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Labeling thoughts is doership

by | Aug 13, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Body, Direct Path, Doership, Ego, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness

Question:

When I watch the arisings with open eyes as I go about my day, I have noticed that sometimes l label arisings like, ” I-thought”, “trigger for habit pattern thought “, “desire/raga thought”, “obsessive thought”, etc. I understand that goal is silence and labeling thoughts is also a thought. Should this also be dropped? Thanks. 

 

Answer:

Examine closely, a label is also just another thought. The goal of Advaita is neither to drop anything nor pick up anything new. The goal is realizing the truth that ‘everything is happening on its own, I am NOT the doer’.

If I am not the doer, how can I drop anything? How can I pick up anything?

Recognize that the Ego is very sticky. It does not let go of doership easily. Doership arises in some or the other form. Our job here is only to recognize again and again that the doership is assumed. It is not the actual reality [paramarthic], it is only apparent reality [pratibhasic]. 

The Witness has forgotten its own true nature and has worn the costume of body-mind and is playing on the stage. It refuses to get out of the costume. It has believed that the costume & the corresponding role-play are its real nature. It is not going to let go easily. It can very well pretend that now I recognize that I am not the doer and still try to label everything. Remember that the Ego is getting more and more intelligent in its ways. This is nothing but an assumption of a new doership. 

Instead, recognize that labels arise by themselves. I am not doing anything. I cannot pick up something new, and I cannot even drop anything. I can only attempt to see things more clearly because I-the-witness have only one single function – Knowing! That is why I am also called Knowingness.

Keep chugging! 

 

#AtmaNirvriti #AtmanandaKrishnaMenon #AdvaitaVedanta #Non-duality

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6 Comments

  1. Rama Susarla

    Dear Ekta Didi
    If “Aham brahmasmi” is true why then one commits henious crimes like robbery, child molestation, murder. Why “ the witness doesn’t interfere to do something about it. If we leave everything to karma who is going to take responsibility about their deeds. I am so confused and sad by the latest COVID situation also. There is no end to corruption and brutality of human nature. I can feel witness is there but not doing anything. Just us there. What is the point. Please shed light on it.
    Thank you
    Rama

    Reply
    • Gnyana Sangha

      Dear Rama, I have explained this in detail in the Advaita videos dear. I will explain briefly here – Have you ever dreamed a nightmare, wanted to get out of it but were unable to get out of it? YES! Whose making was it? Was the answer to this question – It was Rama’s making and yet Rama was not responsible for it, simply knowing that it is happening?

      Life is exactly like a lucid dream. You have already sowed the seeds of this dream in the past. Now is harvest time. No option! Harsh but true!

      P.S. Hope it is clear dear – Dreamer = Consciousness Dream-character = Body/Mind

      Reply
  2. Vinaya

    Didi if things are happening and not in my control then how come seeds were sowed by me in the past this is confusing please guide?

    Reply
    • Gnyana Sangha

      Whenever the witness forgets its true identity and assumes to be I-the-person, then there is suffering due to the assumptions of doership and experiencership. Whenever the witness remembers its true identity, it discards the false assumptions of being the doer and experiencer, it learns to go with the flow as it is and that itself brings peace!

      Reply
  3. John

    Hello can u plz explain the text below from osho saying that brahman is behind all worldly activiities and we are that brahman meaning “I am the doer”
    This is the text :
    “Brahman is the nucleus of all worldly
    activities…
    l am this brahman…
    This is a very revolutionary statement: …al
    Worldly activities… This means that the thief, the man
    who is blinded by lust, the greedy person who is
    sitting on a pile of money like a snake – all this worldly
    activity arises from the
    brahman.
    The sutra says something even more amazing: /
    am this brahman. So | am the one who is stealing
    through the thief, I am the greed in the greedy person
    and the lust in the lecher. This sutra is amazing! This is
    the realization of a true, religious consciousness.
    But the people whom you call religious say, “You
    are a thief, you
    will go to hell”
    They don’t realize
    that
    they are sending themselves to hell! If they had any
    understanding of what they are saying, they would
    not be so interested in
    condemning. But your saints
    and monks tell you that you are a sinner, and that you
    will go to hell. It does not occur to them that this
    means they are the sinners and that they will go to
    hell. Only when this understanding happens is
    religiousness born in a person: “Whatsoever happens
    in this vworld, I am a participant in it because I am part
    of this world. If a Ravana has happened,I am the evil in
    him. It is inevitable because I am a participant in this
    world. If there is a war going on in Vietnam, I am
    responsible
    for it i am the one who is being killed in that war and I am the one who is killing,..”
    This is the text above explained by osho telling tjat since brahman is the doer and i am brahman then i am doer responsible for all worldy actions etc…
    Can u explain Plz how i am brahman and not doer thank u

    Reply
    • Gnyana Sangha

      Yes sure. It will have to be another blog post as the answer will be long. I will post that link here once published on the blog site.

      Reply

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