This Pravachan was delivered on 31 Jan 1977
Pravachan Audio link – Soundcloud –
https://on.soundcloud.com/PZLZx
https://oshoworld.com/maha-geeta-81/
(There is some problem with the
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Pravachan Transcript link –
https://oshostsang.wordpress.com/2018/07/29/अष्%e2%80%8dटावक्र-महागीता-प्रव-81/
(Pravachan No 80 is a Question and Answer
session. All even numbered pravachans are Q&A sessions. Therefore, these
have been left out, for the time being – these will be taken up, on completion
of all expositions of Ashtavakra Gita.)
ashTAvakra uvAca |
na SAntaM stauti nishkAmO na
dushTamapi nindati |
samaduHkhasukhastRptaH kincit
kRtyaM na paSyati || 18 : 82 || 258 ||
dhIrO na dvEshTi
saMsAramAtmAnaM na didRkshati |
harshAmarshavinirmuktO na
mRtO na ca jIvati || 18 : 83 || 259 ||
niHsnEhaH putradArAdau
nishkAmO vishayEshu ca |
niScintaH svaSarIrE(a)pi
nirASaH SObhatE budhaH || 18 : 84 || 260 ||
tushTiH sarvatra dhIrasya
yathApatitavartinaH |
svacchandaM caratO
dESAnyatrAstamitaSAyinaH || 18 : 85 || 261 ||
patatUdEtu vA dEhO nAsya
cintA mahAtmanaH |
svabhAvabhUmiviSrAntivismRtASEshasaMsRtEH
|| 18 : 86 || 262 ||
akincanaH kAmacArO
nirdvandvaSchinnasaMSayaH |
asaktaH sarvabhAvEshu kEvalO
ramatE budhaH || 18 : 87 || 263 ||
अष्टावक्र उवाच ।
न शान्तं स्तौति
निष्कामो न दुष्टमपि निन्दति ।
समदुःखसुखस्तृप्तः
किञ्चित् कृत्यं न पश्यति ।। 18 : 82
।। 258 ||
धीरो न द्वेष्टि
संसारमात्मानं न दिदृक्षति ।
हर्षामर्षविनिर्मुक्तो
न मृतो न च जीवति ।। 18 : 83
।। 259 ||
निःस्नेहः पुत्रदारादौ
निष्कामो विषयेषु च ।
निश्चिन्तः स्वशरीरेऽपि
निराशः शोभते बुधः ।। 18 : 84
।। 260 ||
तुष्टिः सर्वत्र
धीरस्य यथापतितवर्तिनः ।
स्वच्छन्दं चरतो
देशान्यत्रास्तमितशायिनः ।। 18 : 85
।। 261 ||
पततूदेतु वा देहो
नास्य चिन्ता महात्मनः ।
स्वभावभूमिविश्रान्तिविस्मृताशेषसंसृतेः
।। 18
: 86 ।। 262 ||
अकिञ्चनः कामचारो
निर्द्वन्द्वश्छिन्नसंशयः ।
असक्तः सर्वभावेषु
केवलो रमते बुधः ।। 18 : 87
।। 263 ||
(In the book ‘Ashtavakra Samhita’ by Swami
Nityaswarupananda, these 6 Slokas are given as Chapter 18 (82 – 87); but, according to
the transcript of the Pravachan, all these are
given sequentially (258 – 263) without any chapters. Accordingly, both the
systems of numbering have been adopted here.)
Pravachan
Poem of Acharya –
देख मत तू यह कि
तेरे कौन दायें कौन बायें
तू चला चल बस,
कि
सब पर प्यार की करता
हवाएं
दूसरा कोई नहीं,
विश्राम
है
दुश्मन डगर पर
इसलिए जो गालियां
भी दे उसे तू दे दुआएं
बोल कड़वे भी उठा
ले गीत मैले भी घुला
ले
क्योंकि बगिया के
लिए गुंजार सबका है बराबर
फूल पर हंसकर अटक
तो शूल को रोकर झटक
मत
ओ पथिक! तुझ पर यहां
अधिकार
सबका है बराबर
(Rough Translation – Do not notice who is on
your left and right; just keep going, showing love to everyone; there is no ‘other’;
enemy is resting on the way; therefore, even if he abuses, seek blessings for
him; even if his words are bitter or even if his song is dirty, wash them;
because, everyone’s humming is equal, to the garden; do not smile and get stuck
with flower, and do not avoid the thorn weepingly; Oh traveller! Everyone has
equal authority over you.)
In the ultimate (final) (antim) peak (Sikhar) of
consciousness (caitanya), everything is acceptable, as they are; there is no
demand for anything else. Till there is demand for something else, the World
(sansAr) remains (SEsha). The mind persists, and the World also persists, till it
seems, that it would have been better, had it happened like this or not like
this. When it is felt that it is propitious (Subha) as it is - it could have
happened only this way, it was supposed to happen only this way, it should have
happened only this way – when you get totally attuned with whatever ‘is’, then
it is (called) surrender (samarpaN); it is (called) renunciation (asceticism)
(sanyAs); then the World (sansAr) has come to end; then you have become
liberated-while-still-alive (jIvan-mukta). Where suchness (tathAtA) is total
(absolute) (paripUrNa), where there is no wish for even a little transformation
(rUpAntaraNa) – externally or internally, where there is total harmony
(samarasatA) with this very moment, there is peace (tranquility) (SAnti), there
is perfection (samyakatva). (Translator’s note – tathAtA is a Mahayana Buddhist
principle; samyakatva is a core principle of Jainism.)
First Sutra -
na SAntaM stauti nishkAmO na
dushTamapi nindati |
samaduHkhasukhastRptaH kincit
kRtyaM na paSyati || 18 : 82 || 258 ||
‘A desireless (nishkAma) person
does not have any feeling of praise (stuti) towards (another) peaceful (SAnta)
person, nor he has any feeling of disdain (nindA) towards an evil (dushTa) person.’
(A desire-less person does not have any feeling of praise even when he sees a
Mahatama.)
You praise a Mahatma,
because, you want to become like him (Mahatma). We praise that person, like
whom we want to be(come). We blame (nindA) that person, like whom we do not
want to be. We blame a person, when we feel, that a thing, should not be like
the way, we find it. We praise a person, when we think that we should be like
that, but we are not so, now. Praise is about our future (bhavishya), and blame
is about our past (atIta).
Among the Jesuit Fakirs,
there is a famous saying – ‘every saint has a past, and every sinner has a
future’ (Oscar Wilde). One who is saint today, was a sinner in the past;
therefore, every saint has a past. His (saint’s) past need not be filled with
saintliness. Every sinner has a future; today’s sinner might (could) become a
saint tomorrow. When a political leader comes to the village, people seek his
audience, not because, he is a great leader, but because, people wish to become
like him; they yearn for position, prestige, which they do not have now.
(Translator’s note – Here, Acharya gives an anecdote of an encounter between a
well-built, strong and conceited person and a diminutive, karate knowing and
composed person. In this encounter, the karate knowing person shatters the
pride of the conceited. It is not clear, how this anecdote is relevant here,
when discussing about saint and sinner. Maybe, he wants to highlight the composure
aspect.)
When we praise someone, we
are, subconsciously (acEtan), in search of our future – the way we want to
be(come). That is why, a person who goes for the audience of a politician, does
not seek the audience of a saint. If a person seeks audience of both politician
and a saint, then, he has no distinction between politics and religion. He
simply wants to get prestige, at any cost, by any method; he yearns for the
worship of his ego; he wants that prestige to be an adornment over his ego. When
someone submits himself at the feet of Buddha, he is trying to express his
yearning, but inability, to become like Buddha. Bertrand Russel has written –
when someone deprecates or shouts very loudly, look at his eyes closely; it is
possible that he has some vested interest, and he is trying to hide it. For example,
when someone shouts, very loudly, that his pocket has been picked, it is
possible that he himself is the thief, and wants that no one should find out.
Therefore, intelligent thieves often shout against thievery, so that no one
should doubt them. (Acharya has spoken very elaborately about such incidents of
praise and deprecation. The same has been condensed to avoid repetition.)
