Pressure and A-dvaita

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Tue, 29 Apr 1997, Cameron Reilly wrote:

>
> I think that this is where an understanding of non-volition is important.
>
> I would very much contend that one can be driving a Toyota and earning US$
> and *still* be detached. Such an individual (is there such a thing? forgive
> the terminology) would not differentiate between having the Toyota and not
> having the Toyota. Because he (or she) would not consider his (or her) self
> to have any control over 'events'... no volition... one accepts the
> universe as it appears unconditionally... and understands that 'having' or
> 'not-having' are the different ends of the same piece of string, why is one
> 'good' and the other 'bad'? Only in the mind world of duality do they
> appear separate.
>

Only in the mind world of duality are there Toyotas so you haven't really
answered the question.

Even if an owner doesn't care about his car he is still responsible for
pedestrians, other drivers, the environment, traffic rules, taxes, tolls,
and road works.  Surely this requires volition.  If the owner isn't
aware of these things it means he is irresponsible not detached. So I
agree with Prasad that owning a car, chasing after dollars etc. is
incompatible with detachment.

The other example given in this thread was of Janak Raj who is consider a
jnani even though he was a grhastha with a kingdom to  boot.  Is this the
same situation?  I think not.  Nobody "has" to have a car.  A king has a
duty (dharma) to protect the kingdom from invaders, administer justice
etc.  King Janak merely did his duty, he did not do the other things such
as hunting etc. which are associated with royalty but not required of it
it.  That makes him a jnani.

Moksha or freedom from rebirth on the other hand, requires the complete
cease of all karma.  Indeed in another source (Vishnu Purana?) we read
Janak was born many times.

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