.There are therefore two results given byvyavasthit. The fruit of surrendering to theGnani is grace. This grace can change thevyavasthit very rarely. The fruit of criticism ofthe Gnani (viradhana) is also there.

Questioner: But you grant equal graceto everyone you meet now.

Dadashri: It may appear to be equal,but it is not the same for all.

Questioner: So then the grace isdependent on vyavasthit only, isn't it?

Dadashri: No, no. It is not according tovyavasthit. Vyavasthit is dependent on thegrace.

Questioner: But for everyone it is thesame, isn't it?

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Dadashri: All are equal for me, and thegrace is different for each one.

Questioner: If all are equal for you,then how can the grace be different for eachone?

Dadashri: All are indeed the same inmy eyes. But are not all different? Do they notall have a different speech?

Questioner: So please tell us the realcause of grace (krupa, kripa).

Dadashri: How can there be grace forthe one who is sitting here with a sad anddoubting face? When one uses the intellect infront of the Gnani Purush there is less entry ofgrace.

Questioner: So that is the vyavasthit ofthe person. Because grace was not going tohappen for him, he comes here, uses theintellect and sits with a sad doubting face.

Dadashri: No, Not like that. He has tohave the bhaav (feelings), ‘I want to attain thegrace (aradhana).’ Just as one is constantlyworried, ‘I must be careful not to offend orcriticize the Gnani (viradhana).’ Arey( term ofexclamation)! Nothing is going to happen. Donot worry about viradhana. Just the opposite,the aradhana of the Gnani, will result in theentry of grace decidedly.

Questioner: Will your grace change thevyavasthit?

Dadashri: Yes. Vyavasthit follows grace.Vyavasthit does not come first. Grace comesfirst.

Questioner: But vyavasthit is the resultin this life of past life causes.

Dadashri: Yes. This grace is one of themany scientific circumstantial evidences.

Questioner: So if it is not meant to bethe part of vyavasthit, then grace will notenter?

Dadashri: Now, please do not tease allthis with your intellect.

Questioner: So can the vyavasthit bechanged?

Dadashri: This is the only change thatcan be brought about in vyavasthit. The speechis an effect of the causes created in the pastlife. Now if it needs to be improved, then theAgna of the Gnani and your firm resolve(nischaya) can change it. In this effect, onlythe Agna can help him. Without the Agna,there is no other way. This is like the exampleof a scene where one is about to be hanged inpublic in Ahmedabad, and Sir Barrow whohappens to be walking around sees the scene.The man is pardoned by Sir Barrow and his lifeis spared. This is how it is with the Agna of theGnani.

Questioner: But you have said Dadathat the Agna of the Gnani can breakvyavasthit.

Dadashri: Yes, it all breaks. What can'tbe attained with the Agna of the Gnani.

Questioner: Vyavasthit changes? Theentire vyavasthit is blown away?

Dadashri: All of it is not changed. Someaspects are changed. All can be improved withthe Agna of the Gnani, because it is the wallthat prevents entry into a new life. It willprevent entry into a new life.

Everything can be improved through theGnani’s Agnas, because it is a security fence,which will prevent you from entering intoanother life.

Questioner: What do you mean by‘into another life’?

Dadashri: It means that it will not letyou fall back into worldly life.

Speech without ownership cannot befound in the world. Such speech can break allobstacles, but one should know how to satisfy

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and keep the Gnani happy. Such a speech canbreak through everything. If in just one hour,the Gnani can destroy your countless past liveskarmas, then what can he not do? There is nodoership. It is not possible to have speechwithout ownership. Nevertheless one mustnever question its existence. In fact, thishappening of the ownerless speech is not anexception. It is a fact now. But if you want torationalize its existence, then everything isvyavasthit, but you will not reap its fullbenefits. (If you say it was vyavasthit andbecause of your merit karma you acquiredSelf-realization so be it, but if you say ithappened because of the Gnani’s Agnas ratherthan vyavasthit, that makes Dada your wholeand your sole. It is the Gnani’s grace thatprevents us from perpetuating the worldly life;therefore the protection is because of theGnani rather than vyavasthit. If you take theapproach that it is Dada and his Agnas that hasmade the changes, then you will reap fullbenefits.)

Questioner: Please let the memory ofthis carry forward in our next life.

Dadashri: Yes. If you decide that youdo not like your speech and you want yourspeech to be just like Dada’s, it will happen. Itwill depend on whatever you decide. Whenmaking a ‘tender’ (bid) for your next life, makea firm decision as to how you want yourspeech and your conduct to be, and this tenderwill carry forward your decision.