A supremely wise (parama
jnAnI) neither praises nor deprecates (blames). Neither he offers flowers at
the feet of Mahatma, nor he places embers on the head of a cynic (nindak).
Neither he insults an evil person, nor he pays regard to a good person. If
someone is good, so be it; if someone is evil, so be it. Understand this. This
is the definition of supreme state – ‘as it is’. Ram is Ram, and Ravana is Ravana.
Because neem is bitter, one need not curse it; one need not praise mango,
because it is sweet. A thorn is a thorn, and a flower is a flower. There is not
even a little expectation. There is no question of expectation at all.
na
SAntaM stauti nishkAmO – one who has himself become desire-less (nishkAma),
does not praise even (another) peaceful (SAnta) person. When one becomes desire-less,
then, there is no desire even for peace; therefore, there is no use of praise. na
dushTamapi nindati – He (one who has become desire-less) does not deprecate
(blame) (nindA) an evil person (dushTa) also. There is evil, even in
deprecation. When you blame anyone, there is evil hidden in it (blame) also. By
blaming, you are trying to hurt that person. By blaming another, you yourself
become blamed. There is no meaning either in praise or in blame. A desire-less
person is neither this side nor that (opposite) side (vipaksha); he has no
demand (Agraha); he is demand-less (anAgrahI). sama duHkha sukhas-tRptaH – He
has equanimity (samAna) both in sorrow and happiness. He is contented (tRpta)
in every condition. Nothing remains for him to do. The entire search in this
country is towards this equanimity. Jains call it ‘samyakatva’. Buddhists call
it ‘santulan’, ‘samyak’. All mean ‘even’ (equal) (sama). Hindus say – samAdhi –
sama-Adhi. (Translator’s note – For etymology of the word ‘samAdhi’, please
refer to various interpretations given in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samadhi ) It is
about ‘evenness’ (sama). If one is to select a short word, in which the entire
concept (manIshA) of East is contained, it is ‘sama’ (evenness). It means that
one’s mind does not swing (vacillate) (DOl) this side or that side – neither
left nor right. If one tilts (Jhuk) this side, it is ditch (khAyI), and, that
side, it is well (kuAn) (A Hindi saying). If one tilts, he would deviate
(bhaTak). Not deviating, being still in
the mid, being firmly established, without tremble – that is evenness (samatA),
equanimity (samyakatva), total absorption (samAdhi).
Even
English-Latin word ‘unani’, is derived from Sanskrit word ‘sama’. This word
(sama) has taken many forms, but it still remains. (Translator’s note –
Acharya’s statement about ‘Unani’, originating from Sanskrit, could not be
verified from the Web.) The root ‘syn’ (sym) in English Words ‘synthesis’,
‘symphony’, ‘synopsis’, etc. is derived from Sanskrit ‘sama’. Even-mindedness
(sama-citta) is an internal state, wherein there is no trembling (vibration) – unshaken.
Praising that which is propitious (auspicious) (Subha), and deprecating that
which is not (auspicious), amounts to trembling (shaking). Suppose you are
seated still; by seeing an evil person, if you feel like deprecating him or if
you feel pity for him – for his redemption – then, your mind has vacillated. By
seeing a saintly person, if you feel a sense of wonderment (ahO-bhAva), then
also, your mind has vacillated. If any thought arises, evenness (equanimity)
(samatA) is disturbed. State of evenness is only when one remains steady –
unwavering – in the face of evil or good, happiness or sorrow, regard or shame.
When one attains such a state of evenness (equanimity), then he has become
desire-less (nishkAma). sama duHkha sukhas-tRptaH – Only such a person is
contented (tRpti). One who has attained evenness (equanimity) in happiness and
sorrow, is indeed contented. Otherwise, there is no contentment – be it
happiness or sorrow.
You
might have observed – if one is sorrowful, he wants to be rid of it. No one is contented
when in sorrow. However, one is not contented even when he is happy; he remains
worried – afraid – that his happiness might be snatched. (Acharya has given
elaborate examples to explain how man is discontented both in happiness and
sorrow. These have been condensed to avoid repetition.) One should be
equanimeous (sama-bhAvI) whether it is happiness or sorrow; only then one’s
inner condition (antar-daSA) remains same (constant). This (evenness) is not
only about external situations, but it is also the formula (sUtra) for
meditation (dhyAna). Even when an evil thought arises, one should not curse
(deprecate) it; he should just keep watching, as a witness. You are not the
thought, but only a witness (of the thought). Same is the case with good
thoughts also. Both good (auspicious) and evil thoughts need not worry you,
because you are not the thoughts, but only a witness of the thoughts. Whether
it is good or evil, day or night, happiness or sorrow, life or death, if
evenness (equanimity) has arisen, then the ultimate (supreme) (parama) door of
life (jIvan) opens.
kincit
kRtyaM na paSyati - Such a person comes
to know that there is nothing (remaining) for him to do. He does not perceive
anything which remains to be done. By becoming a witness (sAkshI), one becomes
a non-doer (akartA); alternatively, if one becomes a non-doer, he becomes a
witness. Then, there is bliss (Ananda) and bliss alone; there remains nothing
to be done. Keep in mind – till there is something to do, worries (thoughts)
(cintA), plans, and fear would continue – whether one would be successful in
his task or not. Even if one is successful, there will be fear whether that
happiness could be sustained or not. Even if one is Alexander or Napoleon, and
conquers the whole World, at death, he goes empty handed. Whether one sits on
the throne or one is a street beggar, at death, all have to reach grave. Omar
Khayyam has said – ‘dust unto dust’. After that (death), what difference would
it make, whether the dust is that of Emperor or beggar? In the final stage,
everyone (everything) becomes one.
A
wise, understanding that death levels (whitewashes) (lIpA-pOtI) everything, he
does it (levels) himself. He says – ‘if death is to equalise everything
(everyone), let me become so, by myself. In this manner, a wise, ‘dies’ of his
own accord. Then, he has nothing to do. It does not mean that he does not do
anything – his actions, which are natural (svabhAvik), innate (naisargik)
continue. If he feels hunger, he takes food; if he feels thirsty, he takes
water. Whatever is natural – which are not ‘done’, which happen all by
themselves – keeps happening.
Suppose,
when a wise (jnAnI) sees, someone thrashing another, in front of him, he (wise)
does not try to intervene, unless he feels impulse (pulak) to do so. It does
not mean that he (wise) would save (the victim) or otherwise. Nothing can be
predicted about the conduct of a wise, as he lives by his natural impulse,
spontaneity (sva-sphUrti). That spontaneity is in the hands of the vast cosmos
(virAT), at whose feet, the wise has surrendered himself. Whatever he is made
to do, he does, as an instrument (nimitta). He has become a peg (stake) (hanger)
(khUNTi). It is for God to decide whether He wants to hang His clothes, tunic
(angrakhA) or not. A peg (stake) (hanger) has no specific use. It cannot be
predicted whether a wise would do or not do anything, Therefore, no definition
is possible for a wise. After attaining wisdom, whether one sits in a cave or
remains in the World, amounts to same, because, he lives by self-spontaneity
(sva-sphuraNa) – not through actions; he does not perform any action from his
side; he does not stop any action that is happening spontaneously. He has given
up himself to paramAtmA. kincit kRtya na paSyati. (Translator’s note – the
words ‘pulak’ and ‘sphuraNa’ are difficult to translate. It is not impulse or
even instinct of an ego-centric person. A wise has transcended ego; therefore,
his impulse etc. comes from (at) a different level.)
dhIrO na dvEshTi
saMsAramAtmAnaM na didRkshati |
harshAmarshavinirmuktO na
mRtO na ca jIvati || 18 : 83 || 259 ||
‘A wise (dhIra) person does
not have hatred (dvEsha) towards the World; he does not have any desire even to
perceive the Self (AtmA). Being free from happiness and sorrow, he is neither
dead nor alive.’
dhIrO na dvEshTi saMsAram –
It is understandable, that a wise does not perceive the World; he does not have
ambition for that (to perceive the World). He neither has any hatred towards
the World. But, then, what kind of hatred can there be, towards the World,
which he does not perceive? This needs understanding.
