The Radical Simplicity

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Chapter 18

Verse 72

 

Where is bondage or liberation, joy or sorrow for one who shines as the

Infinite and does not perceive relative existence?

 

 

Verse 73

 

Only the illusion of the world prevails. The reality of the world vanishes

with the knowledge of the Self. The wise one lives without the feeling of

'I-ness' and 'mine-ness' and attachment.

 

 

Astavakra Gita points to the radical insight which is simplicity itself. The

fact that there are so many spiritual paths demonstrates that it is the

nature of the mind to make complicated that which is self-evident. Spiritual

practice plays a vital role in unwinding the mind, so to speak. Once that is

done, what is left is difficult to speak of. The wise say that the Tao that

can be talked about is not The Tao. Still Sages manage to indicate the

Existence of the Underlying Reality with words and without words. They do it

because it is their first hand knowledge and it is their nature to do it. I

am often reminded of the words of Ramana Maharshi who used to say that the

Reality must Always be Real and therefore It must be Here and Now also. If

it is not Here and Now and is to be gained at some future time, then it must

be subject to loss also. What

can be gained can also be lost! Therefore that which is Real, Absolute,

Eternal cannot be gained. It is what We already Are. Can we Accept This?

What undermines the acceptance of our Own Natural State? Perhaps it is not

truly Recognizing the ever present Reality of Self-Awareness. To recognize

and abide in this simple awareness is both the beginning and the end.

 

Harsha