Enlightened Vision of the Self

Author(s): Akalankadev, Devendra K Goyal
Publisher: Radiant Publishers New Delhi

Page 63

FOREWORD
dininterested observation of inner thoughts, mental modes or thought processes without the filter of conditioning, i.e. without the egoistic attachment or involvement in them, the attitude of detached witness or choiceless awareness). When the Self is not disturbed or affected by the outer observed phenomenon, i.e. the events and happenings in the external world, but simply observes them as a passive spectator, he is said to practise drashta bhara.
But when he also remains uninfluenced by his internal thoughts such as likes and dislikes, attachment or aversion and sense of mineness or pride in material possessions and persons, it is known as “sakshi bharu” or tatasthabhara, i.e. an attitude of detached witness or a disposition of equanimity. “Freedom to choose" at the poise of intentional consciousness or desire does not give us “real” or “true" freedom; rather it accounts for attachment and binds us to objects and persons; it is indeed the cause of conditioning of the mind and leads to the influx of karmas. In fact, it is a state of “not-having-tochoose” which gives us inner psychological freedom from the temporality of intentional consciousness or a state of complete silence.98 In that awareness, there is no choice, no condemnation or acceptance, no likes or dislikes, no reaction, no negative thinking, no mamatra (attachment to possessions), no ahankara (ego or pride) in name, fame etc., including kartratur (doing some thing commendable or noteworthy).
In the jnata drashta state or syndrome, the Self (i.e. the soul as spiritual substance) continues to remain, even though it is free from any egoistic attachment to material things and worldly attainments. It may, however, be said that so long as the concept of substantial Self remains, there may still remain a distant possibility of it having some eagerness or desire for its own perfect spiritual well-being and liberation (moksha), and consequently complete non-attachment or equanimity in the true sense of the word may not be possible.
Jyoti Prasad Jain was an eyewitness to "a most painful scene in a train" when a Jain refused to give a little water from his lota (small round.pot, usually of brass or copper) to a woman for her baby, who was crying for it. Instead of giving water, he threw it away through the window. When enquired about the reason, he replied that “he is such and such Jain and that after the teachings of his Gurgi