Quietude & Wisdom (Ashtavakra Gita 10.1-11.8) - 10th November 2016

Chapter 10, Ashtavakra Gita. I said: give up desire which is the enemy, give up prosperity which is born of mischief, and good works. Be indifferent. He again, remember that he is talking to a king. The 'give up prosperity' means give up the idea of owning, the idea of ownership. Give up the idea that some material possession will give you eternal happiness or peace, because all that is material is coming and going. So in chasing these appearances, we lose this sense of serenity and openness. Give up desire which is the enemy, give up prosperity which is born of mischief, and good works. Be indifferent. You see, look upon friends, lands, wealth, houses, wives, gifts, and all apparent good fortune as a passing show, as a dream lasting three to five days. Look upon friends, lands, growth, houses, wives, gifts—so it becomes clear again that he is talking to a king—and all apparent good fortune as a passing show, as a dream lasting three to five days. Where there is desire, there is the world. Be firm in non-attachment, be free of desire, be happy. Bondage and desire are the same. Destroy desire and be free. Only by detaching from the world does one joyfully realize the Self.

You are one awareness itself. The universe is neither aware, nor does it exist. You are one awareness itself. The universe is neither aware nor does it exist. Even ignorance is unreal. What is left to know? You are one awareness itself. The universe is neither aware nor does it really exist. Even ignorance is unreal. What is left to know? Attached as you have been to kingdoms, sons, wives, bodies, pleasures, life after life, still they are now lost forever. Attached as you are going to kingdoms, sons, wives, bodies, pleasures, life after life, still where are they now? They are lost forever. Prosperity, pleasure, pious deeds—enough. Prosperity, pleasure, pious deeds—enough. In the dark forest of the world, the mind finds no rest. Even if you engage yourselves in these activities—prosperity, pleasure, pious deeds—the mind does not find rest. For how many lifetimes have you done hard and painful labor with body, mind, and speech? It is time to stop. How many lifetimes have we done hard and painful labor of body, mind, and speech? It is time to stop. Any arguments? Please go to Ashtavakra Chapter 11.

Wisdom. Ashtavakra said: existence, non-existence, change—this is the nature of things. Existence, non-existence, and change. We keep talking about this changeful realm. This is the nature of things. Realizing this, stillness, serenity, and bliss naturally follow. So to see that this realm of appearances is constantly changing, to see that I am the witness of these, then you find that stillness, serenity, and bliss naturally follow. One who knows for certain that the Self creates all and is alone becomes still, desireless, unattached. One who knows for certain that I, the Self, create all and is all there is, is the only one, becomes still, desireless, and unattached. One who knows for certain that adversity and success come and go in obedience to destiny—one who knows for certain that adversity and success come and go in obedience to destiny—becomes content. He neither desires nor grieves.

One who knows for certain that birth and death, happiness and misery come and go in obedience to destiny, sees nothing to accomplish. One who knows for certain that birth and death, happiness and misery come and go in obedience to destiny, sees nothing to accomplish. He engages in non-action and in action remains unattached. He engages in non-action, no longer considers himself to be the doer. Dropping of the doership, then the action—when the action does happen—that one remains unattached. One who has realized that only by caring is misery caused in the world becomes free, happy, serene, and desireless is he. So one who has realized that only by caring is misery caused in the world becomes free, happy, serene, and desireless.

And as I was posting these verses for contemplation, I realized that the term 'caring' can lead to some trouble with some of you. But a very beautiful answer to this: caring means the attachment. Only when we are attached to something, to some outcome or to some phenomenal object in this realm, does it have the potential to cause suffering. So caring is not the spontaneous compassion which can come, the spontaneous empathy which can come, the spontaneous love which can arise. It does not mean that. Caring here means to be attached to something phenomenal in the world is misery. I am not the body, nor is the body my possession. Many of us have this idea even today: 'I have this body, my head is paining, my hand is writing.' So although it is ultimately true if you are referring to yourself as consciousness, but most of us live in this belief that there is a person who is either the body or at least he is the owner of this body. So he says: I am not the body, nor is the body my possession. I am awareness itself. Only one who realizes this for certain has no memory—meaning inclination or no concern—has no memory of things done or left undone.