Suppose, a rope is lying on
your way; in the darkness, you assumed it to be a snake; you became afraid and
ran away. Then, if someone brings a lamp, and you see the rope, there would be
no more fright. Even after that, would one be afraid of going near that rope?
Would he caution others also? No, the matter ended there. But, your so called
Mahatmas are trying to make people beware of the World (sansAr), because it
(World) is an illusion (mAyA). This is foolishness. If the World is an
illusion, why should one avoid it? Maya means ‘that which does not exist’ –
similar to the snake perceived in a rope. Then, what kind of avoidance of it?
They (Mahatmas) keep shouting that ‘it is a rope, and not a snake’; but, they
also ask people to run away from it (World). Beware of woman and gold (kAmini –
kAncan)! See this distortion (vikRti), inconsistency (asangati)! On the one
hand, they shout that the World (sansAr) is unreal (asatya), and, on the other,
exhort people to leave (avoid) it, to renounce it, to become free from it. How
can anyone become free from that which is unreal? There is no method for that. The
moment one comes to know that the World is unreal, he has already become free.
Therefore, a wise (jnAnI)
would ask people to look at the World, carefully; in that very process of
looking carefully, one becomes free. There is no question of a wise hating the
World - dhIrO na dvEshTi saMsAram. A wise person (jnAnI dhIra purusha) has no
hatred towards the World, because, the World does not ‘exist’. For hatred, at
least it (the object) should exist. Then, that which is hated, might also be an
object of liking (rAga). Hatred is another facet (reverse side) (pahlU) of
liking. If one has enmity with someone, (someday) there could also be
friendship with him; the reverse of it is also likely. (Niccolo) Machiavelli
(15th century philosopher), in his book ‘The Prince’, has advised
royalty. One of the advices is – ‘do not tell your friends, that which you
would not tell even to your enemies’. It is so because, one, with whom there is
friendship, today, could also become an enemy someday. He has also advised –
‘do not tell any such thing, about (against) your enemy, which could become
obstacle for him to become friendly with you.’ What Machiavelli has said, is
true. Today’s friendship could become enmity tomorrow, because hatred is the
upside down (SIrshAsan) aspect of friendship.
But, a wise, has neither
liking nor hatred. A wise is one, who has attained wisdom (bOdha), who has
become awakened, who has experienced in (with) his supreme intelligence
(consciousness) (caitanya), that there is nothing here to like or hate. It
(like and hate) is like playing (ulajh) with shadows (chAyA); it is like embracing
shadows. There can be neither friendship nor enmity (with anyone here). The
hand (of friendship) which you seem to hold, is just your imagination
(kalpanA). All these wealth and possessions accumulated by you are nothing but
your notions (khayAl). The moment you realise, that these are your notions only,
you have become free - dhIrO na dvEshTi saMsAram.
Not only this, but Ashtavakra
says something more wonderful – dhIrO na dvEshTi saMsAram AtmAnaM na didRkshati
| - a wise, not only has no hatred towards the World, but he does not have any
desire to see (behold) (didRksha) even his Self (AtmA). This is much deeper.
When one has realised that the World is useless (futile) (vyartha), meaningless
(sArthak nahIn), just an apparition (appearance) (bhAsa) – like snake in a rope,
just a mirage (mRga-marIcikA), aggregate of notions (beliefs) (khayAl),
collection of dreams, then, all his desires (temptations) (impressions)
(vAsanA) have become useless, because, there is no value (purpose) (mUlya) in
having ambition to attain that which does not exist. The desire to achieve a
status (position) has meaning only till there is value for prestige in (of) the
World. There is fun in gathering egotism only till it is worth doing so. But,
when it has been realised that everything is just deception (dhOkhA), just
false (jhUTh), then everything becomes futile. It (desire) gets uprooted. Thus
far, it is understandable.
But, Ashtavakra says – ‘when
one understands that the World is useless, that all the things perceived are
just a dream, (then) the need for attaining Self, and the quest thereof, also comes to end. The
day ‘getting’ (acquiring) (pAnA) comes to end, one has attained the Self. This
is a bit complicated, subtle. But, if pondered (khayAl), it can be understood. If
the World is, hundred percent, object of your perception, then, ‘you’ are zero
(SUnya) percentage. The World seems real, to the same extent (amount) (mAtrA)
to (by) which the Self seems oblivious (vismaraNa); it is mathematical
(gaNita). When the World is ninety percent real, then the Self is only ten
percent real (Self is ninety percent oblivious). If the World is fifty percent
real, then the Self is also fifty percent real. The extent by which your energy
is freed, from being employed in the World, (it - energy) gets deployed towards
your Self, and you start becoming Self-conscious (AtmavAn). When temptations
(desires) (vAsanA) begin to deplete, the Self begins to become pronounced
(prabal). When the sex-desire (kAma) is gone (vanquished) (hArA), Ram starts
winning. One such moment comes when the World becomes ninety-nine percent
useless; that very moment, you have won the Self ninety-nine percent. When the
World seems totally (hundred percent) useless, that day you become complete
master of Self – you have become Jina (term of Jainism for ‘winner’); you have
won yourself.
One does not become Jain
(adherent of Jainism) just by believing Mahavir. He becomes Jain only when the
World becomes totally (hundred percent) void (SUnya), and (his) Self becomes
(hundred percent) Absolute (pUrNa). It is not about believing or disbelieving
any scripture (SAstra); it is not about adhering to anyone or not. It is an
inner mathematics. One employs his energy in the World, considering the World
to be real; when the World becomes false (jhUTh), that energy is no longer
employed in the World, but gets established (firmed up) in the Self. Being so
established in the Self, is indeed, becoming Self-conscious (AtmavAn). When one
realises that the World is just nothing (not worth anything), then it (World)
is not worthy of even hatred – leave alone desiring.
Two types of people are seen
in the World – one - called ‘Worldly person’ (sansArI), who is attached (rAga)
to the World; two – called a recluse (virAg), who hates the World. But, both of
them are bound by same (World); both believe that the World is very mighty. One
who is attached to the World says, that he cannot be happy, without it (World).
But a recluse says, that he cannot be happy in the World. But, happiness of
both is dependent on it (World). One’s happiness is in conquering the World;
the other’s happiness is in abandoning the World; but happiness of both are
dependent on the World.
But a wise (jnAnI) is neither
an enjoyer (bhOgI), nor a renouncer (tyAgI) – neither attached nor detached.
The condition of a wise is that of dispassion (vItarAga). There is nothing in
the World either to get attached or detached, either to hold or leave. When it
happens thus, he becomes Self-conscious. For one who has become Self-conscious,
there is no question of seeing (beholding) Self. How is it ever possible to
‘see’ the Self!
The word – beholding Self
(Atma-darSana) is not right, because whatever we see, that is something other
than us; we can see only the ‘other’ (para); one can see another. How is it
ever possible to see one-Self? Have you ever pondered over this? In (the act
of) seeing (perceiving) there are two present – one who sees (seer), and that
which is seen (object). The Self is the seer (drashTA). Therefore, Self can
never be an object (of perception). Everything seen – object (dRSya) – is the
World.
Therefore, when someone comes
to me and tells that his Kundalini has awakened, I tell him to keep seeing
(watching), and not to get involved (entangled) (ulajh) too much in it.
Whatever is seen (dRSya), that is (part of) the World (sansAr). When someone
says that he perceives illumination (rOSanI) in his inside, I tell him to keep
seeing (watching). Keep in mind that seer should not get too much entangled in
illumination. Darkness drowns you, but even illumination can drown you.
Darkness is dangerous, but even illumination could be equally dangerous. One
should hold on to the formula (Sutra) that he is the seer; the seer should not
get entangled in the seen (object). Otherwise, mind being a very huge trap
(jAl), it would initially show (entice with) the external (outside) objects
(dRSya) – ‘look, Delhi is there!’ When you get rid of it (objects), it (mind) will
show internal objects – ‘Kundalini is awakening; look, what kind of energy is
arising! What kind of bliss it is! What an illumination in the head! etc’. Now,
it (mind) is nurturing a fresh ‘Delhi’. Therefore, you keep in mind that you
are the seer; you are not that which is seen; you are not that which is
experienced; you are the witness standing beyond (behind) all experiences.
