How to ensure no competition?

Cultivate Right Understanding

Competition race is an outcome of lack of understanding. When against that the right understanding is set, no competition shall exist and rivalry shall not happen.

For example, when we are driving a car on the road and another car overtakes us, at that time, a competition race begins within, that I also will increase my speed and get ahead of them! But millions of cars on that very road have gone ahead of us, then why are we not getting into a competition race with them? On a similar note, if someone next to us surpasses us, we get into a competition race with them, but earlier, so many people have surpassed us and gone ahead, and they continue to be ahead of us, then why do we not get into a competition race with them? If we think about this a bit, then we will not compete with others at all.

Secondly, the thing that we are competing for is temporary, just like ice, it is there today and shall melt tomorrow. There is no surety. But, the efforts that we may have put to have it (that thing) or to protect it, we may have moved people aside, may have bound vengeance out of hatred, all of that shall stay along with us in the form of karma. Therefore, it is not worth getting into a competition race for temporary things.

After all, people move ahead based on their respective merit karma. Today one's merit karma is powerful, hence favorable circumstances for success and advancement come together for him. Tomorrow, someone else's merit karma would be powerful, so then, he would progress accordingly. Hence, in the game of merit and demerit karma, we should not get entangled.

May Everyone Progress

This is a simple key to how to get rid of competition. The law of Nature is such that if we think, "May everyone lag behind and I alone must go ahead", then we ourselves shall lag and everyone else will go ahead. But if we think about others, then nothing of ours will get spoilt. Therefore, we should maintain such an intent that ‘may everyone progress; I also will move forward based on my abilities.’ Based on the capacity of our strength, we should move forward.

Nevertheless, the one who we feel is our rival, for them we should not allow a single negative thought to happen. To have no competition with our rival, our intent should be that may that person make a lot of progress; may he go far ahead on the path of success. We should not wish for a slightest hindrance to happen in that person’s progress.

Remain Positive

See positive of the person we are having rivalry with, their positive meaning appreciating their good qualities in front of people, praising them. Also, regarding their negative, pray that they come out of that.

Generally, competition happens between students regarding their studies or for advancing in their career. But in reality, by getting into a competition race, we are not able to go too far. The result is an outcome based on both our hard work and the merit karma. When someone else surpasses us, we should maintain the thought that he has done such nice hard work, how nice are his merit karma. When we lag, do not feel negative, instead work harder.

Have a Broad Vision

One with a narrow mind and whose vision is falling short, they alone get into a competition race. Whose intellect is developed and has a broad vision would understand that by getting into a competition race, no one would benefit. This certainly results in no competition.

Broad vision means those whose vision is wide; they realize that there is no need for competition in life. Each one is moving ahead on their individual path. They have a detailed analysis of what harm is caused when we get into a competition race, what are the consequences of doing so. If we cultivate such broad vision, that too will prevent us from getting into a competition race.

Adjust

When there is rivalry between two people, and if one of the two adjusts, then rivalry ends. For example, in the rivalry between a mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law, the mother-in-law keeps finding faults with the daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law also gives it back in the same token to the mother-in-law; as a result, quarrels and unrest increase. Instead, when the mother-in-law picks faults in the work, the daughter-in-law should touch the mother-in-law's feet and take her blessings that, "I don't know how to do this, you may please teach me." On the other hand, the mother-in-law also should stay as a daughter-in-law’s daughter-in-law. One who wants peace, makes the adjustment like this, and then, rivalry and the consequent quarrels will not happen. Because, those with skills pant and then die in the horse race. Even if one comes first today, some or the other day, the last number will certainly come. Rather, in saying, ‘I have no skills’ and sitting aside, there is much more fun. The moment one moves out of the racecourse, personality begins to shine.

To those who are busy engaged in a competition race of proving their own skills, Param Pujya Dadashri says, "People have to be told that, 'There is no potential in you, there is no potential at all in you!' And we try hard to bring that potential, now when would this tally? Instead, let us only become certified without potential! So, then the solution comes!"

Win Upon Losing

We want to come out of competition, but when others get into competition with us, how do we behave then to ensure no competition? Giving a practical key for that, Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan says, "There amongst those people, we should not live in a very light and happy state. It should so appear that we want to race with you, in appearance only! But internally, once we reach there, we should lose! So, they will feel in their mind ‘we have won’. This is how we have gone ahead and told so many people that, 'Brother, there is no potential in us.' That is the best way to go. Or else, they are all horse races! It’s a racecourse!!"

