Kevin: I’ve read Tattva Bodh – so incredibly beautiful … I have most definitions and, let’s say, the order of the knowledge in place – My mind eats it. It’s digesting. Often, understanding comes by images – less words. Also, I went back to lesson one, not long ago, and moving on. It doesn’t feel like ‘going back’ – to square one, but to make sure what I understood and what not, or not enough. It feels like I am setting jiva up for moksa.
My life requires more extraversion than I like, but I take it all as an advantage because nothing is wrong. There is no in or out; or both. Clear or not, I begin to rest in this knowing. Sometimes it is enough just to know, not think too hard and/or/but just ‘see’.
Sundari: What a lovely email, you express yourself so well, the import of the words you use is simple and evocative. The Self comes through loud and clear. I particularly like the objectification of the jiva in your statement: ‘It feels like I am setting jiva up for moksa. Sometimes it is enough just to know, not think too hard and/or/but just ‘see’.
The Self knowing itself only sees itself and is moksa, but insomuch as there is a jiva, and it must be the Self though you are not it, moksa can only be for the Jiva. Yes, indeed it is ‘enough’ to just know. More than enough. Strip away doing and that is all you are left with. The one who knows and sees.
I am glad to hear how clear and methodical you are about your sadhana, that’s the only way to go. We all must deal with the life karma Isvara hands out to us, and roll with the gunas, doing the best we can to manage their relative proportions with sattva moment-to-moment, never identifying with them. As the Self, you are beyond the gunas, but it’s not always an easy call for the jiva.Â
Though we definitely want to shoot for more sattva, what is great is that none of the gunas are essentially good or bad, they all have upsides and downsides. Rajas in the service of sattva is a positive energy, it gets things done in a very efficient way. The trick of course is to keep rajas on a short leash and not to identify with the guna or the doer.
We have been dialoguing for quite some time now, and it is always so rewarding to see how unfailingly Self-knowledge works on the mind to purify it. It is not an easy process to rest permanently in the direct knowledge of the Self, as you know. The jiva program is tough to negate. I have been sharing my experience with this online recently, even though Self-knowledge is unshakeable for me, the process of nididhysana is ongoing.
Complete freedom from the jiva comes with the grace of Isvara and consistent application of the knowledge. Once you know without a doubt who you are, the scripture has done its job. You do not need a map when you are the destination. Yet, it’s not quite so simple. Hence, though we are never not the Self, we surrender to Isvara with no reservations…dakshinamurtiyaa namaha…until the jiva is as good as non-existent. Until then, there is no other way to ‘set the jiva up for moksa’, as you say.
Kevin: The space teaching came easy because I thought through it by making / thinking sculpture – as I wanted to take space as the very material of and for sculpture. Adding, eliminating form, so as to understand space as material and not an abstraction, etc.
Sundari: I understand what you are saying being a sculptress too.
Kevin: A ‘long thought’, I won’t get into now. But Vedanta gave it its real meaning – art has been a leading error. I have so much to ask, too much maybe 🙂
… easy does it…
Sundari: Isvara uses whatever method works best for us when we are ready for Vedanta. Art was a big part of my process too, it is so honest, but to truly be creative the doer must depart and allow Isvara to work the magic. I am always struck with wonder at what comes through the jiva in this way. How can anyone claim to be a doer?!
Kevin: At times, in moments while driving to work, Self talks to jiva through the instruments – it is a different voice.
My dear Teacher, I cannot thank you enough.
Sundari: I know what you mean. Though this is a non-dual reality and so it can only ever be the Self that is ‘talking’, there is a qualitative difference when the Self talks to when the ego talks. When you get this, it’s so much fun to rip up and rip off the jiva! Well, sometimes it’s not much fun for the poor ego. But mostly it is when you get the humor of it all…! Jivas can be such utter idiots…
Thank you for the recognition, though all thanks go only to Isvara, who is the only teacher. I am only just learning how deep the truth is that the ‘teacher’ is the devotee of the devotee. We are all the Self, there is no difference.
You are welcome to write any time, it is a great pleasure communicating with you.
Much love
Sundari