Therefore, I would like to tell you one thing – no experience is spiritual
(religious) (righteous) (dhArmik); all experiences are Worldly. Experience is
purely Worldly; one who experiences is spiritual (religious) (righteous)
(dhArmik). Therefore, you should reach that stage, wherein you are rid of all
experiences - no experience should be left out. You should get established (be
splendid) in the void (SUnya), where there is no experience. Even if one
‘experiences’ the void, then experience is still left out, and the mind still
remains. When even void is not experienced, when there is no experience at all,
when experiences vanish like a line of smoke, when you remain as ‘pure
consciousness’ (caitanya mAtra), ‘pure awareness’ (cinmAtra), ‘pure wisdom’
(bOdha), then Buddha-hood has fructified. Him Ashtavakra calls ‘wise person’
(dhIra purusha). (Translator’s note – the real meaning of the word ‘dhArmik’,
in the present context is not understood. In my opinion, here, it should mean
‘spiritual’ and not ‘religious, as experiences belong to individual.)
harshAmarshavinirmuktO – Such
a person is free of happiness and sorrow. There is nothing to lose or gain;
nothing seen or unseen; neither World, nor liberation; nothing to achieve
outside or inside; neither there is quest (khOj) of World, nor that of Self.
All quests have come to end; then, neither there is happiness nor sorrow. In
such a condition, something unique happens - na mRtO na ca jIvati – neither he
is dead nor alive. Understand this Sutra well. A wise person is dead, in one
sense – in the sense you are alive; but he is not alive like you. What is the
meaning of your life? It is hustle-bustle, wealth, position, prestige, ambition.
Your life is nothing but a feverish (jvar-grasth) insanity (vikshipta); he
(wise) is not alive in this sense. For him (wise), there is no fever, no
ambition, no race, no hustle-bustle; he is dead in this sense. He is alive in
the sense in which you are not alive. He is, in fact (truly) (vastutaH) alive.
Your being alive is false; you are bound to die; all this hustle-bustle,
ambition, would be shattered by colliding with death. A wise has reached such a
stage (level) (tal) where death does not happen; at that level, death is
unreal; it does not happen. A wise has attained immortality (amRta). Therefore,
a wise is alive in one sense, and dead in another sense. He can be called
neither alive nor dead, because, whatever we say would be wrong. He is beyond
life and death. na mRtO na ca jIvati – neither dead nor alive. His condition is
very unique. In order to express it (the condition of wise), one has to resort
to contradictions (paradoxes). Jain Fakirs say – when a wise crosses the river,
water touches his feet, but his (wise’s) feet does not touch the water’. This
is very puzzling (senseless) (bEbUjh). When water touches his feet, how his
feet does not touch water? It is bound to touch. Yet, they are right; this is
paradoxical. It is said so, because, a wise, even while ‘being’ in the World
(sansAr), he is not part of the World. Even though he breathes like us, he does
not breathe like us; even though he takes food like us, he is not taking food
like us. A wise, even while taking food, he is fasting. But, even when you are
fasting, you are taking food. You would understand this, when you had ever undertaken
fasting. Try fasting for a whole day; you would find that your hanker for food
is more, then. Normally, you might hanker for food twice or thrice a day; but,
when you are fasting, you would be hankering the whole day. During ‘paryUshaNa’
(annual holy season for Jains), Jains undertake fasting; they sit in the
temple; they avoid going home, because, there (at home), feeling of hunger
arises; therefore, they keep sitting in the temple, being engaged in chanting
and singing, listening to discourses. But, when the season (paryUshaNa) is over,
there is a jump in the sales of food items in the market, because of pent up
hunger and consequent desire for variety of food items – as if to compensate
for the fasting period. (Translator’s note – Acharya has given a vivid
description of the happenings during the fasting period, and afterwards. This
has been condensed to avoid repetition.) Therefore, even when one is fasting,
he is eating food – mentally (bauddhik rUp). Therefore, there can be an
opposite condition also – that when one is eating food, he is indeed fasting.
This opposite condition is called ‘dispassion’ (vItarAga). That is a unique
condition. In that (condition), when he wades through water, while water might
be touching his feet, his feet would not touch water.
A wise (jnAni) is both dead
and alive or he is neither alive nor dead. It is difficult to place a wise within
any limit (kOTI). All the limits belong to the World; a wise is beyond all
limitations. He is neither dead nor alive.
niHsnEhaH putradArAdau
nishkAmO vishayEshu ca |
niScintaH svaSarIrE(a)pi
nirASaH SObhatE budhaH || 18 : 84 || 260 ||
‘A wise person (buddha
purusha) shines (SObhatE), having no fondness (affection) (snEha-rahita)
towards wife, children etc., having no desires (kAma-rahita) for sense objects
(vishaya), and not caring (worrying) (niScinta) even about his own body
(SarIra).’
This is a very important
Sutra. The way this Sutra has been interpreted (vyAkhyA) so far, is not
correct; even its Hindi translation is not very right. Therefore, it should be
understood carefully. niHsnEhaH putradArAdau nishkAmO vishayEshu ca | - ‘...no
fondness towards wife, children etc......’ this is how commentators (TikAkAr)
derive meaning – that a wise person does not have fondness (affection) (snEha).
This is wrong. Only a wise has (real) fondness (affection); the kind of
fondness an ignorant has, is worth nothing. This Sutra means that, a wise has
fondness, not because they belong to him – my son, my wife etc. Also, it is not
that, he does not have fondness, because they do not belong to him. Understand the difference. When you say ‘I
love my mother’, you love her, because she is your mother. There is a ‘because’
in your love. I love ‘because’ she is my wife, my son. You love your son so
much, you exert yourself for his sake, because you expect that he would become
successful, famous in life. Suppose, today, while searching some old
correspondence, you come across a letter, which states that your son is not
really your son, and that he was born to your wife, through someone else. That
very moment, your love towards your son gets shattered; it just vaporises like
camphor. In fact, you start hating him, to the extent that, you wish him dead.
Now, you have no love towards your son. Therefore, your love is conditional –
love if one belongs to you, and no love if that person does not belong to you.
This love is not towards your son – but with your ego. These are all
declarations (ghOshNA) of your ego. Your son looked handsome, because he was
‘your’ son; now, he looks ugly, because he is not your son; then you start finding
all sorts evil in him.
Sufi Fakir Bayazid (Bastami)
(9th Century) has written (a story). A wood cutter was cutting wood.
He left the job and went inside his house for some time. When he came back, he
did not find his axe. He thought that his axe has been stolen. He saw a
neighbour’s son going. He thought that the boy had stolen his axe. But he could
not complain against the boy, because he had not actually seen him stealing the
axe. That whole day, he was watching that boy; he could notice that the boy was
mischievous and a crook. On the third day, he found his axe, buried under the
wood he had cut. After that, he did not find any mischief or crookedness in
that boy; he regretted his earlier opinion about the boy. That day, that boy
looked normal, good. You also might have had such experiences. All your
feelings (bhAvanA) are self-imposed (ArOpit) – ‘my son’, ‘my wife’ etc. It
(feelings) has nothing to do with son or wife; it is just the proliferation
(phailAv) of your ego. ‘My’ means, proliferation of ‘me’.
Therefore, it is wrong to say
that he (wise) does not have fondness (love) towards his son and wife. I am
saying this from my experience; I do not have to seek support (authority) of
any scripture; this is my conviction (pratIti). Love arises (happens) only
through knowledge (jnAna); obviously, there is no real love before knowledge.
Love is the light (illumination) of knowledge. When the flower of knowledge
blossoms, there is the fragrance of love and it spreads. Before that, whatever
you consider as love, is not love – it is just a disease of your ego; it is the
foul smell of your ego. But, because of our old habits, it (foul smell) seems
like fragrance.