Questioner: There are so many thingsto be decided upon. Instead one can make itsimple and say, ‘I want to be like Dada.’

Dadashri: Yes, yes.

The speech for the Self is silence

Questioner: Everyone believes thatsilence is golden. And to speak is to dissipateenergy.

Dadashri: This 79th year of life is

starting and yet I speak for 10 hours a day. OnDiwali (Festival of light), I speak even longer,and yet this is silence. Do you attempt tocontrol the speech ever?

Questioner: Yes, I make an effort.Dadashri: Yes, make the effort. The

Lord has said that this speech which isconstantly flowing all day, is silence, controlover speech. Silence even when speaking. TheLord has said that where there is no worldlyaim in speech, it is only about the Soul andSupreme Soul, it is silence. The worldly speechis called speech. How wise is the Lord. Allthat I say is the speech of silence.

If one has taken the vow of silence, fora worldly aim, then even when there is silence,it is not silence (amaun). To speak for the Self,even all day long, is silence, total silence. Whyhave the writers of scriptures called thissilence? This is because there is no effect onthe body when one speaks exclusively for andof the Self. All day long talking of mine, if itwere to have any effect on the body, it wouldhave finished me.

Questioner: In talks of the Self if oneis present for even 48 minutes, he becomeslight as a flower. In the satsang, company ofthe Self, this is the experience of the mahatmas.

Dadashri: In worldly speech and talks,a lot of energy is wasted and discharged. Andthis talk of, and for the Self, does not waste ordischarge any energy and does not affect thebody in any way. This is because there is noselfish intent in this. The speech is beneficial tothe self (swa, here) and others around (par).At the feet of the Gnani all speech and talk isuseful for all. Such speech helps the Self andthe relative self (Chandulal).

Silence conserves energy

Constant talk takes away the energy ofa human being. With the observance of silence,

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the energies are conserved and they improve.Speech dissipates energy and silence conservesit.

The highest energy is expended not inthe body, but it is used up by the speech. Whatis the essence of the food we eat? Energy(virya) is formed and it is the essence of thebody. What is this essence used in? It is usedthe most in speech. That is why if speech isconserved, it is beneficial. Otherwise it isbetter if it is used for the welfare of others.When speech is used exclusively for the Self,minimal energy is expended.

One hundred good words (sushabda) orone bad word (kushabda) use the same amountof energy. Much energy is wasted in the use ofa single bad (hurtful) word, as much as 100words which are good (helpful). Do you usebad words? Then, you use a lot of yourenergies.

The good words also use up energies.The energy (shakti) used is dependent on thenumber of words spoken. If one speaks onlyfor the Self, then the Lord has called it silence(maun). Speech of this nature, spoken theentire day, does not use any energy. Evenwhen I use any words with any worldly aim, itis not called silence, and these words waste theenergies.

Questioner: But for you Dada, yourecoup those energies immediately, don't you?And in the next second you revert to energythe Self (swa-shakti).

Dadashri: It is the merit karma of thesemasses of people that makes the energy ariseswithin. I have to speak 10 hours a day. Theenergies arise from the body and are used upin these words. I have no objection, becausemy deepest desire is to use this for thesalvation of the world. It is replenished becausethe words have been used for the Self only.

The silence helps in suffering pain

Questioner: When the wisdom tooth isaching severely, and I say, ‘this tooth is notmine,’ but yet why is the pain continuing?

Dadashri: There is very severe effectof, ‘I am hurting from this wisdom tooth.’ Thepain effect is increased to 125 %. If youremain silent, then the pain effect (vedana) is100 %. If one employs the ego and says, ‘Ah!This pain is nothing new; it has been going on,no big deal.’ Then the pain effect becomes50%.

The ego tapes the speech life after life

Some people say, ‘I am now in the realmof the Self.’ This is in fact in the realm of theego (‘I am Chandulal’).

Questioner: We are convinced that youare indeed in the realm of the Self. Yet why isthere the pain of the body for you?

Dadashri: That will come. There is noconnection. I am absolutely separate. Fortwenty years now, I have torn all the ownershipdocuments over the mind, speech and body andtrashed them. Who do you think is talking toyou right now?

These human beings simply exercise theego by saying, ‘I am speaking.’ Some entity is‘speaking’, and one becomes the owner of thespeech.

Questioner: You say, ‘this tape recordis speaking’; does it mean that someone tapedit in the past life?

