No Language – In Gita Verse 18.71 And one who listens with faith and without envy becomes free from sinful reactions and attains to the auspicious planets where the pious dwell.
In Bhagavad Gita Verse 18.71, it is articulated that an individual who listens with faith and without envy becomes free from sinful reactions and attains auspicious realms where the pious reside. This profound message underscores the significance of listening with a pure heart and an open mind, devoid of any fault-finding tendencies.
The essence of this teaching is that the act of listening, when performed with unwavering faith and love, can be transformative. To listen without harbouring any doubt or engaging in critical thinking is to open oneself fully to the wisdom being imparted. Fault-finding, on the other hand, is detrimental. It only serves to harm the individual who indulges in it. When one seeks faults, they inevitably find them, but this pursuit deprives them of the beauty and truth that could have otherwise enriched their lives. For instance, if one approaches a rose plant with the intent to find thorns, they will find them, but this only results in missing out on the rose’s beauty and fragrance.
A person who listens with reverence and without focusing on the thorns, who instead embraces the flowers and their fragrance, opens themselves to profound insights. Such a state of mind, free from fear and doubt, is receptive to the transformative power of mere listening. In this state, the wisdom heard can penetrate deeply, akin to an arrow reaching the soul. This concept is echoed in the teachings of Buddha and Mahavir, who emphasise the importance of right listening (Samyak Shravan) and proper receptivity.
Listening properly is indeed challenging due to numerous obstacles, including the critical eye and the pleasure derived from criticism. These obstacles entangle one in the thorns, preventing them from truly hearing the message. Thorns exist in everything, serving to protect the flowers. They are not the enemies of flowers but their guardians. The greater the rose, the larger the thorns, which protect its beauty. Therefore, one must focus on the flowers and not get entangled in the thorns.
Interestingly, when one looks at the flower properly and allows it to enter their being, they may find that the thorns transform into flowers. This shift in perception highlights that one’s vision ultimately shapes their life. Conversely, if one only focuses on the thorns, they may come to fear even the flowers, perceiving them as thorns. Thus, a vision centred on fault-finding leads to a life filled with thorns, while a vision focused on beauty and truth leads to a life filled with flowers.
Listening with faith, love, gratitude, and the desire for truth, without fault-finding, can lead to liberation. This principle, however, has often been misunderstood. Krishna’s words were intended to convey that listening to the Gita with faith and without critical thinking is transformative. This does not imply passive listening or listening while asleep. True listening requires utmost awareness and consciousness, allowing faith to emerge and transcend even the act of listening.
Existence itself has no language. Dependence on language hinders communication with existence, which is inherently mysterious and cannot be interpreted. Existence can be lived and experienced but not thought about. It is akin to poetry rather than philosophy, serving as a sign or a door that shows but does not speak.
To attain the auspicious realms where the pious dwell, one must approach existence without the barriers of thinking. Thinking creates a private world, enclosing and imprisoning the individual. Non-thinking, on the other hand, opens one up to existence, allowing for a flow between the individual and the universe. The mind’s tendency to interpret and think before truly seeing or hearing hinders genuine listening. True listening requires openness, vulnerability, and receptivity, without the interference of thinking.
Nature communicates through signs, not words. A flower, for instance, conveys a wordless message. To hear this message, one must become wordless themselves. Sitting by a flower, one should become a flower; sitting by a tree, become a tree; bathing in a river, become a river. This communion with nature allows for a deeper understanding that transcends linguistic interpretation.
Picasso’s interaction with a critic illustrates this point. When asked about the meaning of his painting, Picasso compared it to the natural world, which exists without a specific meaning. Similarly, existence and art can be appreciated in their totality without the need for interpretation.
A Zen master painted a scene so lifelike that it seemed real. When the king asked where the path in the painting led, the master entered the painting and disappeared, symbolising the mystery and depth of existence that cannot be fully explained or interpreted.
Krishna’s message is that once one transcends their current state of being through faith and pure listening, they become free from sinful reactions and attain the auspicious realms where the pious dwell. This profound teaching encourages a shift in perception and approach, fostering a deeper connection with the divine and the universe.
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