A fisherwoman used to come to
town, to sell fish. One day, when returning home, she met an old acquaintance;
they were childhood friends. That woman asked her (fisherwoman) to stay at her
home overnight. That woman was a gardener (mAlin); she had a beautiful garden. On
that night, when the fisherwoman went to sleep, the gardener kept a lot of
flowers, near her bed, so that she could sleep enjoying the smell of flowers.
But, that night, the fisherwoman could not sleep well. The gardener asked her
as to why she is not sleeping. She (fisherwoman) replied – ‘please remove the flowers
from here. Give me my fish-basket; just sprinkle some water in the basket, and
keep the basket near me.’ A fisherwoman finds sleeping difficult, unless there
is the smell of fish around; fragrance of flowers disturbs her; it was her old
habit. Insects (worms) living in the drain, are not aware of foul smell therein;
otherwise, they would have gone away. No one stops them.
What you call ‘love’ is not
love at all; that is the foul smell of your ego. In a wise, such a foul smell
of ego, goes away. There is no love left in what you call love, because, you do
not have love – only ‘me’ and ‘you’. This ‘me’ and ‘you’ are the source of
discord (kalaha), and you call it love. As a result of such love, people
strangle each other; it (that love) is a kind of noose; one who has got into
it, would regret it. A wise, is replete with knowledge; similarly, he is
replete with total love. His love is not bound with ‘my’ – it is unconditional;
it does not bind anyone. There is no address on the love of a wise; that (love)
is his state (condition) (avasthA); it is not an association (sambandha).
niHsnEhaH putradArAdau
nishkAmO vishayEshu ca | - That is why, I interpret this (Sutra) thus – a wise
(jnAnI) is one who has become free of ‘me’ and ‘you’ kind of love, and attained
(reached) that Love, which Jesus called ‘God’ (paramAtmA) - God is Love. Buddha
called it ‘compassion’ (karuNA) – that is Buddha’s word for Love; Mahavir
called it ‘non-violence’ (ahimsA) – that is Mahavir’s word for Love.
Our love is violent
(violence) (himsA). Have you observed – you perpetrate violence on those whom
you love; you erect wall all around them? If you fall in love with any woman,
you have erected a wall around her; you have shackled her on all sides; you
have caged her, by plucking her wings. If you are indeed in love with that
woman, you would have given her freedom, and not bind her; you would have
allowed her to roam free in the sky, and not put her in a cage. This kind of
love is very dangerous. Suppose, she is smiling or speaking lovingly with
anyone, you feel heart-broken; you might kill her. What a love! If your loved
one is happy, you should feel happy. All these talk of love is just non-sense.
Inwards, you feel lordship - possessiveness - over her. It is said – woman is
wealth. Woman is just wealth; you are possessive of it (her); she is yours.
(Translator’s note – Acharya has described the possessiveness vividly; it has
been condensed to avoid repetition.).
While man calls himself
‘Lord’ (svAmI), woman calls herself ‘maid servant’ (bonded woman) (dAsI).
However, no woman really feels herself to be so – as maid servant (bonded
woman). It is just a way of speaking. She establishes (shows) her ladyship
(mAlkiat) through some other hidden method. Your love is worth nothing; it is
born of thousands and thousands of flames (lapaT) of jealousy (IrshyA). One who
falls in(to) your love, regrets and just gets killed. The love of a wise is not
of this kind; it is true (real) (love). Because of absence of such negative
aspects, an unprecedented kind of love is born; it can be understood only by
one who has risen a little above the ground. If your definition of love is very
petty, then, it would not be possible to understand the love of Buddha and
Mahavir. That is why, Buddha had to search out for a new word – compassion
(karuNA) instead of love (prEm). He knew that if he calls it ‘love’, (ordinary)
people would understand it to be the kind of love which they exhibit (practise).
Mahavir had to search out for more prohibitive (nishEdhAtmak) word –
non-violence (ahimsA). your love is violent; that is why Mahavir had to define
his love as ‘non-violence’. Your love kills – it is not life-giving (reviving)
(jilA); it decimates, shatters, demolishes (vidhvamsa).
In this country, it is said
that one has wasted his life, if he has no son. But the love of a mother or
father is of constricting nature. They do not allow him freedom. In
anticipation that he would upkeep your (family) name, he is squeezed on all
sides. This is nothing but expansion of one’s ego. That is why Mahavir called
his love as ‘non-violence’. Real love cannot cause violence; it is never
prohibitive or negative; it gives total freedom. Buddha called it (love) as
‘compassion’. If one has love towards another, it will be full of compassion;
it will be supportive; it will give freedom of choice – free-will (svacchanda);
one’s ambitions are not imposed on that person. Even if the person loved goes
away or goes against – if it is so destined – there will be full freedom.
(Translator’s note – Acharya has explained the nature of love of ordinary
people, in a very elaborate manner. This has been condensed in order to avoid
repetition.) niHsnEhaH putradArAdau nishkAmO vishayEshu ca | - He (wise) has no
interest (desire) in the sense objects (vishaya).
niScintaH svaSarIrE(a)pi
nirASaH SObhatE budhaH | - This is very valuable. A wise person is sure in
regard to his body, because, the body is bound to die, one day or other; death
is ordained. From the day of birth, it has started dying. Therefore, why worry?
One thing is sure about this life – death. Therefore, it is futile to worry
about it. Till this day, no one has escaped death. Birth and death are two
aspects (sides) of the same energy. Therefore, a wise person is not concerned
about death. On the other hand, you always remain worried about death. You
think that death happens only to others, and not to you. You always see the
procession of bier (arthI) of others; obviously, you will not be there to see your
own procession. Many were the bodies which you lived and discarded. Birth
happens in a state of oblivion, so also death. But, you have not been able to
grasp the secret of life. (Translator’s note – Acharya has explained life and
death very elaborately; this has been condensed, in order to avoid repetition.)
Therefore, a wise person, having known the reality, remains assured of death.
In Bihar, people gather
mushrooms (kukurmuttA), dry them, and eat them during rainy season. Some of the
mushrooms are bitter, and they are poisonous. Buddha went to the house of a
poor man, on his invitation. When Buddha reached there, that poor man did not
have even vegetables to prepare food. Therefore, he prepared food with mushrooms,
and offered to Buddha. But the mushroom he offered to Buddha was poisonous
kind. While eating it, Buddha came to know that it is poisonous, because it was
bitter. But Buddha saw that person sitting in front of him, fanning
emotionally. He (poor man) never imagined that Buddha would come to his home, accepting
his invitation. Therefore, Buddha did not tell him about the mushroom; he ate
it. Buddha was fearing that the poor man might eat the left over mushrooms and
come to trouble. Therefore, Buddha said to him – ‘I have been guest of even
emperors; but I have not had such a tasty food. Bring more.’ Thus, Buddha ate
the entire food; nothing was left for the poor man. On returning to his
hermitage, Buddha fell ill; the poison was spreading in his body. Buddha called
his physician Jivak and told him – ‘it seems that my time has come; I may not
be able to survive this poison.’ Jivak chided Buddha – ‘what kind of insanity
is this? Having known that the food is poisonous, why did you consume it?’
Buddha said – ‘death is bound to happen, one day or other. Therefore, what
difference does it make? I could have avoided this; but that poor man would
have felt bad. That is why I consumed the entire food. At the time of death,
Buddha told his disciples to make announcement in the village that the poor man,
who gave last meal to Buddha, is a blessed one (dhanyabhAgI). Buddha said –
‘two people are blessed – one is my mother, who gave me her breast milk, at the
time of my birth, and the other is this poor man, who served me the last meal.’
