THE MASTERY
OF YOUR ATTENTION WILL COME
WHEN YOU WILL START SEEING the truth..
*note* since my beloved's Sukha(Eric Michell)website http://www.sukhayana.com/ does not exist anymore,I decided to use my unique one eyed wisdom mahayogi muscle \
https://web.archive.org/web/20100930115338/http://www.aryaveda.com/aryaveda/articles.html
,to track his wisdom down on the net..and I found him,of course...a friend of him posted his wisdom on his site..kisses to him,and long live the 7-eleven essay from Eric,where he displays a true Buddha humor,making fun of the advainta empty talk of the Ashtavakra Gita
This makes me thinking that I should also concentrate my future posts on the actual techniques..and stop babbling about....On the other hand,only those whom actually do those techniques would benefit..so I have to ponder about it,and find the middle wisdom muscles ..but then again,I posted on the right side of the blog the actual original kundalini bliss transmission from Mataji..
Kisses...thus spokenth the mahayogi..loved in the worlds..worshiped in 10..celebrated in the 7-eleven stores even:)
..........Ashtavakra Gita
Translated by JOHN RICHARDS ;Commentary by Sukhayana
Full Text at: http://www.realization.org/page/doc0/doc0004.htm
TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION
The Ashtavakra Gita, or the Ashtavakra Samhita as it is
sometimes called, is a very ancient Sanskrit text. Nothing
seems to be known about the author, though tradition
ascribes it to the sage Ashtavakra; hence the name.
There is little doubt though that it is very old, probably
dating back to the days of the classic Vedanta period. The
Sanskrit style and the doctrine expressed would seem to
warrant this assessment.
The work was known, appreciated, and quoted by
Ramakrishna and his disciple Vivekananda,as well as by
Ramana Maharshi, while Radhakrishnan always refers to it
with great respect. Apart from that the work speaks for
itself.
It presents the traditional teachings of Advaita Vedanta
with a clarity and power very rarely matched.
The translation here is by John Richards, and is presented
to the public domain with his affection. The work has been
a constant inspiration in his life for many years. May it be
so for many others.
John Richards
Stackpole Elidor, UK
Commentary:
My Hindhu friend has asked me to write booklets on
the best works I can find in Indian spiritual literature.
This Gita is revered by many famous gurus of India,
and as we have an English translation, so we will
begin my first works outside of what Buddha taught.
Let me begin by saying that there are people hungry
for bliss and liberation. They are looking for a key to
open the door. Many will sacrifice anything to find
that key so they can open the door. There is a massive
amount of literature in the spiritual schools of thought.
The vast amount of it originates from India from
ancient times to the present. For these serious
students, you need to quickly find the keys, and you
will need to be clear about which teachers and
literature are going to help you.
Here is what I have found. On your way to finding
that key, you will find amazing, inspirational
literature. If you are a new student, it is my advice to
gain the insight as quickly as possible as to what is
real and what is false. For instance, you want to go to
a store, and you seriously want to go to that store, but
you don't know how to get there. You just need
someone to tell you How to get there. This is the
spiritual quest. It is that simple. You need to know, so
you read the literature and seek out the gurus. When
you do, you need to ask yourself whether the writer or
speaker has the directions to the store, simple
directions. The book says, “these are the directions to
the store.” You don't want philosophy, you want
simple directions to the store. There are incredible
intellects in the history of India who have laid out the
philosophy.
Take for instance the Bhagavad Gita. Most spiritual
people have read it and think it is quite profound. I
just read a famous Upanishad book of 833 pages. If
you are serious, you keep asking yourself, “Is this the
simple directions to the store?” If you look closely at
every statement in the Bhagavad Gita it is highly
inspirational talk, but no roadmap is there. Maybe you
read it and say, “This is what Krishna says, and is a
wonderful description of the various ways to Godrelization.”
Then the serious person says what is my first step.
What street do I take from where I am to get to the
store? All you see is, “When you get to the store, there
will be great lights, you will see that all other stores
are nothing, and your wisdom tells you that you have
found the store you were searching for.”. This is all
wonderful you say to yourself, but just tell me the
directions, so I can go there. But no directions are
there. The writer doesn't know how to get there, but
writes incredible, inspirational slogans as if he could
lead you to the store. You find such nonsense as
“Believe in the store and you will find it. Chant the
name of the store and you will come upon it. Be
celibate, give up desire and the store comes to you.
Let's be serious. You just want simple directions, not a
bunch of nonsense. So this is the discrimination you
will need to progress in spirituality. Otherwise, you
will find yourself forgetting you just wanted simple
directions, and 20 or 30 years later you will have
changed your name and clothes, learned to repeat the
inspirational slogans, and become a follower and
believer, and still haven't found any directions to the
store. So, beware of the nonsense, and save your life.
Just find simple instructions and go to the store. Turn
away from the nonsense.
How is one to acquire knowledge? How is one to
attain liberation? And how is one to reach
dispassion? Tell me this, sir. 1.1
This is the great question all serious students ask,
“How do I attain Liberation”. Similarly, we ask, “How
do I get to 7/11 store”. Let's see what the guru says.
Ashtavakra said:
If you are seeking liberation, my son, avoid the
objects of the senses like poison and cultivate
tolerance, sincerity, compassion, contentment, and
truthfulness as the antidote. 1.2
OK, I want directions to 7/11, and you tell me not to
go to the other stores, and maybe you are saying I
shouldn't want all the stuff I want. Hmmm. Do you
know How I can get to 7/11?
