The Karmas and our destiny

[Allan Curry]

Srinivas Sista writes:

>One point to be clarified is whether `we desire' or do
>`we become aware of the desire' after it occurs. I affirm the
>later. The same is the case even with thought. We may discuss
>this further.
>

The very same thought about thought "popped" into my mind yesterday.
It seemed impossible to be aware of the next thought before it
actually occurs because there is no difference between being aware
of a thought and actually thinking the thought. This means nobody ever
knows what thoughts will occur next, they are only aware of the
current one or possibly the next one already in the pipeline.
If the hypothetical free will does not have a choice between thoughts
what does it get to choose between?


>This occurrence of events is what I would like to call the
>strong law of destiny :-) the primal cause of all. So, whatever
>remains is awareness(of events) since all the other constructions
>are again events.  Hence the segmentation of event space into
>destiny, free-will etc is part of the event process and hence an
>object of awareness.
>

I like this very much. It reminds me of the analogy in Rg Veda about
the two birds in one tree. (one fidgeting, doing, etc. ; the other one
just watching). The true and *only* operating witness is already always
perfectly choicelessly aware. There are no appearances of any kind
independent of this witnessing awareness and there is no other awareness
but this *real* one. All conflict, confusion, choice, action, etc. are
objects which appear to occur in "event space". The Yogavasishtha says:
"The Soul imagining itself into the act, takes on the result of that act;
not imagining itself into the act, it is ever free of the result."  This
"taking on the result of the act" is bondage but it is as you say, another
merely imagined pattern in event space. In reality the witness can never
truly become the appearances witnessed, so there can be no *real* bondage
and therefore no liberation, no path to liberation, etc. Only awareness --
with or without imagined objects appearing and disappearing...

Is this more or less true according to Advaita?

- Allan Curry

P.S.

Never having read Rg Veda, I borrowed everything but the image of the
birds from other sources. I hope the interpretation isn't too out of whack...

                        OM NAMAH SHIVAYA