His disciples asked him as to why he is saying so. Buddha said – ‘because,
otherwise, if people come to know that he (poor man) served poisonous food to
me, they would kill him. Therefore, go and make the announcement that he is the
blessed one, who gave last meal to me.’ Such a Love and such a surety about
death!
niScintaH svaSarIrE(a)pi
nirASaH SObhatE budhaH | - Ashtavakra
makes another unique statement. nirASaH SObhatE budhaH | - A wise person
(buddha purusha) looks lustrous (graceful) (SObhAyamAna) even though he is
ambitionless (nirASA). You are replete with ambitions; yet, you do not look
lustrous. Your eyes are full of hopes (ambitions); your mind is replete with
wishes (kAmnA); you have beautiful dreams about future. Yet, you do not look
lustrous. Even your wishes (ambitions) do not seem to make your eyes sparkle;
(on the contrary,) your wishes seems to make you sick. A wise person means, one
who has become totally ambitionless; he has understood – without even an iota
of doubt - that, in this World (Universe) (jagat), no ambition can ever be
fulfilled. In spite of his total ambitionlessness, he looks splendid – like (an
emperor) seated in a throne. His lustre (SObhA) is wonderful. In this
ambitionless state, his life flower blossoms. When there is nothing to achieve
outside, all the energies get concentrated inside, and he remains established
in himself (svastha). This state is indeed the real throne – Supreme State
(parama pada) - nirASaH SObhatE budhaH |
Poem of Acharya –
तुम्हारे रूप के
अनुरूप संज्ञाएं चयन कर लूं
तुम्हारी ज्योति—किरणें
देखने लायक नयन कर लूं
The Supreme State is near; it
is not even correct to say so, because, even ‘near’ seems ‘far’. The Supreme
Truth (parama satya) is splendid (established) inside. We just need ‘eyes’.
अभी अच्छी तरह आंखर
अढ़ाई पढ़ नहीं पाया
प्रेम की व्याकरण
का और गहरा अध्ययन कर लूं
What you call ‘love’ (prEm),
is not love at all. You have not, yet, been able to read, even the spelling of
the word ‘love’. You are reading something for something else. (Translator’s
note – the Hindi word ‘prEm’ contains two and half letters – Kabir Doha – DhAyI
Akhar prEm kA paDhE sO paNDit hOy – one becomes a scholar if only he can read
(understand) the two and a half letter word ‘prEm’.) Mulla Nasruddin was once
travelling by train. Though he was illiterate, just for show, he purchased a
newspaper – like other passengers; but, he was ‘reading’ it upside down. A
co-passenger told him – ‘Sir, your secret is out in the open. If you do not
know how to read and write, it is alright. Why are you keeping (reading) the
paper upside down?’ Mulla replied – ‘you would not understand. It is common for
people to read normally; nothing special about it. But, I know to how read it
upside down.’ Man wants to secure his ego, from all angles, and , if necessary,
sometimes, even by applying crooked means. Your ‘so called’ scholars tell you
to leave off ‘love’, because it is sin. But, I say – ‘whatever you have
understood by ‘love’, is not love at all. You are reading the newspaper upside
down. You have not read even the spelling of the word ‘love’ (prEm).
निकल पाया नहीं बाहर
अहम् के इस अहाते सेt
जरा ये बांह धरती
और ये आंखें गगन कर लूं
You are still dwelling inside
your ego only. It is, as if a bird, still inside the egg (not yet hatched), thinking
that it has reached the sky. You are still within the bounds of the egg-shell
of ego; it is not the sky of love, yet. Break open this egg, and get out. This
ego is binding you; it (ego) will not allow you to become free. When your eyes
would become as wide as the sky (gagan), then, you would have the capability of
seeing that which is hidden inside you. Inner-vision (antar-dRshTi) is attained
only when ego is rid. When there are no clouds of ego on your eyes, then the blue-sky
of inner-vision is attained.
tushTiH sarvatra dhIrasya
yathApatitavartinaH |
svacchandaM caratO
dESAnyatrAstamitaSAyinaH || 18 : 85 || 261 ||
‘A wise person (dhIra
purusha) carries on his livelihood (jIvikA) on ‘as obtained’ (yathA prApta)
basis; he keeps wandering about (vicaraNa) the countries (dESa), as he wishes
(svacchandatA); he makes bed (Sayan) wherever the Sun sets; thus, he remains
contented (santushTha) everywhere (sarvatra)’.
This Sutra is a little complicated
(uljhA), because it (Sutra) is symbolical (pratikAtmaka). Whatever explanation,
have thus far been given to it, is only at word level (SAbdik). The word
meaning is clear. First, let us understand the word meaning; then, we shall get
into the symbolic explanation (meaning). The word meaning is not problematic. yathApatitavartinaH
– one who carries on his livelihood on ‘as obtained’ basis; this is the old
(ancient) definition of an ascetic (sanyAsi), a wandering monk (parivrAjak), who
remains contented with whatever is obtained, wherever obtained, and howsoever
obtained - .. carrying on his livelihood (jIvikA) on ‘as obtained’ (yathA
prApta) basis, and wandering about (vicaraNa) the countries (dESa), as he
wishes (svacchandatA)... He does not stay (stop) anywhere; he keeps wandering
from place to place; he does not become stagnant, but always keeps moving
(flowing) like a river (saritA). .... he keeps wandering about (vicaraNa) the
countries (dESa), as he wishes (svacchandatA); he makes bed (Sayan) wherever
the Sun sets.... He does not make any decision about his night stay – even this
much of planning is not there. He halts wherever the Sun has set. He does not
have plans for future, whatsoever. ..... he makes bed (Sayan) wherever the Sun
sets; thus, he remains contented (santushTha) everywhere (sarvatra)... This is
the word meaning. I do not agree with this definition (meaning), because, not
only that it does not end here, but it goes against whatever Ashtavakra has
said (so far). Ashtavakra is not against the World (sansAr). He does not say
that one should become a wandering monk – keep wandering from place to place - by
leaving off everything. An intelligent person (buddhimAn) would not say so,
because, if everyone starts wandering from place to place, nothing would be
called ‘as obtained’. There would be no one from whom things can be obtained.
Your ascetics (monks)
(sanyAsi) are dependent on householders (gRhastha). Therefore, he (monk) cannot
be above the person, on whom he is dependent. Keeps this in mind – you would
remain below that person, on whom you are dependent. Therefore, though (Jain)
listeners (SrAvak) touch the feet of saints (sAdhu), at a deeper level, a saint
is bound to the (Jain) listeners; he (saint) is not free; he conducts himself
as demanded by (Jain) listeners. Therefore, the ‘so called’ freedom of a saint
is false – untrue. The real master is the (Jain) listener, from whom the saint
gets his food; therefore, he (saint) becomes bound. However, if there are a few
thousands or even a few lakhs of saints in a country of crores of people, it is
alright. But, what would happen if crores of people become monks (saints)?
In Thailand, among a
population of four crores, there are about twenty lakh monks (bhikshu). Twenty
lakhs monks, among a population of four crores! It had become a problem to
sustain them; the country was poor, and the population was growing. Therefore
Government of Thailand had to make a law that they (monks) should undertake
labour. But, it became difficult for the monks, because, it was against the
scriptures – to go for ploughing. Let me remind you, that this is going to
happen throughout the World. It will happen in our country also. Therefore, I
have undertaken a new kind of initiative (sUtrapAt) for asceticism, which is
not dependent on anyone. It will not be an asceticism of a beggar (bhikhArI).
Wherever you are – in the home, howsoever you are – you become renunciate
(ascetic) (monk) (santyasta). Your asceticism cannot be snatched away by any
Government. Old (kind of) asceticism is gone; its days are over; it cannot
survive any longer, because old kind of monk (monkhood), now, seems to be
exploitative (SOshak); they seem to live on others’ labour. It is necessary
that they (monks) undertake labour. It does not seem appropriate for others to
exert, so that he (monk) may undertake meditative practices; it seems to be
dishonesty. Because of the easy life, many crooks have become monks;
ninety-nine out of a hundred, are dishonest monks; those who were not capable
of anything, have become monks. (Translator’s note – Acharya has described
vividly the exploitative nature of monkhood. This has been condensed to avoid
repetition.) Therefore, a new kind of monkhood, is very necessary – monks who
will be within the World (sansAr), and yet out of the World. Such monks are
needed who are alive, and yet dead, who walk through water, and yet, their feet
do not touch water, who is inside the World, and yet out of the World. Only
such monkhood can survive.