You do not consist of any of the elements -- earth,
water, fire, air, or even ether. To be liberated, know
yourself as consisting of consciousness, the witness of
these. 1.3
Oh. You say the way to 7/11 is to know that I am at
7/11. I know I am not at 7/11, and I just need to know
I am at 7/11. That's an interesting idea. I wouldn't
have thought anybody would say that to me, when I
am looking for directions.
If only you will remain resting in consciousness,
seeing yourself as distinct from the body, then even
now you will become happy, peaceful and free from
bonds. 1.4
Yes. I know I will be happy when I get to 7/11. Do
you happen to know where it is?
You do not belong to the brahmin or any other caste,
you are not at any stage, nor are you anything that the
eye can see. You are unattached and formless, the
witness of everything -- so be happy. 1.5
Huh? Listen, sir. I am lost, and I need to find 7/11 to
get some cold water. It is too much suffering in this
heat. I already know I will be happy when I get to
7/11, that's why I am looking for it. Do you
understand English?
Righteousness and unrighteousness, pleasure andpain are purely of the mind and are no concern of
yours. You are neither the doer nor the reaper of the
consequences, so you are always free. 1.6
You are the one witness of everything and are always
completely free. The cause of your bondage is that
you see the witness as something other than this. 1.7
What? You say that it is my mind that causes me to
believe I am not already at 7/11? And believing I am
not at 7/11 is the cause of my not being at 7/11? Do
you have any water? It may be my lack of awareness
that I don't see 7/11 here, but I need water.
Since you have been bitten by the black snake, the
opinion about yourself that "I am the doer," drink the
antidote of faith in the fact that "I am not the doer,"
and be happy. 1.8
Faith in 7/11 and water will get me the water?
Burn down the forest of ignorance with the fire of the
understanding that "I am the one pure awareness,"
and be happy and free from distress. 1.9
My ignorance keeps me from 7/11, and understanding
I am already at 7/11 solves my problem? You areright. I don't know where 7/11 is, and when I get there
I will be happy, but you just speak nonsense. Are you
drunk?
That in which all this appears is imagined like the
snake in a rope; that joy, supreme joy, and awareness
is what you are, so be happy. 1.10
I am just imagining I am not at 7/11?
If one thinks of oneself as free, one is free, and if one
thinks of oneself as bound, one is bound. Here this
saying is true, "Thinking makes it so." 1.11
I get it. You are a nut-case, and all I have to do is think
of 7/11 and it is magically here. What drug are you
on?
Your real nature is as the one perfect, free, and
actionless consciousness, the all-pervading witness --
unattached to anything, desireless and at peace. It is
from illusion that you seem to be involved in samsara.
1.12
Oh my Lord! Why do I listen to you? Yes, 7/11 is
wonderful, but you don't know where it is, right?
Meditate on yourself as motionless awareness, free
from any dualism, giving up the mistaken idea that
you are just a derivative consciousness or anything
external or internal. 1.13
OK. This is cool. Meditate on 7/11, and give up the
mistaken idea that I am not at 7/11. How spiritual!
You have long been trapped in the snare of
identification with the body. Sever it with the knife of
knowledge that "I am awareness," and be happy, my
son. 1.14
I see your technique. I think I am here, not at 7/11, I
just need to know I am already at 7/11. That's helpful.
You are really unbound and actionless, selfilluminating
and spotless already. The cause of your
bondage is that you are still resorting to stilling the
mind. 1.15
Oh! I am already at 7/11. The problem is my mind.
OK.
All of this is really filled by you and strung out in you,
for what you consist of is pure awareness -- so don't
be small-minded. 1.16
Yes, I got it. I am small-minded. That's why there is
no 7/11. You are fun. I don't meet many insane people.
You are unconditioned and changeless, formless and
immovable, unfathomable awareness, unperturbable:
so hold to nothing but consciousness. 1.17
Yes, hang on to 7/11. Should I chant “7/11, 7/11,
7/11?” This should help, huh?
Recognise that the apparent is unreal, while the
unmanifest is abiding. Through this initiation into
truth you will escape falling into unreality again. 1.18
OK. OK. Enough nonsense. I know, 7/11 is right here,
but I am ignorant.
Just as a mirror exists everywhere both within and
apart from its reflected images, so the Supreme Lord
exists everywhere within and apart from this body.
1.19
Yes, you are right. 7//11's are everywhere, but you
don't know where one is. Too much cheap street
whiskey, I think.
Just as one and the same all-pervading space exists
within and without a jar, so the eternal, everlasting
God exists in the totality of things. 1.20
Lord, I will never find 7/11 this way. Thank you for
your help. It was fun talking with you. You have quite
a way of talking. I have never heard such things
before. I'll just go walking, and see if I can find a
7/11. Thank you. Bye. http://www.aryaveda.com/aryaveda/articles.html
To nourish the vital energy, keep watch in silence;
In order to subdue the mind, act with non-action.
Of movement and stillness, be aware of their origin;
There is no work to do, much less someone to seek.
The true and constant must respond to phenomena;
Responding to phenomena, you must be unconfused.
When unconfused, the nature will stabilize by itself;
When the nature stabilizes, energy returns by itself.
When energy returns, the elixir crystallizes by itself;
Within the pot, the trigrams of heaven and earth are joined.
Yīn and yáng arise, alternating over and over again;
Every transformation comes like a clap of thunder.
White clouds form and come to assemble at the peak;
The sweet nectar sprinkles down Mount Sumeru.
Swallow for yourself this wine of immortality;
You wander so freely—who is able to know you?
Sit and listen to the tune played without strings;
Clearly understand the mechanism of creation.
It comes entirely from these twenty lines;
A true ladder going straight to Heaven.-Daoist text -
