Thursday, August 15, 2013

(Aug 15, 2013) Liberation

Space-Time and Liberation
Divine Life Society Publication: Universality of Being by Swami Krishnananda

The relativity of space and time is the reason why it is possible for everyone to transcend space and time and attain realization of the Ultimate Reality. Inasmuch as the whole world, including our body, is a product of the space-time operation, there is only space-time, and there is nothing else anywhere. Some philosophers say that we are totally caught within the phenomena, and there is no possibility of contacting the Ultimate Reality. If that is the case, we are doomed forever.

But it is also said that space and time are relative. If one thing exists because of another thing, neither of them exists independently. As there is a borrowed existence on both sides, no side can exist entirely independently. Time is necessary for space; space is necessary for time. Hence, modern thinkers call it space-time.

As we are also the product of this relative interaction between space and time, the whole world-stuff being that, there is nothing permanently existing anywhere—neither our body, nor the world of nature, nor the sun, moon and stars.

If we are mere puppets, products of this indescribable phenomenon of the space-time complex, then there is nothing more to say. It is like living in a concentration camp without knowing where we are staying, why we have come, and what we are supposed to think. It is a complete blockage of even the process of thinking, because of space-time intervening even in the process of thinking. Philosophers who are very acute in this matter concluded that even the mind cannot act without space and time. So who is going to think of that which is above space and time?

But Self-realization is a great possibility. How?

Yesterday can become tomorrow; tomorrow can become present. There is no systematic arrangement of the order of space and time existing permanently everywhere in the cosmos. This idea of past, present, future is connected with the way in which the consciousness perceives the operation of space-time outside, and in the operational process of any individual observer being conditioned by the space-time there is an interaction of relativity between seeing and the nature of the object, so that you cannot know what is actually happening. But if this relationship of the observer and the observed phenomena of space and time changes during the process of evolution, then immediately today becomes tomorrow, and a person can come tomorrow and leave yesterday. In this circumstance of there being an infinite number of space-time relations on the basis of infinite types of connections between the seer and the seen, there are infinite universes, and infinite gods are ruling these infinite universes.

Understand that there is nothing whatsoever existing independently. Neither are you existing, nor  the world. If you are involved in the world of space and time, you cannot make any reference to the world of space and time because that reference will apply to you also. No one can say, 'I am here' or 'that is there' because this 'I' is vitally connected to the existence of that, and 'that' is vitally connected to the existence of this. What do you understand from this? Everything is interrelated in such a way that nothing can exist independently. Everything exists by the operation of all the things that are taking place in the universe, so that every individual, so-called, is a universal unit."

Nothing is in one place. That idea of space is again due to the involvement of the operation of space-time, of which you are also made.

The conclusion is that nothing is going to obstruct you in your Self-realization. There is nobody so daring that they can put a stop to your attempt, because there is no 'you', and also there is no separate effort. The whole universe in its totality is aspiring for itself in its highest possibilities. Sadhana is done by the universe, not by you, me, or anybody. Neither you nor I exist there. It is like everything being everywhere. You do not know what is where. It is sufficient for you to illumine yourself and awaken from the dream of this world perception.

This is why every action is a total action. Nobody does anything anywhere, and anybody who thinks that he or she is doing something is a fool because somebody else is operating in a total fashion at the back of this so-called individuality.

"Everything has been done by me," Lord Krishna tells Arjuna in the Bhagavadgita. "I have already done what you are trying to do now." Here again is the question of relativity. Even before the Mahabharata war took place, Lord Krishna said, "I have already destroyed these people." This is the Ultimate Reality speaking to everyone involved in space and time. This is the foundation through which you have to operate your mind.

The whole misery of life is due to the wrong belief that there are permanent things, solidly existing like a stone wall. There are no stone walls here. They are all like mist appearing as a pillar, which will melt into nothing by the rise of the sun of knowledge.

Before you start anything, you must have a clear understanding, viveka. Viveka means clear understanding of the nature of things—the capacity to discriminate between what is really there and what is not there. If this is known, you will know that you cannot have any kind of inward longing for anything in this world. Vairagya automatically follows, as sunlight is automatically followed by the departure of the darkness of night. Vairagya—detachment and desirelessness—need not be exercised with effort. They automatically follow, and then the structure of the whole universe is known. So viveka and vairagya are considered to be primary qualifications. They are not two things, just as space and time are not two things. They are one only. This is rational conviction, which consists of the illumined perception of things through viveka and an automatic detachment from all conditions which cause attachment.

But there is also a need for emotional training. Generally, the intellect and the emotion do not act together. Often the intellect defeats the purpose of the emotion, and the emotion defeats the purpose of the understanding. People live a torn life, and have a dual personality. On one side they are very intelligent, and on the other side they are very foolish. It should not be this way.

Your feelings and longings, and the operation of your emotions should be harmonized with what you have concluded with your reasoning and understanding. Then this combination of reason and feeling, like a chemical action of two substances, bursts forth into what is called intuition, which is nothing but the blend of understanding and emotion. When they are blended together into a coherent totality, there is a bursting of the intuition directly into the nature of things. This is the second qualification. The last one is intense longing for liberation. If you have a longing for liberation, you have done your duty. That longing itself will take you to moksha.

Continue to read:
Universality of Being by Swami Krishnananda

 
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