Therefore, I cannot derive
meaning for the Sutra, that Ashtavakra is in favour of renunciation (tyAga) of
World. Ashtavakra is not in favour of renunciation of World; one needs the
wisdom (bOdha) of the World. Ashtavakra is in favour of knowledge – not for
renunciation of action (karma-tyAga). tushTiH sarvatra dhIrasya
yathApatitavartinaH | - My interpretation is that – ‘he is contented with
whatever is obtained’. He is happy with whatever has been made available by
paramAtmA; he does not at all wish for anything more; he feels blessed
(dhanyabhAgI) for what he got; he feels gratitude. I call such people as ‘yathA
prApta santushTa’.
svacchandaM caratO
dESAnyatrAstamitaSAyinaH | - .... who wanders about (vicaraNa) the countries
(dESa), as he wishes (svacchandatA).. I am not talking about foreign countries;
Ashtavakra also does not mean it. We are not studying any geography; our study
is about spirituality (adhyAtma). It is not about going from one country to
another. It is about the inner space; it is about experiencing the entire inner
space (antar-AkASa). You are not trivial inside – there is a huge cosmos
(massive) (virAT) inside, while the Earth is very small. Inside, you are as
huge as Universe (viSva). There is huge space inside, as is outside. Both
inside and outside (space) is balanced (santulit) – they are equal; their ratio
(anupAt) is same. You have to enter into this inner space; these inner
countries are to be traversed. Inside, there is hell, heaven, and liberation
(mOksha). Inside, there is the country of anger, hatred, love, compassion,
infatuation, greed, renunciation, detachment (vairAgya), dispassion (vItarAga).
There is a huge geography – inner geography. Here, one is to travel as he
wishes (svacchanda), so that one could become familiar with it, entirely. That
is why, I say that it means ‘one who traverses inner countries, as he wishes’.
In the West, the word ‘space’
is being given the same meaning as I define ‘inner space’ (antar-dESa). People
come to me, saying – ‘we have found such a space inside, where there is great
peace (SAnti) or great suffering (dukh) or great dejection (udAsI).’ As the
word ‘space’ is being understood now, in the West, in the same way, the word
‘inner space’ (antar-dESa) was used in this country also. This is a word of
spirituality (AdhyAtmik). There (in the inner space) one should be free-willed
(svacchandatA), because, if one moves about, there, in a bound manner
(bandhE-bandhE), one may not be able to become familiar with internal life (antar-jIvan).
Everything is required to be known; anger is to be known (understood) in order
to become free of it. One is able to get rid of that, which he has to come to
know (understand). There is hell, heaven etc.; by knowing each one of them, one
goes beyond all these; he becomes one, who is beyond the World (lOkAtIta) –
that indeed is ‘dispassion’ (vItarAga); that is a wise person (dhIra purusha);
he is of firm intellect (sthira-dhI); you may call him ‘one who has attained
Buddhahood, a Jina (Jain Theerthankara) – whatever name one may give. svacchandaM
caratO – who traverses in his inner space as he wishes. dESAnyatrAstamitaSAyinaH
| - and who makes bed, wherever he sees the Sun set. Then, what is the meaning
of Sun set, inside? What is the meaning of making bed there? Understand this.
As there is day and night externally, there is day and night, internally also.
As the Sun rises and sets externally, wisdom also arises and sets internally.
We can understand this division in two ways. One is the Self (Atma) – the
witness (sAkshI), and the other, the body. Mind is the one which unites both
these. The Self (Atma) is just effulgence (prakASa), light, wisdom, Sun; the
body is darkness, inert (tamas), New moon (amAvAs). On the one side, there is
the body, which is death (mRtyu); on the other side is the Self – immortality
(amRta). Both are joined (united) by the mind. Therefore, the mind is
influenced (prabhAvit) by each half – half is influenced by the body, and the
other half is influenced by the Self. Therefore, in the half portion of mind,
there is day; in the other half, there is night. A wise person (jnAnI) comes up
to that point – up to that part of mind, where there is day - effulgence.
Wherever illumination ends (sets), he stops there; he rests (Sayan) there; he
does not go beyond that point. He does not enter into that portion which is
dark – he does not traverse there; he stops there. On the other hand, an
ignorant (ajnAnI) keeps moving only in darkness. He does not know that ‘Sun’
rises, inside also. An ignorant knows about external light, and also external
darkness. He is not familiar with internal light and darkness. This is one kind
of division.
Another kind of division is
that of seven circles (cakra) of the body. Three circles are below, and three
above; one circle is in the middle which unites (joins) both these (below and
above). The uniting circle is called ‘anAhata’ (unstuck) – the heart circle.
(Translator’s note – the word ‘cakra’ is translated as ‘mystical circular
diagram’. Here, it has been translated simply as ‘circle’.) The World is constituted
(nirmit) of three lower circles; liberation (mukti) is constituted of the three
upper circles. In between, is the heart circle, which joins them both.
The heart is associated with
bottom three circles also. Therefore, a person living in the bottom three
circles also loves; but his love is suppressed by baseness (nimnatA). The
person living in the upper circles also loves; but his love is as vast as the
sky – uninhibited (unmukta). Wise and ignorant, both are participants –
partners (bhAgIdAr) – in love, because both are partners in the heart. Half of
the heart is full of darkness; you may call it ‘lust’ (kAma) or temptations
(impressions) (vAsanA) or violence (hiMsA). The other half of the heart is
replete with prayer (prArthanA) – you may call it veneration (upAsanA) or
worship (pUjA) or propitiation (ArAdhanA) or adoration (arcanA) – by whatever
name you call it.
A wise (jnAnI) comes up to
the half of the dot (central point) (bindu) where there is illumination; there
he rests; he does not proceed beyond. An ignorant, proceeds only in darkness;
wherever the moment of illumination comes, he goes to sleep there. A wise does
not enter, where darkness begins, and, an ignorant does not enter, where
illumination begins. Krishna has said in Gita – yA niSA sarva bhUtAnAM tasyAm
jAgarti samyamI’ – whatever is night for others (everyone), it is day time for
self-controlled (samyamI); whatever is day time for self-controlled, that is
night for others (everyone). Where it is day time – area of operation
(karmaThatA) - for the self-controlled, there, you (ignorant) are (is) asleep;
where you are awake, there the self-controlled is asleep. Where it is Sunrise
for you, it is Sunset for the self-controlled. Where it is Sunset for you, it
is Sunrise for self-controlled. You are divided into two halves; you have
chosen the lower level – the dark side (night) - for yourself; that is your
choice. Therefore, there is only one method of getting out of it – that you
begin to awaken slowly, that you begin (the journey) to become full of love
(prEm-pUrNa). If you begin to awaken, you might go up; alternatively, if you
become full of love, you can go up. Therefore, there are two paths - meditation
and love.
svacchandaM caratO
dESAnyatrAstamitaSAyinaH | - ...the conduct (AcaraNa) of a wise is totally free
– it is as free as the wind (air) (havA).
Poem of Acharya -
हवा हूं, हवा
में वसंती हवा हूं,
वही, हां
वही जो धरा का वसंती सुसंगीत मीठा गुजाती फिरी हूं
वही, हा
वही जो सभी प्राणियों को
पिला प्रेम— आसव
जिलाए हुए हूं?
कसम रूप की है, कसम
प्रेम की है,
कसम
इस हृदय की
सुनो बात मेरी, बड़ी
बावली हूं अनोखी हवा हूं
बड़ी मस्तमौला, नहीं
कुछ फिकर है बड़ी ही निडर हूं
जिधर चाहती हूं उधर
घूमती हूं,
मुसाफिर
अजब हूं,
न घर—बार
मेरा,
न
उद्देश्य मेरा,
न इच्छा किसी की, न
आशा किसी की,
न
प्रेमी,
न
दुश्मन
जिधर चाहती हूं उधर
घूमती हूं?
