HARMONY BY ACTION - SWAMI TATWANANDA

[Guest guest]

NAISHKARMYAM - A GAIN FREE OF ALL MEANS

 

 

The scriptural teachings point out to "Moksa" (Liberation) as the ultimate

good. It is termed as Joy, Peace, Fulfillment - in fact it is the very Beauty

within us. Beauty is that which makes the mind dwell upon something

repeatedly with a sense of complete satisfaction. Moksa is not a fanciful or

situational need. It is an essential need coveted by all conscious beings.

However, ignorant of its source and nature, we seek fulfillment from our

activities and invariably we depend upon time to prove whether the

experiences gained by actions are satisfactory or otherwise.

 

Can we truly seek and experience "moksa" through the agency of fragmented

actions? The answer is a definite "No." Moksa is beyond the time bound

experiences. All our experiences are conditioned by the relative realities -

time, space and quality. As the objects of experiences and the very enjoyer

(body, senses and mind) belong to these changing realms of relative

realities, naturally the satisfaction derived from experiences within this

frame-work prove to be transient and therefore "not-real."

 

Changes or movements are possible only on a changeless, movement-free

substratum. The basis for the relative changes to take place is the

all-pervasive Reality, which remains changeless in all three periods of time

(past, present and future). Termed as "Real," it remains uncreated but is the

very basis for all other things that come into existence (creation).

 

The Self ("I") in you, the individual is "Real" while all the action oriented

experiences belong to the changing realms of matter and are therefore

"not-real." As the two orders of realities differ, the "time-bound"

experiences cannot be the means for the time-free Self. Ignorance about the

nature of Self (Joy), however, makes us consider actions as potential agents

to achieve lasting satisfaction.

 

Let us spare a few moments of closer scrutiny as to what happens in a moment

of achievement. We observe that whenever one gains the desired end, which is

satisfaction/joy - the result of efforts, - all the adopted means taken for

this achievement are spontaneously dropped. In short, in that precise moment

of satisfaction (successful moment) one is free of action. That action-free

"I", the Self, is known as "moksa."

 

Furthermore, we note in that moment of joy there is no gap between the

enjoyer called "I" and the result called joy. No second thing is admitted.

Joy and "I" do not co-exist as two different realities but exist as One. The

statement "I am happy" stands for "Existence with Awareness of Happiness." It

is not two or more but simply One beyond the realm of time. That which is

beyond the realm of time is eternal. What is eternal is limitless. Limitless

joy is the ever-fulfilling nature of Self. This beauty, "moksa", is an

already accomplished fact. It only awaits discovery by knowledge of Self.

Traditionally, this is called "Naishkarmya Siddhi."

 

(Excerpted from Swamiji's talks on Karma Yoga-published as Harmony by

Action-1989)