Pressure and advaita

[Giri]

On Sun, 27 Apr 1997, Gummuluru Murthy wrote:

> Is there really pressure ? Obviously, there isn't.  Then, why this
> thinking ?

        This thinking is due to deha-atma buddhi.

> My general comment is: Pressure is what you put on yourself.
> If your mind does not accept it, there is nothing at all and you are
> free. Your mind's acceptance of it or otherwise depends on your buddhi.

        Buddhi can be defined as the intellect, which discriminates
between the unreal and the real. Taking the body/mind to be real, and
perceiving itself to be separate from "others," the jeeva suffers
transitory pains and ephemeral pleasures by pressuring others to work/act
the way we would like them to act. In reality, jeeva is not an illusion
but jeeva is none other than Brahman (jivo brahmaiva na paraH says
Shankara). Only by confusing the upadhis as real, jeeva thinks it is other
than Atman.

        So long as one is not convinced that happiness lies within and is
one's true nature and happiness does not lie in objects, this up and down
states (or heat and cold, as said in BG) will last. Happiness does not lie
in objects is apparent because the same object does not produce happiness
or even the same amount of happiness in us at all times. The same toy
which the child plays with is ignored when the child grows up. After
eating lot of sweets, we don't want to eat more of that, in fact we stay
away from it. What has been satisfied ? Only the fluctation in the mind
which wanted to eat that sweet at any cost. That's why the yoga suutras are
all about suppression of the modification of the mind (YV 2).

        If happiness depends on toyota corrollas (sp ?) and dollars, then
we should all be miserable during deep sleep when we don't have anything.
A king is a not a king, a poor man is not a poor man, there is just
happiness in deep sleep. Naturally, there is no "pressure" to carry out
work in deep sleep. What is different from the deep sleep and the waking
state ? Only the thought as 'I' as an separate individual.

> This posting is the result of a discussion I am having with a friend of
> mine where I am trying to convince him of this internal enemy which is
> the "pressure which is self-generated".  Is there a good advaitic quote
> which I can give him ?

        What about BG 2.47 ? karmaNi evaa ..
'You have a right to action alone and not to its fruits. Let not the
fruits of the action determine your motive. ..'

        If we act without the motive of the fruits of the action, there
is no pressure. The key here is to act as per one's dharma and not slack off.

AUM.