Relentlessly Pointing to That Which is Absolute Reality (Ashtavakra Gita Intro) - 20th October 2016

I'm going to comment on the introduction here because it is relentlessly one-pointed. 'Every word is aimed at triggering self-realization. No suggestions for self-improvement, no rules for moral behavior, no practical wisdom for daily life. Powerful because the mere reading or repeated reading of it can be enough to send a right mind really into truth.' This is one aspect I am currently contemplating, to be honest. Because sometimes this sense of 'rightness' and the 'right mind' getting this... I never had the sense of, never contemplated this topic, that somebody could be more right, somebody could be less right. Because nobody can really tell at what stage anyone is at. So I've just trusted the voice to speak from here, whatever is coming, or that one trust me to... okay, into the presence, will take care of it. But I'm also contemplating now whether it does, because I've seen that ideas, just when they remain just as ideas, then they can be very, very strong ego defense. So it's a current contemplation and looking forward to see where that goes.

And now, still with us: 'Little is known about the Ashtavakra Gita. Ashtavakra is the name that appears in Indian lore, but almost certainly he did not write it.' I don't know what the source of this information is. 'The author, likely an anonymous sage, merely uses the characters of Ashtavakra and King Janaka to set up a classic dialogue between guru and disciple.' It's a very beautiful tradition. All these details set up various situations. Like the Bhagavad Gita sets up the situation of the war, a huge war, one of the biggest that you can imagine. And in the middle of that, the great warrior, the hero of power, Arjuna, then talks to his charioteer, who is a metaphorical representation of the Master, of the Guru. He says, 'How can I? How can I attack all these attachments that I have? My brothers are here. Is he asking me to get rid of all of them?' So it's a beautiful setup. For this beautiful Ashtavakra Gita that happens, then there's another scripture called the Yoga Vashistha with a young Ram at the age of sixteen, then so disillusioned with temptations, with anything that this realm has to offer. And we read some of that in the retreat and we feel, 'Wow, this is really strong, and really strong.' So then Vashistha comes to Ram then. It is the same Ram then that spoken on another occasion in the Adhyatma Ramayana to another king, Vibhishana. So many of these dialogues have been set up in these strong situations, maybe just to give some more color to the dialogue, taking some more representation of what the practitioner must be going through so we easily relate to what those things were.

So, 'He uses the characters of Ashtavakra and King Janaka to set up the classical dialogue between guru and disciple. It quickly becomes a guru-guru dialogue.' And in this way, it is rare. Is it because it quickly becomes a guru-guru dialogue? Because after the first volley of wisdom from Ashtavakra, Janaka realizes his true Self. That's about twenty verses in the first chapter. About twenty verses of Ashtavakra sharing, and Janaka comes to the realization of what is being spoken. And from then on, they get into an Advaitic jam session of the highest sort. That's why I enjoy this translation, because it speaks in this contemporary way. I was joking to someone and saying I'm happy with this one because it doesn't say, 'Verily, verily, thou art awareness.' It says, 'You are aware.' Sometimes in the indirectness of language, we miss the message. It is very clear that you are awareness.

'Because of this, some translators have done away with the dialogue format and attributed everything to Ashtavakra. Indeed, since all the verses of the Ashtavakra Gita exist at the highest possible level of spoken wisdom, it would appear meaningless to attribute some to the teacher and some to his newly enlightened disciple. There is nevertheless a storyline set up in the Ashtavakra Gita, and for me, it goes something like this: Chapter 1: It all starts when King Janaka asks the seer Ashtavakra how he can attain knowledge, detachment, liberation. Ashtavakra tells him. Chapter 2: It works. Upon hearing Ashtavakra's words, Janaka realizes his true nature. In rapture, he describes the joy and wonder of his new state. Chapter 3: Ashtavakra is delighted for Janaka but sees inconsistencies. He fires off a series of confrontational verses about attachment to worldly pleasure.' So this is a test from the Guru and the prevention of any sort of spiritual ego or mind. 'They're not assured that the Lord of the universe can do as he pleases. Chapter 5: Ashtavakra does not disagree, but in four verses points out the next step: dissolution. Chapter 6: Janaka says, "I know that already," matching him in style and the four verses. Chapter 7: Unable to leave it with that, however, Janaka goes on to further describe his enlightened state. Chapter 8: Still hearing too much "I" in Janaka's language, Ashtavakra instructs him in the subtleties of attachment and bondage. Chapter 9: Ashtavakra continues to describe the way of true detachment. Chapter 10: Ashtavakra hammers away at the folly of desire, no matter how elevated or subtle. Chapter 11: Ashtavakra further describes the state of desirelessness to achieve peace. Chapter 12: Janaka replies by describing the state of timelessness in which he now finds himself. Chapter 13: Janaka, having been instructed by Ashtavakra in Chapter 1 to be happy, reports that he is indeed. Janaka then summarizes his exalted state with calm indifference. Impressed but not through teaching, Ashtavakra relentlessly points to the vast emptiness of Self. Ashtavakra attacks the futility of effort and knowing. Then Ashtavakra describes the nature of One. Finally, Ashtavakra hits him with everything is gone. A hundred verses of pure non-dual energy. If this doesn't do it, nothing will. Chapter 19: It works. Janaka no longer describes his enlightened state but can speak only in questions, revealing absence. Chapter 20: In the final flurry of questions, pointing only at their own meaninglessness, Janaka burns off the last vestiges of personhood and enters dissolution. He is no more, and no more can be said. Ashtavakra smiles, nods approvingly, and says no more.'

Beautiful introduction by Bart Marshall of this document. Also, I want to tell you all that I haven't read this version yet, and I want to say that I haven't heard this for a long time. I remember many, many years ago there was a double session that I used to attend weekly. So since then, and also since we started reading it, I have not gone into the text beyond what we read together. I want for a voice to emerge, to see what comes up together instead of having any predetermined idea about what I will see, what I will say. You see, this has been really beautiful for me also because sometimes when I am reading, I feel like, 'Oh, okay, what is he saying?' Then it seems like it's immediately clear when we look together. So together here, enjoying the presence of this beautiful sage Ashtavakra. So I bow down at the feet of my Master, Satguru Mooji Ji. Also these two beautiful beings, Ashtavakra and Janaka, who have given us this beautiful text. And may this voice speak in resonance with what is there. A sense of what is being shared here. It is my blessing that all of you will see this for yourself and these words will not remain mere words, but take you beyond the words into what they're truly pointing at. Om Shanti, Mooji Ji.