Dadashri: It is being recorded by theego. When the tape is playing, in this life, theego records it again for the next life and thiscontinues life after life. If there is no ego, thereis no new recording.

Questioner: How is the speech thatyou are speaking coming out?

Dadashri: It is the tape that wasrecorded in the past.

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Questioner: Who recorded it?

Dadashri: The ego of the past liferecorded it. Now there is no new recording.That which was charged is discharging.

Questioner: How long will it last?Dadashri: It will continue as long as this

body is around. Sometimes the verbal speechends even when the body is around. Thesilence happens because the tape is exhaustedcompletely. This speech is all discharge, effect,and is exhausting. And in this life, the ego, ‘Iam speaking’ charges, it records a new tapefor the next life even as the old one isdischarging. So the two batteries are workingsimultaneously.

Questioner (non-mahatma): Does itmean that, if that ego, ‘I am speaking’decreases slowly day by day then, that newtape will not be recorded (charged)?

Dadashri: Yes, it does not charge. This‘I am speaking’ will charge lesser. Yet the ego(‘I am Chandulal’) is alive, isn't it?

Questioner: What if the ego decreases?Dadashri: The ego of speech decreases.

It increases elsewhere.Questioner: The ego will not decrease

at all, not even a little bit?Dadashri: No. The ego will not decrease.

Only the Gnani can decrease the ego, destroyit totally. It is not enough to decrease it. Hefractures it completely.

If we tell someone, ‘brother, sit here andbe quiet for half an hour.’ He will not be ableto remain quiet. It is the ego that makes himspeak.

Questioner: The one who says, ‘I wishto improve.’ Who is this one, who wants toimprove?

Dadashri: The one who is spoilt is theone who is saying, ‘I wish to improve.’

Questioner: Is that ego (ahamkar)?Dadashri: Yes. Ego only, no one else.

The Self is not involved in this at all. The onewho is spoilt is making the effort to improve.

Questioner: Is it like washing a pieceof coal with soap?

Dadashri: Yes, just like that. On thecontrary all the toiling will go to waste.

Questioner: Even a diamond arisesfrom coal, doesn't it?

Dadashri: Yes, it happens. Then peoplecall it a diamond. But it is a form of coal, isn'tit? It has the intrinsic property of coal only(swabhav).

Silence is the result of GnanQuestioner: Please explain, ‘speech is

the expression of ego.’Dadashri: When the speech stops it is

over. Moksha happens. It is the speech whichis the cause of all ego. The ego gets lifebecause of speech.

Questioner: There is a sentence, ‘thesubtle egoist, is the weapon of speech.’ Sothere is a relation between ego and speech.

Dadashri: Yes.

Questioner: Speech is the weapon ofthe ego. So the egoistic person is using speechas a weapon, isn't it?

Dadashri: It is not a weapon, it is theego. It is because of the speech that all egohas arisen.

Questioner: Is it because of speechthat ego has arisen, or is it because of the egothat speech arises?

Dadashri: The origin of ego is throughspeech. Later this ego of speech continues.This is because of internal cause and effects.

This is known when the speech ends.The ego came into existence before the speech

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came into existence, and when the speechstops, the ego stops. This is the essence.

Questioner: Therefore when the speechstops, the ego stops. But does the ego stopfirst, and as a result speech stops?

Dadashri: No. The ego begins with theexpression of speech and when the speechstops, the ego stops.

Questioner: So are you saying that allexpression of speech is the expression of ego?

Dadashri: Yes. That is why the Gnanihas to say that this is a taped record playing.The Gnani says, ‘It is not my desire. Even thenit is coming out.’

Questioner: Is there no ego in it? ‘Allspeech is the nature of ego’, it is said. So thenwhat is the nature of the speech of aTirthankar?

Dadashri: But that is called ‘deshna’(the speech that liberates), today there is noego in it.

Questioner: ‘No ego today,’ thereforedeshna?

Dadashri: This is not the ego of today(there is no charging ego, no ownership ofspeech, no doer ship), it is the ego of the past(discharge ego).

Questioner: So does this Gnan of ours,result in the silence of speech (maunpanu,munipuni)?

Dadashri: Then there is the speech ofsilence only for him. The Lord says, ‘Wherethere is Atmagnan there is silence.’ The innerspeech has ceased (no kashaya at all) and theexternal speech continues (for the welfare ofthe world).

Questioner: One knows when theexternal speech has stopped. This stoppage ofinner speech, what is it like?

