Liberation From Bondage – In Gita Verse 13.35 Those who see with eyes of knowledge the difference between the body and the knower of the body, and can also understand the process of liberation from bondage in material nature, attain the supreme goal.
Message of the Verse: The Dance of Emptiness: Beyond the Self Lies Liberation
In the resounding clarity of Krishna’s message from the Bhagavad Gita Verse 13.35, we are beckoned toward a truth that transcends our tangible existence. This truth heralds that those who perceive with the eye of wisdom the distinction between the body and its observer, and who grasp the pathway to liberation from our entanglement with the material, are on their journey to the supreme goal.
This verse serves not only as an ancient sacred whisper but as a beacon of living guidance that inspires a dance in the theatre of emptiness. By urging us to discern the ephemeral nature of the body from the eternal essence of the knower within, it maps out a journey where the relinquishing of the self is both the path to liberation and the key to unlocking the ultimate freedom.
Liberation Beyond the ‘I’
In the dialogue of Bhagavad Gita Verse 8.26, a clarity emerges – the concept of “my liberation” is an illusion. Liberation, in its truest form, is an unshackling from the very notion of ego. It represents a pivotal shift from the confines of a self-oriented existence to the expansive liberation from the self. This profound paradox is at the heart of spiritual awakening, guiding the seeker beyond the mirage of individualism towards a seamless unity with the universal.
Zen Boldness: Liberate Yourself From Yourself
While all spiritual traditions advocate detachment from material attachments as a stepping stone to freedom, Zen Buddhism alone proclaims with remarkable courage: “Liberate yourself from your very self!” To shed attachments is merely an initiation, but to relinquish the ego, the ‘I am,’ is the true consummation of spiritual pursuit.
Gautama Buddha’s Revolutionary Insight: Gautama Buddha, in his enlightened wisdom, confronted a centuries-old belief – the self or atma as the ultimate truth. He taught that the self is but a threshold to the profound expanse of anatta or no-self. The self is a bridge to cross, not a dwelling place. And as one crosses this bridge, one finds the uncharted freedom of non-being. To linger at the door of selfhood is to ignore the boundless welcoming of the universe beyond.
“Why cling to the dewdrop when you are meant to merge with the ocean?” Buddha beckoned.
The ‘I’ as the Crux of Misery: It’s prudent to reflect – the self is the epicentre of all tribulations. The various problems we face are but progeny of this central ‘I.’ Between one seeking and another, there lies but a fleeting tranquillity – akin to the brief respite between consecutive endeavours.
Buddhism, and in particular, Zen, posits that to transcend is not to discard particular desires or aversions, but to dissolve the very sense of self into the cosmic rhythm from whence we arose.
The Vacancy of the Self – Shunyata
In India, where the atma was revered, Buddha’s message of transcending the self was misunderstood. Yet the vacancy Buddha spoke of was not an end but a beginning – shunyata is not emptiness in lack but in limitlessness.
Bukko’s profound expression encapsulates this truth: “When one moves with equal ease among all the myriad expressions of existence, when there is no possession of the inner or the outer, one is it.”
Embrace Existence with your Emptiness
In your emptiness, you find an adaptive resonance with all forms of life. You become like the sea, capable of raising glorious waves; like a valley echoing the sounds of creation. In essence, your emptiness becomes the canvas for the divine play of existence.
The Buddha Within
Krishna reminds us that when the heart is vacant of the self, we embody the Buddha – tranquil, silent, and at home in boundless joy. Krishna’s assurance is not metaphorical; it’s a reality awaiting at the fringe of our inner journey. We must only awaken from the slumber of self to discover the Buddha we are, the joy we can embody, and the liberation we seek.
Be a witness to your life unfolding, just as Krishna and Buddha pointed out, and you shall dance in the emptiness where liberation is not a state to achieve, but a realisation of what you’ve always been.
Tags: Liberation From Bondage
