[Advaita-l] Karmaadhikaari

[Anbu sivam2]

Why is one born?

Because of his past birth.

What has his past birth to do with this birth?

Because he had done something and the fruit of such an action has not been
enjoyed/suffered by him.  Therefore he is born now to enjoy and suffer the
fruits his actions.  One cannot avoid the karmaphala for that would
repudiate the karma theory.

How does he enjoy and suffer.

Through his identification with his body.

So if he does not identify with his body then he need not have to suffer?
Does he have such a choice?

That which makes a choice, namely the mind, is part of his body.  It cannot
be separated from the body.  (See BrihadhaaranyakOpanishad)

So are you saying that he has no choice?

Yes, he would have no option but to enjoy and suffer his past karma.  The
idea that he is the body belongs to the mind and the mind cannot exist
without that idea.

Can the mind be 'educated' not to identify with the body?

What for? What use is that mind then for him?

Then what does he do to avoid being born and being dead again and again to
meaninglessly going through the cycle of enjoyment and suffering?

He should not covet the fruits of his actions.

How about if he refuses to perform the karma?  There automatically he would
not gather any fruit of karma.

All karmas are painful.  Therefore karmas are part of his suffering and he
is destined to do them as part of his praarabhdha karma.  Thus he cannot
avoid performing karma.  Such is his destiny.

Is there a karma that does not bear fruit?

No there is no such barren karmas in this world.

Can anyone perform karma without coveting its fruit?

Only if the idea sinks in the mind that seeking the fruit brings him back
into the world of samsaara where he suffers the thaapathrayam.

So if he exhausts his karmaphalas by performing his karmas without seeking
their fruits would he be released from being born again?

The idea that he can exhaust his karmaphalas accumulated in millions of
prior births is simply a stupid notion for such exhaustions can take
millions of births.  IT SHOULD FIRMLY SINK IN HIS MIND THAT THE KARMAPHALAS
CANNOT BE EXHAUSTED.

How can he then bring an end to the cycle of inexhaustible births and
deaths.

By sacrificing the one that identifies him with the body namely the mind.

How can it be done?

He cannot do it by himself for the mind would not let him do it.  He needs
help to get rid of it.  Such help comes only from a Guru.  Sucn Guru has to
be destined so the mind cannot resist him.

Can he be the author of his destiny?

He is always the author of his destiny.  By desiring the fruit of karma he
ensured his future births. Good karmas bring more enjoyment and less
suffering and bad karmas do the opposite.  But all karmas exhaust in time.
That would take another death and another birth.  Since all births involve
karma and the karmas bear fruit the only choice is to dedicate those fruits
to the Lord.  The mind can make that choice if it realizes that it suffers
from the thaapathrayam.

Would one be attracted to the Lord?

The very realization of sufferings brings humility and surrender to the
lord.  The emanating Grace is explained by our AachaaryaaL in the following
stanza of Soundaryalahari.

"Avidhyaanaamanthasthimira mihiradhveepanagari
jadaanaam chaithanyasthabhakamakaranthasruthijari |
dharidhraaNaam chinthaamaNiguNanikaa janmajaladhou
nimagnaanaam dhamshtraa muraripuvaraahasya bhavathi ||
(Soundaryalahari 3)

When nishkaamakarmas are performed then the Lord as karmaphala dhaatha
destines a Guru for him.  Since the Guru is his destiny he will surrender to
the Guru without any resistance by his mind.

Aum Sri GurubyO namaha
Anbu