What we write

[Greg Goode]

At 10:06 AM 11/2/97 -0330, Gummuluru Murthy wrote:
>In a recent thread on "The supreme goal", Shri Vaidya Sundaram wrote
>
>>  ... My contention is that, we as list members
>> do not say or imply our own view points. We quote from authorities
>> and scriptures ... I think saying that members say so is not true at all.
>
>I hesitate in accepting this fully. Often I expressed my understanding of
>the analysis of the great achAryAs like Shri Shankara. Also, quite often,
>I expressed my understanding of a matter. Is it necessary to have a
>scriptural reference or a great acAryA's commentary all the time ? I agrre
>that if we do not follow either a great teacher's commentary/work or the
>upanishhad or gita itself, it can become a free-for-all. But, here we are
>practising advaita. Practising advaita is knowing what we are and a
>bookish or intellectual knowledge is not sufficient. I am interested in
>hearing List members' views on this.

This might be a matter of the rules of this list.  Some lists are strict about
forbidding personal experiences, and instead demand that the discussion be
scholarly.

For my 2 cents' worth, I would like to hear (and maybe write about)
personal experiences AS
WELL AS scholarly quotes.  What about others?

--Greg

>From  Mon Nov  3 11:27:02 1997
Message-Id: <MON.3.NOV.1997.112702.0500.>
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 1997 11:27:02 -0500
Reply-To: chandran at tidalwave.net
To: "Advaita (non-duality) with reverence" <ADVAITA-L at TAMU.EDU>
From: Ram Chandran <chandran at TIDALWAVE.NET>
Organization: Personal
Subject: karmaNi eva ..
Comments: To: Advaita List <advaita-l at tamu.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Ravi Mayavaram <msr at COMCO.COM> wrote:

Greetings Ravi:

Thanks for posting this most beautiful verse from Gita.  You have
covered most of the essence and the context.  How are your new job and
your new work life?  I am sure that you got used to the new reality!  I
know the difficult of driving such a long distance to work on a daily
basis.  Wish you safe driving and all the best in your career goals.  It
is nice of you to allocate your scarce time to send this important
message on "Duty."  This message coming from a bright, duty conscious
and dedicated youngster like you will have a profound effect on other
youngsters who pursue their life to understand the "Doctrine of Karma
Yoga."  My additional comments below are more  decorative and with less
substance!

 >  karmaNi eva adhikaaraste maa phaleshu gadaachana      (Gita, Chapter
2:47)
 >  maa karma phala hetuH bhuH maa sanghaH astu akarmaNi
 >
 >  We should act not because the actions will produce such and such
result or
 >  avoid the activity because we think the results produced may not be
of our
 >  interest. Actions should proceed from the sense of duty. One has to
do his
 >  duty no matter what the consequences are. That is what I understand
from
 >  this verse and the context. ......
 >  Ravi

        The structure of all messages in Gita is deep and subtle.  In the first
part of this verse, Lord Krishna suggests that our duty be but to act,
never to be concerned with the results.  In the second part, Lord
Krishna states the consequences when we conduct our action with the
motive of the fruits of the action.  Once we start our action with this
motive, then we are definitely drawn into the path of non action or "Do
nothing" attitude.  The message about the cause and effect is subtle.
Gita asks us  to evaluate the two opposite attitudes to work within our
mental framework.  When we develop the attitude of doing the work
without looking for the fruits of our action, we don't need incentives
or motivation! The action becomes self-propelled.  Once we start to look
for the results for our action, we are definite to reach the DEAD-END
street of no-action at some point of time.  None of us believe in "Do
Nothing" attitude and the only path our journey to Self- realization is
"Karma Yoga!"
        The subtle message of "Karma Yoga" is so subtle that we have no way to
understand the full implications!  First in spirituality, time has no
bound and consequently action never ends.  Results are ruled out without
an end in action!  This may explain why the scriptures gave so much
importance to the duties.  Duties have no beginning and duties never
end!
        Second, all entities of the universe are interactive and consequently
neither action nor the results of the action can be separated. Even
within an intellectual framework, the results of any action is
"uncertain" due to the presence of many actors.  The stock broker will
tell the buyer of stocks that there is no guarantee for getting back the
money invested!  The future price of the stock market is decided not by
a single buyer or seller  but by the collective decision of all the
buyers and sellers in the market.
        Finally, both action and the fruits of the action are illusions of the
mind coming from   desires or Vasanas or sensory perceptions. When we
free our mind from desires, we can free our actions from desire
propelled results! At this stage actions become spontaneous and
completely free from results and desires!  What is left is only "SELF"
and there are no actions, results and desires!