Change and the changeless

[Gummuluru Murthy]

We accept without any objections that changes are taking place in us over
our life-time. We recognize these changes taking place in our body, in our
thoughts and in our discriminating faculty as well. What we considered
real at one time(when we were kids), we realize now they are imaginary
only. We, as adults, do not give as much importance to things which we
were pre-occupied with as kids. Similarly, we give importance to other
things now, which, as kids, we would never have thought about.

But, are there really changes in us ? We recently discussed ajnani turning
into jnani. I submit there are no changes in us. We are changeless. There
is no ajnani turning into jnani. That change is only from the perspective
of ajnani. We are the same Devadatta, as Shri Shankara discussed so
eloquently in Viveka ChuDAmaNi. We are jnani all the time. It is only we
think we are ajnanis limited by our ignorance. I wonder if, as a
meditation process, it would be a good idea to reflect continuously on the
thought that we undergo no change and that we are eternal. Only if we see
a change in ourselves, we are still in maaya.

As usual, I would be most grateful for your comments.

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
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Yadaa sarve pramucyante kaamaa ye'sya hr^di shritaah
atha martyo'mr^to bhavatyatra brahma samashnute   Katha Upanishhad II.3.14

When all the desires that dwell in the heart fall away, then the mortal
becomes immortal, and attains Brahman even here.
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