[Interviewer] Acharya Shree, you have shared your knowledge that seems revolutionary and spiritual, but I think it is time to ask you...
Are you like a Buddha, a Christ, a Tirthankara, a savior, or an incarnation of God? Who are you?
One thing I really know, that I am not a Buddha. Buddha means old man. I am still a young man.
I am not a tirthankara. I am not a savior. I never claim I am a savior.
I am just like you. I have a body, I have a physical body.
Even people think when I share my knowledge, they think that you are enlightened.
I still eat. I still go to the bathroom. Yes. I am not different than you.
I am a human. I am a human. And I am in this body.
I like to share whatever I know, whatever I deeply know.
Whatever I truly know. That's what my purpose is here.
I like to share. I am not here to teach.
I am here to share. And one thing I know, that the more I share, it flows more.
It is neverending. I can share this knowledge 100's of thousands of years, it never will end.
1st thing you have to understand, I am just a simple, simple, human being.
If I will say that I am enlightened, it seems like I am very egoistic.
If I will put down myself that I am not enlightened, then I am telling a lie.
So it is very difficult situation that I cannot tell the thing.
It is people who have to know who am I.
I am not that person or called by that name which is given to me.
I am not that person. Deep down I am something else.
I am fully, fully pure. My soul is pure.
And my soul is full of knowledge. I can see you. I can see the people. And I can see myself.
I know the people, I know myself. That I know.
And that knowing I like to share whole of my life.
And I will keep sharing it.
I never claim myself I am a Tirthankara or I am a savior.
But I will save you. And I will make a lot of tirthas.
Tirtha means the harbor where people will travel by the ship.
Because we need a harbor for the ship and to cross the ocean of suffering.
You can tell me that way, you can imagine about me that way.
Yes, I can be that way and I am that way.
I am not only lit myself, I will light other people's heart.
That's why I am here.
That's what people tell me that, "You are like a Buddha."
Buddha lit himself and lit other people's heart.
People see me as a Christ. Why?
Because when Jesus was Jesus, he was simple.
But when he was crucified, he became Christ.
Christ is a revolutionary. That's what I consider Christ means: Revolutionary.
When a person becomes a revolutionary, attacks on all bad traditions, bad rituals, or whatever is going to hurt the nations or hurt the billions of people...
If he doesn't condemn, and he knows it, then he's not sharing the right knowledge with the people.
It is not fair. Sometimes I have to share, even I know that this truth is very bitter.
But, I have to say it sometimes.
So people think about me lot of things. I don't claim. It is up to the people.
I cannot say I am enlightened because people will think right away that I am egoistic.
If I am deny that I am enlightened, it is not fair either.
So, it is up to the people. I lean on the people, what people think.
It is up to them. If they like my teaching, if they like what I share with them, and sharing - I don't charge for that.
That is sure. That's why I call so-called enlightened master or swamis or gurus, they charge to enter into their ashram, they charge $350.
Shame on them. Even if common person can understand that they are not enlightened, they are fake.
Sharing is supposed to be free. There is another way.
Everyone has to live. 'Til my body isn't here I have to live.
I need food, need water. Then the people think about the teacher that how they live.
They give little token without asking, maybe little donation, maybe little their share.
It doesn't mean that they have to give money.
Enlightened masters, they are not in the materialism.
They are not materialistic people.
They try to sit on the earth, under the tree. Even that tree becomes a special tree.
That tree blossoms right away.
There are many stories about Buddha, or Mahavira, or Jesus, wherever they walk, all over flowers on the earth.
Yes, if flowers blossomed or not blossomed, but that is sure wherever they walk, that area blossomed already.
That's what it is up to the people. I never claim.
I always claim I am a very simple man.
I am a CM. Common Man. Like you.
I eat, I drink water. I get thirsty, I get hungry.
My body is no different than your body.
Only the difference is energy. Maybe that my energy is on the higher level.
A little, physically. But I always like to share, always like to share with the people.
Because I cannot hold it. It is too much.
And too much I have to share.
I will share whole of my life. I never claimed that I am a Buddha or Tirthankara.
I always say that I am a very simple man.
Very simple person. Just share. I am here to share.