What is Vedanta’s final instruction, once the four yogas, the scriptures, and the practices are stripped away? Summa iru — be still. But if stillness is the goal, why does the mind refuse it? This letter traces a four-link chain — ignorance, desire, thought, action — to argue that the “obstacles” of Buddhist Abhidharma’s kleshas are symptoms of desire, and desire itself is a symptom of the deeper ignorance that we are body-mind alone. A companion critique examines the circularity this seems to create, and asks whether stillness must be achieved through effort, or simply uncovered by inquiry.
Category: Self-realization / Liberation
The 2nd Verse of Ashtavakra Gita
The 2nd verse of Ashtavakra Gita is this reply by Ashtavakra: “If you are seeking liberation, my son, avoid the … More
The Bind We Are In
“For anything that goes wrong in our life, we cannot blame others because they are NOT the doers. And we … More
I’m Happy Being Bipolar
I’m happy being bipolar But I am not sure others are I drive them crazy with my moods And I … More
The Delusion Called Love
“What is love but an attraction between two deluded people, and all people in this world are deluded. Wake up!”
Summa Iru: Formal Renunciation for The Dissolution of the False Self
All my life I have been ending ignorance — reading, thinking, writing, seeking. Now the loose ends are nearly tied. Come July 16, my 62nd birthday, it will be summa iru: not a thing I choose, but what happens when the false self, strung together from my relationships, finally dissolves. The more I carve out this “Me Time,” the more I begin to disappear. Nothing defines me; nothing tells me who I am. And so the old question arises almost naturally — “Who am I?” — a question one can sit with, alone, and stand a very good chance of answering.
My Latest Book Available Now on Amazon — The Mind Itself Is a Digression: Poems, Reflections, and Dialogues of a Restless Seeker
Kindle eBook In India: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0H4X9NFMB In USA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H4X9NFMB Paperback In USA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H58FG4VK The mind itself is a digression — or … More
Wanna Stop Writing After This
“For a long time now, the role of the Brahmin has been outsourced to other countries, particularly Europe and the … More
The Stupid Brahmin and His Even Stupider Janeu
“The moment I realized that it is only the Brahmin male who wears the janeu and not the Brahmin female, … More
Priti Interesting Pick
I shared with my friend my blog post“The Various Culinary (Philosophical?) Dispositions Round the World”And she picks this to highlight … More