Enlightenment how?

The Dilemma of Duryodhana

I have previously touched up a verse from a dialogue between Duryodhana and Krishna in the Epic Mahabharata - where Krishna (the intellect) is trying to persuade Duryodhana (the ego) to do what is reasonable and right to which Duryodhana responds -

"?????? ????? ? ? ?? ?????????? ???????????? ? ? ?? ?????????? ?????? ????? ???? ??????? ??? ????????????? ??? ??????"

I know what is right, but I am not inclined to do it. I also know what is wrong, but I am not inclined to avoid it. By some force, the drive resides within my heart, and I act under that influence.        

In these words, we find a reflection of the universal human dilemma—the gap between knowledge and action. This poignant expression captures the essence of a struggle that transcends time and cultures. It lays bare the complexity inherent in aligning our understanding of what is right with the ability to manifest it in our actions.

The Harajuku Moment

Yesterday I read a blog on Tim's weekly 5 bullet Friday titled You Don’t Need More How-To Advice — You Need a Beautiful and Painful Reckoning.

In this blog Tim beautifully touches up the story of Chad Fowler's path to weight loss and better health. Pasting a blurb and a screenshot from the blog here for context.

Chad is a General Partner and CTO at BlueYard Capital. He was also co-organizer of the annual RubyConf and RailsConf conferences, where I first met him. Our second meeting was in Boulder, Colorado, where he used his natural language experience with Hindi to teach a knuckle-dragger (me) the primitive basics of Ruby.?Chad is an incredible teacher, gifted with analogies, but I was distracted in our session by something he mentioned in passing. He’d recently lost 70+ pounds in less than 12 months.?        

Mumukshutva: A Strong Yearning for Liberation

While reading Chad's story on Tim's blog, I was reminded of the term Mumukshutva from Vedanta philosophy.

Mumukshutva is the fervent desire for liberation - this yearning is described as akin to fighting hard to emerge from water once one realises that they are drowing. It is in that moment that the seed for lasting change is sown. This yearning is born not from dissatisfaction, but from a deep understanding of the pain one is currently experiencing and the cumulative cost of bearing this pain over time, compared to the temporary discomfort of changing systems and default habits.

Enlightenment How?

Most of us know something in our present situation needs to change, some of us even recognise the pain in status quo. However, despite multiple attempts at transformation, we often find ourselves reverting to old habits or even regressing further from our starting point. Which leads me to think that the recognition of the pain alone is not suffice to stay the path. Perhaps there is merit to rethinking the entire system.

In Chapter 2 of the Gita, which is perhaps the most important chapter given it includes everything, the dialogue between Krishna (the intellect) and Arjun (the emotional mind) spans across 3 broad themes.

1. Jnana Yoga?- the doctrine of the (Self) Atman: What are we? Who are we?

2. Karma Yoga??- the doctrine of action: How do we spiritualise our everyday life?

3. Sthitaprajna - the doctrine of enlightenment: Once we are able to see and acknowledge the truth, how should we behave?

Stithapragya: Neutral Present Awareness

The first mention of Sthitapragya in the Gita can be found in Chapter 2, Verse 54 onwards. Here Arjuna (the mind) inquires about the characteristics and conduct of the person who recognises 'what is', and therefore what needs to be done.

sthita-prajnasya ka bhasha samadhi-sthasya keshava I sthita-dhih kim prabhasheta kim asita vrajeta kimI

How does an enlightened person talk, sit and walk? How does this person engage with the world both externally as well as internally?         

To which Krishna (the intellect) responds [ Verse - 55 to 58]

prajahati yada kaman sarvan partha mano-gatanatmany-evatmana tushtah sthita-prajnas tadochyate

When one discards all selfish desires and cravings of the senses that torment the mind, and becomes satisfied in the realization of the self, such a person is said to be transcendentally situated.

du?khe?hv-anudvigna-manā? sukhe?hu vigata-sp?iha?vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodha? sthita-dhīr munir uchyate

One whose mind remains undisturbed amidst misery, who does not crave for pleasure, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is said to have steady wisdom.

ya? sarvatrānabhisnehas tat tat prāpya ?hubhā?hubhamnābhinandati na dve?h?i tasya praj?ā prati?h?hitā

One who remains unattached under all conditions, and is neither delighted by good fortune nor dejected by tribulation, they are said to have perfect knowledge.

yada sanharate chayam kurmo ’nganiva sarvashahindriyanindriyarthebhyas tasya prajna pratishthita

One who is able to withdraw the senses from their objects, just as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into its shell, is established in divine wisdom.

Verse 64 and Verse 65

rāga-dve?ha-viyuktais tu vi?hayān indriyai?h charanātma-va?hyair-vidheyātmā prasādam adhigachchhati

prasāde sarva-du?khānā? hānir asyopajāyateprasanna-chetaso hyā?hu buddhi? paryavati?h?hate

One who controls the mind, and is free from attachment and aversion, even while using the objects of the senses, remains steady on their path of transcendence.

With grace comes the peace in which all sorrows end. The intellect of such a person of tranquil mind soon becomes firmly established in the pursuit of their highest self.

Verse 68

tasmād yasya mahā-bāho nig?ihītāni sarva?ha?indriyā?īndriyārthebhyas tasya praj?ā prati?h?hitā

Therefore, one who has restrained the senses from their objects, O mighty armed Arjun, is firmly established in transcendental knowledge.

Why Do We Keep Regressing?

In the same chapter Krishna (the intellect) goes on to explain what causes the fall of the human intellect (the how of hubris)

Chapter 2, Verse 62 and 63

dhyāyato vi?hayān pu?sa? sa?gas te?hūpajāyatesa?gāt sa?jāyate kāma? kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate

krodhād bhavati sammoha? sammohāt sm?iti-vibhrama?sm?iti-bhran?hād buddhi-nā?ho buddhi-nā?hāt pra?a?hyati

While contemplating on the objects of the senses, one develops attachment to them. Attachment leads to desire, and from desire arises anger.

Anger leads to clouding of judgment, which results in bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, the intellect gets destroyed; and when the intellect is destroyed, one is ruined.

Chapter 2, Verse 66 and 67

nāsti buddhir-ayuktasya na chāyuktasya bhāvanāna chābhāvayata? ?hāntir a?hāntasya kuta? sukham

indriyā?ā? hi charatā? yan mano ’nuvidhīyatetadasya harati praj?ā? vāyur nāvam ivāmbhasi

An undisciplined person, who has not controlled the mind and senses, can neither have a resolute intellect nor steady contemplation on the truth. For one who never seeks or reconciles with the truth there is no peace; and how can one who lacks peace be happy?

Just as a strong wind sweeps a boat off its chartered course on the water, even one of the senses on which the mind focuses can lead the intellect astray.

All of us experience moments of enlightenment - big and small and most of us know what needs to be done, however we are unable to stick with the insight because change is hard.

All of us experience moments of enlightenment - big and small and most of us know what needs to be done, however we are unable to stick with the insight because change is hard. Change is hard mostly because our chemistry and biology informs our ideology. Our brain wants to continue to do that which it has been trained to do so as to preserve calories.

A Path Forward..

In so far as I currently understand, the path forward shall we choose fundamental change, will need for us to assume responsibility for regulating our own internal systems - mind and body.

Here’s what I know for sure - life is infinitely more beautiful when I'm in the present moment, anchored in my body and breath - unattached, neutral, present, aware, compassionate.

For now, staying on the path is my goal.