Katha upanishhad verse I.2.23

[Cameron Reilly]

At 12:35 06-04-97 -0500, Ramakrishnan wrote:

>Only a jnAni can act without volition.
>Till then striving goes on and necessarily involves the will to a
>certain extent. One can try not to be attached to the fruit of one's
>action, but that again involves wilful striving, in some sense.
>
>Ramakrishnan.

With all respect, I disagree.

I do not subscribe to the concept of 'volition'. I believe the entire
belief in 'volition' or 'free will' is misunderstood. Close analysis will
reveal there to be no such thing. It's not just a Jnani that acts without
volition - it is all of us. The difference is that the Jnani realizes this
fact - the Jnani realizes he is the Self and therefore there is no-one to
'choose' (hence the fact that the Jnani is "realized").

Thoughts appear spontaneously in awareness. This thought leads to more
thought which leads eventually to action. Where does this process leave
room for choice?

Therefore it is my suggestion to you that we all (realized or not) act
without volition. Those of us, however, who are not realized, BELIEVE we
have volition. This leads to most of our struggles.

Do you agree?


Regards,



Cameron Reilly
The Robert Adamson Centre for Non-Duality/Advaita Studies
Direct Lineage of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Melbourne, Australia
Email: cjreilly at ozemail.com.au