FAITH AND INTELLECT (બુધ્ધિ) -- (2)

Then what is the difference between intellect and faith? When there is an experience of descent of divine consciousness or help from a holy saint; these experiences can be construed as mere accidental happening by the intellect and ignored. Let your intellect (trust) guide you for such one hundred percent definite assumptions. When there are experiences that cause apparent grief and damage after having many such helpful incidents; one sticks to the stand that has been taken earlier by remembering earlier helpful incidents. At such times he tries to find within himself the deeper purpose and real reasons of the incidents causing the grief. When one turns the intellect to stick to the original stand by remembering previous helpful incidents and not use it in opposite direction is called faith. It is faith to ignore the intellect when it tries to convince the opposite. Divine consciousness has helped Gandhiji many times. This has been responsible for maintaining his unshakable faith. He never gets disappointed for this reason.

In realty human being is never guided by only intellect. He develops his opinions and behavior from inner being that is shaped by the external experiences and not by intellect. Inner being means mind, intellect, feelings, surroundings, previous karmas, impressions from previous experiences, etc. Intellect just gives it an appropriate impression of legitimacy. Intellect is only half pure since it is colored by these entities and it also colors them. So the people who entirely depend upon intellect are as far from the truth as people with less intellect and blind faith. It is also possible that these people are riddled with doubt and are without any enthusiasm. Intellect needs to be used for helping people with true faith.This is the limitation of the intellect. It is very much needed and necessary in the spiritual field. It needs to be reined in by the faith that is tested on experiences and mental strength; not like the bullock going around in the same tracks. It will act as search light showing the appropriate way.

Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan Prerana
Edition 2; Pages 6 -7.

FAITH AND INTELLECT (બુધ્ધિ) -- (1)

1941.

We see the conflict between faith and intellect; the reason being our inability to differentiate between faith and blind faith. For an example, some famous people call someone a holy man and just on the strength of this information others start believing the same. This if blind faith. People who believe like that never gain any benefit even after years of close association. The real measure of true faith is your own inner progress; cumulative effect of increasing benefits gained and increasing development of faith. A villager's faith in Gandhiji is not blind since he experience its benefits of zeal and enthusiasm within him and the public.

Intellect has a definite role in increasing true faith. It is a common belief that in the field of Atman, intellect is not to be used and only faith is needed. It is my humble opinion that this is blind faith. Just as physical science, self realization can be achieved by experiments. Self realization requires lots of good qualities to accomplish it though. It requires intense longing, inner observation, hard work, diligence and willingness to experiment the newly found truths in the life. What is needed here is true faith established by experiences in life and not blind faith.
                                                                                                --- continued next blog.

Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan Prerana.
Edition 2; Pages 5 - 6.

ANYONE CAN DO SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES

Trichinapalli
November 19, 1948

My dear Bhai and respected Ba,

Soul whose mind has turned away from the worldly activities, has understood the importance of life and whose mind is constantly engaged at thy lotus feet does not wait for anybody and dives into spiritual activities. Not every soul is like that. The soul whose only goal is to unravel, understand and experience the mysteries of life and has intense heartfelt longing for it, will always turn in that direction. Such soul will not be prevented from following spiritual activities by worldly activities, problems, troubles, questions and puzzles.

The souls that do not have that intensity of the purpose but still  have the tendency towards the bhava of Bhagawan in their mind cannot leave the activities of worldly life all at once, even if they wish. Such souls have one very important task to see that the inclination of their lives is towards the bhava of Chetan (divine consciousness) even when being involved in the worldly activities. Of course such souls will have all kinds of results of their karmas from the activities of earning money and performing other deeds. Such souls may be involved in the clutches of infatuation and attachments. It is also a certainty that they will have to suffer from the consequences of their actions. At the same time if such souls continue to do the activities towards bhava of Bhagawan will have the sanskar (impressions) of such activities. So it is best for such souls to do whatever  activities they can do towards spirituality, even if they cannot do it completely. These activities towards the bhava of Bhagawan will get increased momentum over a period of time and it reaches to the level of being constant. Such souls will definitely gain inner vision at this time.

Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan Prerana
Edition 2; Pages 119 - 120.

MEANING OF THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE WORDS 0F SATGURU

I am happy to know that you understood the secret of mulling over your readings. It is best that you are rewriting all my letters with the knowledge and awareness of the purpose of doing so. It is my request, not to understand these letters in a limited and narrow way. There is presence of bhava pertaining to the vastness, regarding the bhava expressed in these letters that is applicable in all the circumstances. We have to work very hard and there is no way out of it. We cannot afford to just sit around. True acceptance means, we accept and express the bhavna in the same form of the bhava that was expressed in the words at the time of acceptance. We can definitely feel energetic and fresh if we work hard. Whatever happens keep happening by the grace of God. Everything depends on the mercy and compassion of God.

Pujya Shree Mota
Jivan Manthan
Edition 3; Pages 139 - 140.