If we have not entered into competition only, then it will not be fun for the other person to win. Therefore, externally pretend that we have entered into competition, but internally, lose beforehand only. If we defeat the other person, then he will not be able to sleep. We should learn such an art that even after losing, we get a good sleep.

Param Pujya Dadashri says that, "Discover the act of losing! This is our new discovery. The one who has won may lose some day. But one who is already defeated, will never ever lose again."

Ego-wise, Remain Smallest of the Small

The world has stood based on the ego of superiority, meaning our intent of becoming big, the beliefs of ‘I am superior than everyone’ that exist. Whereas, small means ‘I am small, smaller means I am smaller than the small, and the smallest means the belief that everyone is bigger than me.’

If we keep our ego at the smallest of the small level, then no one will have rivalry with us. Where there is an intent of being smallest of the small, there is no competition only. One who has lost beforehand, who will come to defeat him? Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan says that, “if even once, I cut my skin while shaving, then I will always say that, ‘I don't know how to shave.’ Similarly, where we believe, ‘I know’, there even once if some mistake has happened, if we remember that and then start believing, ‘I don’t know this’, then the ego gets small.”

How in practice, we can become small, another beautiful example of this can be found in the life of Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan in his own words.

Dadashri: When some talk regarding money came up with my relative, he says to me, 'You have earned very well.' I said, 'I don’t have anything like that. And as far as earning is concerned, you earned so well. Hey... you had mills and all. Where you are (so high) and where am I!? Don't know what skills you had, that you made so much of money. I didn't know anything regarding this. I was only good in that matter.' Having said this, there remained no comparison between me and him, right?! No 'racecourse' remained, right?! Yes, no concern now. Where get into a competition with them?

People are always in such competition, but where would I run with them? Let them take the prize! We will keep observing. Now, if we run in the competition, what state would we be in? Our knees would be all bruised. So, it is not our cup of tea.

One who wants to come out of competition, the world calls them crazy, gives them a beating, throws them out, yet we should get defeated and be seated. Making others win is the way to win the world!

Devalue the Rivalry

Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan says that, "If you keep running in this racecourse for infinite lifetimes, yet on the last day, you will be cheated, such is this world. Everything will go to waste. On top of that, go through an unlimited beating. Instead, run away from here, discover our original place, which is our original form."

Summarizing His experience, He says, "Have been running since infinite lifetimes, but all in vain. I have run such that I should be sitting on the top, but have taken a beating everywhere. Instead, just run away from here! Discover our original space, hey... gigantic!!"

The competition is for all temporary things. But we are in the form of a Soul, we are permanent. Self-Realization happens, and one comes in one’s own form (the Soul), that is when the competition for temporary things shall come to a permanent end. This is the ultimate key to no competition!

Maintain Healthy Competition

Despite so many disadvantages of competition, if the competition is healthy, then it can assist in us progressing. Extending one’s own line without touching the other person's long line is called healthy competition. For example, in sports, there is always winning-losing going on and the competition also for sure. But in sports, what kind of sportsmanship is there? It’s that the one who loses, accepts that, "You won, I lost". At the end of the game, both the players even shake hands, and then strive hard to perform better in the next game.

We get to see such healthy competition even in the world of business and industry. There are instances where when two companies are manufacturing identical things, they keep only one product that is similar; and rest of all products are different, but of excellent quality, so that the consumer also benefits and the business runs well for both the companies.

Many a times, in job or business, we have no option but to enter into competition to sell the products of our company. In such a situation, do everything on behalf of the company, that this product is very good, etc. But maintain honesty in that. It should not be in our intent that by pulling the other person down, I move ahead. Do not indulge into any negative talks about the other company. If we do not come to the top by breaking down the other company, causing damage to it, or instigating their workforce, then it is healthy competition.

When Someone Gets into a Competition Race Because of Us

If we are in such a position where two people working under us are in a competition race with each other, beware there as well. When both are into competition, both will keep breaking each other, and then come to us with complaints. At that time, act very carefully.

If one has more skills, the less skillful one could be feeling rivalry towards him. There, if we praise the skilled person more and find mistakes in the less skilled person, then the matter gets worsened. Comparison between the two will increase, and so will the jealousy and competition. We should encourage both equally.

Motivate the one who has less skills by saying, “You will get there; stay positive; do not think negative of the other person.” We shall also explain to the one who has more skills by saying, “Take care that you do not hurt anyone; you do not make anyone feel inferior. If the other person competes with you, do not nurture hatred for him/her.”

Even after doing all of this, we should not take anyone's side nor indulge into the right-wrong. In our heart, we shall maintain that both are right from their perspectives.