Contemplation on the Ashtavakra Gita Chapter 16 - 17th November 2016
Saar (Essence)
Ananta emphasizes that true liberation requires dropping all conceptual effort and personal identity. He teaches that until one 'knows nothing' and ceases the struggle of seeking, the eternal self remains obscured by scripture and desire.
Everyone is miserable because they exert constant effort, but no one understands this.
Until you drop everything, you will never know truth, regardless of how much scripture you discuss.
Though the gods themselves instruct you, until you know nothing, you will never know the self.
contemplative
Transcript
This transcript is auto-generated and may contain errors.
Let's contemplate some verses from the Ashtavakra Gita. I'm reading from Chapter 16. I know we missed a few verses; we'll get back to those. So, this chapter is called 'Special Instruction.' Ashtavakra said: 'You can recite and discuss scripture all you want. You can recite and discuss scripture all you want, but until you drop everything, you will never know truth. You can recite and discuss scripture all you want, but until you drop everything, you will never know truth.' Let these words do the work. Allow yourself to drop everything. You can recite and discuss scripture all you want, but until you drop everything, you will never know truth.
You can enjoy, you can enjoy and work and meditate, but you will still yearn for that which is beyond all experience and in which all desires are extinguished. You can enjoy and work and meditate, but you will still yearn for that which is beyond all experience and in which all desires are extinguished.
Everyone is miserable because they exert constant effort. Everyone is miserable because they exert constant effort, but no one understands this. A ripe mind can become Unshackled upon hearing this one instruction. Everyone is miserable because they exert constant effort, but no one understands this. A ripe mind can become Unshackled upon hearing this one instruction.
The master idler to whom even blinking is a bother is happy, but he is the only one. The master idler to whom even blinking is a bother is happy, but he is the only one. When the mind is free of opposites like 'this is done' and 'this is yet undone,' one becomes indifferent to merit, wealth, pleasure, and liberation. When the mind is free of opposites like 'this is done' and 'this is yet undone,' one becomes indifferent to merit, wealth, pleasure, and liberation.
One who abhors sense objects avoids them. One who desires them becomes ensnared. One who neither abhors nor desires is neither detached nor attached. One who abhors has an aversion to sense objects and avoids them. One who desires them becomes ensnared. One who neither abhors nor desires is neither detached nor attached.
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As long as there is desire, which is the absence of discrimination—discrimination here means not distinguishing between the truth and false, not distinguishing between that which is eternal and that which is changing, not seeing an appearance as just an appearance—so the sage says, as long as there is desire, which is the absence of discrimination, there will be attachment and non-attachment. This is the cause of the world. As long as there is desire, which is the absence of discrimination, there will be attachment and non-attachment. This is the cause of the world.
Indulgence creates attachment; aversion creates abstinence. Indulgence creates attachment; aversion creates abstinence. Like a child, the sage is free of both and thus lives on as a child. Indulgence creates attachment; aversion creates abstinence. Like a child, the sage is free of both and thus lives on as a child.
One who is attached to the world thinks renouncing it will relieve his misery. One who is attached to nothing is free and does not feel miserable even in the world. One who is attached to the world thinks renouncing it will relieve his misery. One who is attached to nothing is free and does not feel miserable even in the world.
He who claims liberation as his own as an attachment of a person—he who claims liberation as his own as an attachment of a person is neither enlightened nor a seeker; he suffers his own misery. He who claims liberation as his own as an attachment of a person is neither enlightened nor a seeker; he suffers his own misery.
He who claims liberation as his own as an attainment of a person is neither enlightened nor a seeker; he suffers his own misery. Though Hara, Hari, or the lotus-born Brahma himself instruct you—though Hara, Hari, or the lotus-born Brahma himself instruct you—until you know nothing, you will never know Self. Though Hara, Hari, or the lotus-born Brahma—Shiva, Vishnu, or Brahma himself—instruct you, until you know nothing, you will never know the Self.
The Thread Continues
These satsangs touch the same silence.
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