Dadashri: I have already said it, all

Gnanis have it. It is in the form of a deshna,like a taped record is playing.

Questioner: The ‘one in the middle’,who was claiming the ownership is gone. Theone inside who had the intent (bhaav, ‘I amspeaking’) that ego is gone.

Dadashri: It has become the Self only.The non-doership has arrived, nothing is left atall. Discuss something that will be useful forall. What else? Where the Self is, there is thespeech of silence (Atmagnan tya munipanu).

Questioner: Where the Self is, there isthe speech of silence.

Dadashri: Ignorance of the Self is ego(Atma-agnan tya ahamkar). There lies speech.If one investigates one will know.

The world arises with speech and theworld sets with the speech also. The samespeech dissolves the world. With speech onebecame aware of the ego (ahamsmruti) andunaware of the Self (swarup vismruti). Thesame speech brings forth demise of the ego(aham vismruti) and awareness of the Self(swarup smruti). Do you understand this?

Questioner: Yes, I do.

Dadashri: Therefore, this is worthunderstanding. With understanding the solutionswill come. All these talks are scientific.

The essence of the meaning of Gnan isthat the silence is in proportion to the experienceof the Gnan. And all other speech is ignorance.Now when the Gnani Purush speaks it is stillcalled silence. Why? This is because there isno worldly intent in his speech, only the Selfand salvation is the intent.

Questioner: And this speech is naturalto the Self (swabhavik), isn't it?

Dadashri: No, it is not natural to theSelf. The speech is not one of the properties ofthe Self.

Jai Sat Chit Anand

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DADAVANI

Contact : Mahavideh Foundation, Trimandir, Simandhar City, Ahmedabad-Kalol Highway, P.O.:Adalaj,

Dist.:Gandhinagar-382421, Gujarat, India. Tel. : (079) 23974100, Email: dadavani@dadabhagwan.org

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Websites : (1) www.dadabhagwan.org (2) www.dadashri.org (3) www.ultimatespirituality.org

Watch Pujya Dr. Niruma on T.V. ChannelsIndia : Doordarshan (National), Mon-Fri 8-30 AM to 9-00 AM (In Hindi)

In Tamilnadu, Mon-Fri 8-30 AM to 9-00 AM (In Tamil) Zee Alpha Gujarati, Everyday 7 AM to 8 AM (In Gujarati) Doordarshan DD-1, Everyday 3-30 PM to 4 PM (In Gujarat, in Gujarati) Watch same prog. at same time, outside Gujarat on Doordarshan DD-11 'Aastha' International, Everyday Noon 12 to 12-30 PM (In Gujarati)

U.K. : Zee Gujarati (Channel 839), Everyday 6-30 AM to 7-30 AM (In Gujarati) 'Aastha' Mon-Fri 7-30 to 8 AM GMT (In Gujarati)

U.S.A. : 'TV Asia' Everyday 7 to 7-30 AM EST (In Gujarati) Zee Gujarati, Everyday 8 to 9 AM EST (In Gujarati) 'Aastha' Mon-Fri 7-30 to 8 AM EST (In Gujarati) 'TV 39 (NJ)' Mon-Fri 6 to 7 PM & Sat 6 PM to 6-30 PM (In Gujarati)

Canada: 'ATN' Every Wed-Thu 8.30 to 9.00 AM EST (In Gujarati) 'Aastha' Mon-Fri 7-30 to 8 AM EST (In Gujarati)

All over the World (except India) on 'Sony TV' Mon-Fri 7 AM to 7:30 AM (In Hindi)Watch Pujya Deepakbhai Desai in India on DD-11, Everyday 9 to 9-30 PM

GURUPURNIMA 2006 - Houston, USAWe all mahatmas of Houston are celebrating Gurupurnima on 11th July 2006,

the day of Worshipping & getting the spiritual power from our param nimit ofmoksha, Akram Vignani Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan in the presence of PujyaDeepakbhai and Sookshma Presence of Pujya Niruma, We all heartily invite youto get the strength & Darshan.

Program : July 4-5 Boys Shibir (Age - 16 to 25 Years)July 6-10 Shibir for Mahatmas (July 8 - Gnanvidhi)July 11 GURUPURNIMA

Venue : Marriott, Houston Hobby Airport, 9100, Gulf Freeway,Houston, TX 77017. Tel # 713-943-7979

Website : www.dadagurupurnima.comDada Bhagwan's Gurupurnima

at Trimandir Adalaj in the presence of Pujya DeepakbhaiDate - 21st to 23rd July 2006