Anupreksha :: 165
truth-his word none can gainsay. His utterance cannot be
falsified. There is so much force in the vibrations and atoms
of his speech that even nature cannot but abide by it. What
he says, comes to pass per force. A man may come to have
such force of truth and of brahmacharya as to influence even
nature-- if the sky is overcast, it clears up, or the clouds form
in the sky as per his convenience.
Rishirai was a great sadhak. Whenever he started on a
foot-journey, clouds began to gather in the sky. The hot sun
grew mild. All this happens and much more. The power of
truth is unlimited. But now-a-days, people learn even from
childhood that speaking the truth would hurt them and it
is safer to tell a lie. If such be the precept in vogue, the question
of establishing truth does not arise. Under the circumstances,
where and how is poor truth to be established?
The way to perfection in speech lies through devotion
to truth. Those who have dedicated themselves to truth, have
progressed ahead, even though belatedly. Unwavering faith
in truth always yields good results. It is basically a question
of faith. Such a faith does not generally evolve; it perishes
before it can develop. But if one always sticks to truth, one's
word is endowed with tremendous power and it Ieads to
perfection in speech; whatever is said then gots done!
Anupreksha :: 167
Coldness destroys heat, water extinguishes fire. How can any
relationship be established between the two? 0n the other
hand, water is matter, and so is fire. It sounds odd that one
kind of matter can have no relationship with another. The
bridge of synthesis was sought to cross the distance between
the two ends of t p bl Sg ± • b • ·-- the hindrance
get more and more complicated. You might ~y ~at the
society cannot subsist witho~t falsehood. All _polihcs IS based
upon diplomacy and the baslS o~ d1plomac~ IS ~truth. From
the lowest to the highest, the busmess of soc1ety IS based upon
falsehood. He who tells alie is saved; he who speaks the truth
goes under.
Toe judge said to the convict, "You are present in the
court of justice. Speak the truth; no falsehood! Do you know
where truth or lies will take you?"
The criminal said, "Mr. Justice! I know it well. If I tel1
a lie, 1'11 go to hell and if I speak the truth, !'li go to jail."
Today, every manhas come to believe that in society as
it is organised, to speak truth is to invite trouble and
difficulties. He who is proficient in telling lies, goes scotfree
even after committing the greatest crime. A dever talker
knows how to cover his lies and he prospers. And the man
who speaks the truth is a nincompoop, a lunatic or a fool.
Such is the prevalent belief, today. lt is because of this belief
that the whole business of living has gone topsy-turvy. We
want that injustice, immorality and tyranny should end, that
honesty and authenticity should flower, truth should reign.
But how is it possible? The very foundation of it is being
demolished. When there is an illusion at the root, how can
we accomplish what we want.
Lord Mahavira has presented a beautiful exposition of
truth. He says Truth is where there is the straightness of body,
simplicity of feeling and of speech and a going beyond ali
absurdity." To uphold one thing today and quite another the
next day displays a contradiction in thought. Truth transcends
ali contradiction. What a truthful persons says today, he
abides by it 25 years later. There is nothing incongruous or
irrelevant in what he says. What we witness now-a-days is
crookedness of feeling and speech. There is contradiction at
every st~p. ln such a situation, how can there be any purity
or force m speech? ln the case of a person who has achieved
perfection of sreech, whatever escapes his lips, transpires. No
statement of his can be false. The greatest means of achieving
perfection of speech is-truth. He who always speaks the
166 :: Abstract Thinking
