(KARMAYOGA)What perception in action doesn't incur sin?
0 comments Posted by RisingCitizen at Sunday, May 16, 2010We studied in detail about how sin is committed and what factors tempt us to commit sins. Now, Krishna talks about how a perception in action will never incur sin for the doer.
"Treating alike victory and defeat, gain and loss, pleasure and pain, get ready to fight, then fighting thus you will never incur sin."
(Chap 2 -verse 38)
"Resigning all your duties to Me, the all-powerful and all supporting Lord, take refuge in Me alone, I shall absolve you of all sins, worry not."
(Chap 18 -verse 66)
(KARMAYOGA) Analyzing the 2 factors tempting us to commit sin....
0 comments Posted by RisingCitizen at Saturday, May 15, 2010Well, we did see how Krishna says we commit sin. Let's dig deeper as even Arjuna wanted to know. However, the factors are spread in different chapters. So, here they go.
SENSES and SENSE-OBJECTS:
Although all actions involve senses and we do many things to satisfy our senses, the fact remains that it needs to be controlled (and not eliminated).
"O son of Kunti, the contact between the senses and their objects, which give rise to the feelings of heat and cold, pleasure and pain, happiness and distress are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. One must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed." (Chap 2 -verse 14)
SENSES and SENSE-OBJECTS:
Although all actions involve senses and we do many things to satisfy our senses, the fact remains that it needs to be controlled (and not eliminated).
"O son of Kunti, the contact between the senses and their objects, which give rise to the feelings of heat and cold, pleasure and pain, happiness and distress are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. One must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed." (Chap 2 -verse 14)
"As a strong wind carries away a boat upon the waters, even one of the roaming senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man's intelligence (ability to discriminate) ."(Chap 2 -verse 67)
"Turbulent by nature, the senses even of a wise man, who is practising self-control, forcibly carry away his mind, Arjuna." (Chap 2 -verse 60)
"Attraction and repulsion are rooted in all sense-objects. Man should never allow himself to be swayed by them, because they are the 2 principal enemies standing in the way of his SELF REALIZATION."
(Chap 3 -verse 34)
"An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunti, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them."
(Chap 5 -verse 22)
"He, however, who has true insight into the respective spheres of GUNAs and their actions, holding that it is the GUNAs (in the shape of senses, mind etc) that move among the GUNAs (objects of perception), does not get attached to them, Arjuna." (Chap 3 -verse 28)
"Those who are completely deluded by the GUNAs (modes) of Prakriti remain attached to those GUNAs and actions; the man of perfect Knowledge should not unsettle the mind of those insufficiently knowing fools." (Chap 3 -verse 29)
MIND:
Before we go to Gita, let's see an important verse from the AMRITA BINDU UPANISHAD (from Krishna Yajur Veda). Click here for the source
"For man, mind is the cause of bondage and mind is the cause of liberation. Mind absorbed in sense objects is the cause of bondage, and mind detached from the sense objects is the cause of liberation."
"One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well." (Chap 6 -verse 5)
"For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain his greatest enemy." (Chap 6 -verse 6)
ARJUNA actually says a very valid point - "Krishna, the mind is very unstable, unsteady, turbulent, tenacious and powerful; therefore, I consider it is as difficult to control as the wind." (Chap 6- verse 34)
In Katha Upanishad - it is written “Know that the Self is the rider, and the body the chariot; that the intellect is the charioteer, and the mind the reins.”
"For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain his greatest enemy." (Chap 6 -verse 6)
ARJUNA actually says a very valid point - "Krishna, the mind is very unstable, unsteady, turbulent, tenacious and powerful; therefore, I consider it is as difficult to control as the wind." (Chap 6- verse 34)
In Katha Upanishad - it is written “Know that the Self is the rider, and the body the chariot; that the intellect is the charioteer, and the mind the reins.”
Krishna Questions the VEDAS and worldly pleasures?
"Arjuna, those who are full of worldly desires and devoted to the letter of the Vedas, who look upon heaven, as the supreme goal and argue that there is nothing beyond heaven are unwise. They utter flowery speech recommending many rituals of various kinds for the attainment of pleasure and power with rebirth as their fruit. Those whose minds are carried away by such words, and who are deeply attached to pleasure and worldly power, cannot attain the determinate intellect concentrated on God." (Chap 2 -verse 42,43,44)
"Arjuna, the Vedas thus deal with the evolutes of the 3 Gunas i.e worldly enjoyments and the means of attaining such enjoyments and the means of attaining such enjoyments; be thou indifferent to these enjoyments and their means, rising above pairs of opposites like pleasure and pain etc, firmly established in the Eternal Existence, absolutely unconcerned about the supply of wants and the preservation of what has been already attained, and self-controlled."
(Chap 2 -verse 45)
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CONTROL THE ABOVE TWO?
"He who has not controlled his mind and senses can have no reason; nor can such an undisciplined man think of God. The unthinking man can have no peace; and how can there be happiness for one lacking peace of mind?" (Chap 2 -verse 66)
"Therefore, Arjuna, he, whose senses are completely controlled from their objects, is said to have stable mind." (Chap 2 -verse 68)
"For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is reached, for he has attained tranquility. To such a man, happiness and sadness, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same." (Chap 6 -verse 7)
"Therefore, Arjuna, you must first control your senses, and then kill this evil thing called lust (when senses go beyond control) that obstructs Knowledge and Vijnana (self-realization)."
(Chap 3 -verse 41, 43)
"The mind is restless no doubt, Arjuna; but it can be brought under control by repeated practice (YOGA) and by the exercise of dispassion." (Chap 6 -verse 35)
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