Empty Space – In Gita Verse 4.28 Having accepted strict vows, some become enlightened by sacrificing their possessions, and others by performing severe austerities, by practicing the yoga of eightfold mysticism, or by studying the Vedas to advance in transcendental knowledge.
Krishna tells Arjuna that through various paths, many people have realized themselves. Only thing which is common is that when they follow any path they don’t get stuck to the knowledge and teaching of that path. They take every word and try to practice in their routine life. They practice not to follow the words but how we can do the same act by sacrificing our ego to God.
Unless we act and in that action always remain self-alert, then the same act can transcend our animal nature and nurture our consciousness to grow, this will nurture our seed of consciousness to grow, become self-realized. We don’t need to leave the objective world but through our self-alertness we can act from our subjectivity, which is empty space, without any judgements, interpretations, haterate, nothing of the mind will be there.
When thoughts cease, who are you? An utter emptiness, nothingness, no-thingness. You are pure space, uncontaminated by anything. You are just a mirror reflecting nothing.
This time let us understand this verse by what Zen Master Bukko said: TAKING THINGS EASILY AND WITHOUT FORCING, AFTER SOME TIME THE RUSH OF THOUGHT, OUTWARD AND INWARD, SUBSIDES NATURALLY, AND THE TRUE FACE SHOWS ITSELF.
To be self-realized is not a difficult job. It is not some achievement for which you need a Nobel Prize. It is the easiest thing in the world, because it has already happened without you knowing.
The self-realization is already breathing in you. Just a little recognition, just a little turning inwards… and that has not to be done forcibly. If you do it forcibly you will miss the point. It is very delicate. You have to look inward playfully, not seriously. That’s what he means by “taking things easily.” Don’t take anything seriously.
Existence is very easy. You have got your life without any effort, you are living your life without any effort. You are breathing perfectly well without being reminded; your heartbeat continues even in your sleep – so easy is existence with you! But you are not so easy with existence. You are very close-fisted. You want everything to be turned into an achievement.
Enlightenment cannot be an achievement. That which you have already – how can it be an achievement? The authentic master simply takes away things which you don’t have and you believe you have, and he gives you that which you already have. You are having many things which you don’t have at all, you just believe that you have them. The master’s function is that of a surgeon, to cut all that is not you and leave behind just the essential core – the eternal being.
It is a very easy phenomenon; you can do it on your own. There are no problems and no risk in taking things easily, but people take things very tensely. They take things very seriously, and that spoils the whole game.
And remember, life is a game. Once you understand it as a game, a deep playfulness arises on its own accord. The victory is not the point; the point is to play totally, joyously, dancingly.
What is called playfulness is very essential in the inquiry of your own being.
Krishna tells Arjuna don’t become serious instead of that direct yourself; towards yourself, and you will meet yourself. In that meeting you will sacrifice ego. As soon as you sacrifice the ego your act of fighting will transcend from the mind, which is all your attachments and hindrance to the Divine will. Where your body will be a vehicle for the divine and you will transcend your attachments to Fight Without Enmity.
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