Rama-Vasishtha-Samvada

[Guest guest]

(Yoga-Vasishtha)

 

Sri Rama asked: " Venerable Guru! What is attraction? What is non-

attraction? What is that attraction which leads one to bondage? What

is that non-attraction which tends to freedom? How can I destroy this

bondage? Please enlighten me on the above points. "

 

Vasishtha replied: " If any one believes that this body is permanent,

if he fails to discriminate between the body and its presider or

indweller or inner ruler who is eternal and if he thinks always of

body only he is a slave to attraction and he is bound by attraction.

This is attraction. This will undoubtedly lead to bondage. The belief

that everything is Brahman or Atma only, and that there is nothing

for one to love or hate in this universe is non-attraction. This non-

attraction will lead to Moksha or final emancipation.

 

Jivanmuktas are endowed with non-attraction. When there is non-

attraction, the mind abandons the pleasures of the world, egoism

vanishes and attachment for everything perishes. The state of non-

attraction leads to Moksha. Those who have attained the state of non-

attraction relinquish the fruits of actions. They seek neither action

nor inaction. Attraction entails one in rebirths.

 

This attraction is of two kinds, viz., Bandhya (binding) and Abandhya

(non-binding). The former belongs to the ignorant, while the latter

is the ornament of those who have attained self-realisation. The

former produces rebirths through attachment to objects while the

latter generates discrimination and knowledge of the Self. Lord

Vishnu and the hosts of Siddhas protect this earth by performing

various actions through the Abandhya attraction.

 

A Jivanmukta is not attached to actions though he performs manifold

actions for the well-being of the world. He is quite indifferent

though he associates himself with objects. He has no attraction for

the objects. His mind is ever fixed in the Supreme Self only. He

regards this world as an unreality. He does neither live in future

expectation nor does he rely on his present possession. He does not

live on the pleasure of his past memory. Sleeping, he is awake in his

vision of supreme light; and waking, he is plunged in the deep,

sleepless sleep of Nirvikalpa Samadhi. He does actions and remains as

if he has done nothing. He does all actions without the error of

believing himself as the actor. He neither rejoices nor grieves at

anything. He behaves himself as a boy with boys and as a veteran with

old people. He is youthful in the society of young men and is grave

in the company of the wise. He rejoices at the happiness of others.

He is sympathetic with the people who are in distress. O Ram! Conduct

yourself in such a manner when you rule your kingdom. You will never

lose sight of the Reality. "