हवा हूं, हवा
में वसंती हवा हूं,
जहां से चली मैं, जहां
को गयी मैं
शहर, गांव, बस्ती, नदी, रेत, निर्जन, हरे
खेत,
पोखर
झुलाती चली मैं, झुमाती
चली मैं,
हंसी जोर से मैं, हंसी
सब दिशाएं,
हंसे
लहलहाते
हरे खेत सारे, हंसी
चमचमाती,
भरी
धूप प्यारी
वसंती हवा में, हंसी
सृष्टि सारी
हवा हूं, हवा
में वसंती हवा हूं।
A wise (jnAnI) is free-willed
(svacchanda) like wind – the spring wind. There is no procedure (rIti), no rule
(niyam), no discipline (anuSAsan). This becomes clear in the next Sutra.
patatUdEtu vA dEhO nAsya
cintA mahAtmanaH |
svabhAvabhUmiviSrAntivismRtASEshasaMsRtEH
|| 18 : 86 || 262 ||
‘Such a great soul (mahAtmA),
who reposes in the field (bhUmi) of his own (nija) nature (svabhAva), and who
has become oblivious (vismRta) of the World, has no worry whether his body
remains or not.’
‘..... who reposes in the
field (bhUmi) of his own (nija) nature (svabhAva)....’ I was just now talking
about, one who rests in his witness-hood, in his consciousness (caitanya), in
his effulgence (prakASa), who does not, at all, go against his nature
(svabhAva), who does not go out of his nature, who does not act, in any way,
other than what is his nature, who takes no unnecessary tension (tanAv) on his
head, who is normal (sahaj). ‘...... who has become oblivious (vismRta) of the
World.....’ Obviously, one who has had recollection (smaraNa) of his Self
(AtmA), would become oblivious of the World. One who is full of memory
(thoughts) (smaraNa) of the World, tends to become oblivious of his Self. No
one would be able save both – World and Self – simultaneously. If snake is seen
in a rope, till the snake is perceived, the rope could not be perceived. When
one begins to see the rope, then the snake would not be perceived. It is not
possible to perceive both – World and Self – simultaneously. Till one is busy
(involved) in the memory (thoughts) of the World, there can be no recollection
of Self. When one has recollection of Self, the thoughts of World would vanish.
‘.....he has no worry whether his body remains or not.....’ It is so, because
he (that great person – mahAtmA) knows that the (his) body is part (hissA) of
the World – it is not his part – ‘I’ am not the body.
akincanaH kAmacArO
nirdvandvaSchinnasaMSayaH |
asaktaH sarvabhAvEshu kEvalO
ramatE budhaH || 18 : 87 || 263 ||
‘A wise person (buddha
purusha), who has no possessions (akincana), who goes about as he wishes (free-willed)
(svacchanda), who does not perceive dualities (pairs of opposites) (dvandva),
who is doubtless (samSaya-rahita), who has no attachments (Asakti), and who is
alone (akElA), (he) rejoices (ramaNa) in all ways.’
‘....who has no possessions
(akincana)....’ He has come to know that ego is a false declaration (ghOshaNA)
– he has no claim (dAvA) whatsoever, that he is somebody; he has no claims at
all; he has discarded all kinds of claims; he says (realises) that he is
no-thing - like void (SUnya). ‘........who goes about as he wishes (free-willed)
(svacchanda).....’ The Sanskrit word ‘kAmacArO’ is a nice word – who has gone
beyond ‘conduct’ (AcaraNa); in his life, there is, no longer, any explanation
(definition) (interpretation) (vyAkhyA) for conduct and misconduct (anAcaraNa).
I always tell you that supreme knowledge (parama jnAna) is ‘free of conduct’
(AcaraNa-rahita) – ‘character-less’. That is the meaning of ‘kAmacArO’,
free-willed (svacchanda), free of (from) any procedure (rIti) or rule (niyam).
He lives by his nature (svabhAva), spontaneously (sphUrti). He is under no
discipline (order) (anuSAsan) – to do this or that way; he just does, that
which happens; he allows things to happen, the way it happens; he accepts
whatever is the consequence (pariNAma); he neither cherishes any thought of
escaping the consequences, nor has any obstinacy (Agraha) to avoid the
consequences, nor methods to do otherwise. (Translator’s note – Acharya seems
to translate ‘AcaraNa’ as ‘character’, maybe, in the sense of ‘trait’;
therefore, he has used ‘character-less’ for ‘AcaraNa-rahita’. This word
‘character-less’ is normally used in a negative sense. He seems to mean –
‘bereft of any specific character or trait’.)
‘A wise person (buddha
purusha).... who does not perceive dualities (pairs of opposites) (dvandva),
who is doubtless (samSaya-rahita), who has no attachments (Asakti), and who is
alone (akElA), (he) rejoices (ramaNa) in all ways.’ Then, he becomes free to
rejoice (delight) (ramaNa), in all places, inside himself. ....he delights in
all ways.... Then, all the delights are available to him. Then he gets the
passport for the entire internal-field (antaH-bhUmi); there are no obstructions
for him. He can go inside, wherever he wants; he can see whatever he wants. He
can get into the most unconscious (subconscious) (acEtana) depths (garta); he
touches the acme (climax) (ultimate peak) (UncAyI) of supreme consciousness
(parama caitanya); he becomes the master of entire ladder; the foot of ladder
rests in the hell and the topmost step rests at liberation (mOksha). He climbs
each and every step (sOpAna). He experiences the entire (field of)
consciousness, as he wishes. In this very experience, he is able to behold
(darSana) the entire cosmos (virAT).
The scriptures say that man
is lump-like (piNDa-rUpa). He is a small lump of this cosmos (brahmANDa).
Everything present in the cosmos, lies hidden inside the man. If we are able to
see inside the man, thoroughly, then the whole cosmos (virAT) has been seen. If
one understands the man, the cosmos is understood. (Translator’s note – By
piNDa – brahmANDa, Acharya might be meaning ‘microcosm and macrocosm’.) There
is a series (SRnkhalA) in this Sutra. akincana – who has no possessions. Only
he who has nothing, can be self-willed (svacchanda) – akincana – svachhanda. If
one has anything, he cannot be self-willed; he has to follow some rule; he
should be within the boundary (maryAdA). One who desires prestige (pratishThA),
regard (samAdar), merit (puNya), heaven (svarga) etc, should be within boundary.
Only he who has nothing - who is reconciled for being nothing – could be
free-willed. Only he who is empty (void) (SUnya) can be free-willed. Only he
who does not perceive dualities (pairs of opposites) (dvandva rahita), can be
free-willed; only he who is free-willed, does not perceive dualities. Duality
persists till there is division in your mind – that things should happen this
way, and not that way. If one is reconciled to the way things are happening,
there is no duality. Only he who does not perceive duality, could be doubtless
(saMSaya-rahita). When there is no duality, there are no doubts. Then there is
complete (supreme) acceptance (svIkAr) towards life; there is complete
dedication (conviction) (SraddhA). Only he who is doubtless, can be without
attachments (Asakti). When conviction (AsthA) towards life becomes total
(supreme) (parama), then one does not have attachments; one does not retain
anything for tomorrow. Only he who has no attachments (Asakti) – who has supreme
conviction (SraddhA) towards Existence (astitva) – can be alone (akElA). Only
he can experience loneliness (kEvala – EkAnta). Only he who is alone, attains
wisdom (buddhatva). This is a series – free-willed (svacchanda), having no
possessions (akincana), not perceiving dualities (dvandva rahita), not having
attachments (Asakti rahita), lonely (alone) (EkAkI), wise person (buddha
purusha). This is the order (krama); these are the steps of the ladder.
Only he (who has climbed all
the steps of the ladder) delights in every way. The aggregate (entirety)
belongs to him; entire space (AkASa) belongs to him. There is no limit for him;
there are no bounds. The limitless (asIm), the infinity (ananta), the eternity
(SASvata) all belong to him. But, before that, it is necessary that declaration
of this limitlessness is made in one’s inside.
Contemplate well on these
Sutras; not only contemplate, but also meditate. Try to get a little taste of
these, because, these are not just words to understand; there is a lot hidden
inside these (words of Sutras). Words are like ashes; if you remove the ashes,
you will find the embers (angAr). The meaning (words of the Sutras) lie in
these embers. Each one of the Sutra is so much valuable that, even if one pays,
the entire resources (sampadA) of the World, as price, it would not be enough.
These are invaluable (amUlya).
This much for today.
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