Effortless Effort – In Gita Verse 15.11 The endeavouring transcendentalists who are situated in self-realisation can see all this clearly. But those whose minds are not developed and who are not situated in self-realisation cannot see what is taking place, though they may try.
In Bhagavad Gita Verse 15.11, Krishna reveals the beauty of self-realisation, where the earnest seekers can clearly witness the inner workings of existence. It is this clarity that remains obscured to those who haven’t fostered their inner light, despite their efforts.
When referencing these “endeavouring transcendentalists,” imagine a person who has found their own illustrious light, a beacon from within that need not flicker or falter in the winds of external opinions or borrowed wisdom.
In my contemplations on Bhagavad Gita Verse 3.5, I reflected upon Buddha’s final message to humanity: “Be a light unto yourself.” This profound instruction is not an encouragement to ‘become’ but rather a gentle urging to ‘be’ – a subtle, yet oceanic difference.
To “be a light unto yourself” is to realise that your radiance comes not from others, nor from the knowledge you have acquired, but from the very core of your being. This inner light is self-sustaining and authentic; it is not diminished by sharing, nor is it a thing of effort – a concept mirrored in Lao Tzu’s notion of “effortless effort.”
This idea may appear paradoxical to the unawakened mind. After all, how can one act without acting? How can effort exist without exertion? Yet the awakened being knows the secret. Just as a rosebud blooms effortlessly, the enlightened one acts without intention, and harmony unfolds naturally.
Through such natural unfolding, love and compassion, beauty and grace – they overflow ceaselessly, akin to a raincloud’s effortless showering. This exquisite spontaneity is the grandeur of existence in its most natural state – a testament to the majesty available to us all.
Buddha, whose teachings rippled for forty-two years, concluded his earthly discourse with the profound declaration that he had not spoken a word. The profundity lies in the truth that his teachings were not derived from mental effort but arose from a divine spontaneity – an overflowing of his infinite nature.
Contrastingly, the moralist operates from a place of strained effort, perpetually torn between dichotomies of right and wrong, always in contention with their inner being. Their existence is a continuous battle, striving for an ideal while shrouded in doubt and dependence on external validation.
Buddha’s parting wisdom, “Be a light unto yourself,” serves as a beacon beckoning us towards self-reliance. A mere flicker of your own light is enough to embark on an eternal journey. With each step, the circle of light moves with you, revealing the path ahead, no matter how vast the darkness of ignorance that surrounds it.
It is within our own light that our path becomes clear, and not through the luminosity borrowed from others.
Meditation is the vessel through which we navigate towards this inner illumination. It is in the profound silence and ecstasy of meditation that we transcend the temporal and touch upon the divine – an existence beyond death, a realm where words like ‘soul,’ ‘self,’ and ‘God’ find their true resonance or simply dissolve into the profound quiet.
Krishna implores us to live aligned with our innermost light, assuring a life replete with joy, ecstasy, and bliss, moment to moment.
In aligning with our intrinsic radiance, we step into our truest nature, and life becomes a dance of spontaneous creativity – a ceaseless celebration of existence.
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