Ashtavakra Gita

[rossus]

http://nisargadatta.net/nine_masters.jpg
Foreword

The Ashtavakra Gita, or the Ashtavakra Samhita as it is sometimes called, is a very ancient Sanskrit text. Nothing seems to be known about the author, though tradition ascribes it to the Sage Ashtavakra - hence the name.

There is little doubt though that it is very old, probably dating back to the days of the classic Vedanta period. The Sanskrit style and the doctrine expressed would seem to warrant this assessment.

The work was known, appreciated and quoted by Ramakrishna and his disciple Vivekananda, as well as by Ramana Maharshi, while Radhakrishnan always refers to it with great respect. Apart from that the work speaks for itself. It presents the traditional teachings of Advaita Vedanta with a clarity and power very rarely matched.

The translation here is by John Richards, and is presented to the public domain with his affection. The work has been a constant inspiration in his life for many years. May it be so for many others.

John Richards, Stackpole Elidor, UK (jhr@elidor.demon.co.uk)
Presented to the public domain 28.5.94 -- HTML by Gene R. Thursby 28.1.98

Click to read the Ashtavakra Gita (http://www.religiousworlds.com/mystic/ashgita.html)

[tejas]

http://nisargadatta.net/nine_masters.jpg
Foreword

The Ashtavakra Gita, or the Ashtavakra Samhita as it is sometimes called, is a very ancient Sanskrit text. Nothing seems to be known about the author, though tradition ascribes it to the Sage Ashtavakra - hence the name.

There is little doubt though that it is very old, probably dating back to the days of the classic Vedanta period. The Sanskrit style and the doctrine expressed would seem to warrant this assessment.

The work was known, appreciated and quoted by Ramakrishna and his disciple Vivekananda, as well as by Ramana Maharshi, while Radhakrishnan always refers to it with great respect. Apart from that the work speaks for itself. It presents the traditional teachings of Advaita Vedanta with a clarity and power very rarely matched.

The translation here is by John Richards, and is presented to the public domain with his affection. The work has been a constant inspiration in his life for many years. May it be so for many others.

John Richards, Stackpole Elidor, UK (jhr@elidor.demon.co.uk)
Presented to the public domain 28.5.94 -- HTML by Gene R. Thursby 28.1.98

Click to read the Ashtavakra Gita (http://www.religiousworlds.com/mystic/ashgita.html)

Nice! Totally different to the Bhagavad

It is simply beautiful.

You are neither earth, water, fire, air or even ether. For liberation know yourself as consisting of consciousness, the witness of these.

Righteousness and unrighteousness, pleasure and pain are purely of the mind and are no concern of yours. You are neither the doer nor the reaper of the consequences, so you are always free.

The Ashtavakra Gita teaches[citation needed] that one is already free once one realises they are free. It advocates non-action (similar to the Daoist concept of Wu Wei), the loss of desire and severing of worldly attachments.

This resonates alot with me

[synergy777]

You do not belong to the brahmin or any other caste, you are not at any stage, nor are you anything that the eye can see. You are unattached and formless, the witness of everything - so be happy. 1.5

me being indian, this is true hinduisms, not the corrupt castism we have now. you are spirit not body/caste/colour

Burn down the forest of ignorance with the fire of the understanding that 'I am the one pure awareness', and be happy and free from distress. 1.9

bonfire of the vanities, lol

If one thinks of oneself as free, one is free, and if one thinks of oneself as bound, one is bound. Here this saying is true, "Thinking makes it so". 1.11

self imposed limitations of thoughts, mind control, free yourself from mental slavery.

You have long been trapped in the snare of identification with the body. Sever it with the knife of knowledge that þI am awarenessþ, and be happy, my son. 1.14

sword of truth

will add more as i read it, most probably tommorrow, this wonderful vedic heritage is the whole worlds to share.

[lydia78]

http://nisargadatta.net/nine_masters.jpg
Foreword

The Ashtavakra Gita, or the Ashtavakra Samhita as it is sometimes called, is a very ancient Sanskrit text. Nothing seems to be known about the author, though tradition ascribes it to the Sage Ashtavakra - hence the name.

There is little doubt though that it is very old, probably dating back to the days of the classic Vedanta period. The Sanskrit style and the doctrine expressed would seem to warrant this assessment.

The work was known, appreciated and quoted by Ramakrishna and his disciple Vivekananda, as well as by Ramana Maharshi, while Radhakrishnan always refers to it with great respect. Apart from that the work speaks for itself. It presents the traditional teachings of Advaita Vedanta with a clarity and power very rarely matched.

The translation here is by John Richards, and is presented to the public domain with his affection. The work has been a constant inspiration in his life for many years. May it be so for many others.

John Richards, Stackpole Elidor, UK (jhr@elidor.demon.co.uk)
Presented to the public domain 28.5.94 -- HTML by Gene R. Thursby 28.1.98

Click to read the Ashtavakra Gita (http://www.religiousworlds.com/mystic/ashgita.html)

Totally loving this thread!! thank you for the link!
This quote does it for me;
"If one thinks of oneself as free, one is free, and if one thinks of oneself as bound, one is bound. Here this saying is true, "Thinking makes it so". 1.11

[rossus]

This thread disappeared to the background really fast.
I bump it to the top for those who might have missed but want to read it.

[lenejento]

Totally loving this thread!! thank you for the link!
This quote does it for me;
"If one thinks of oneself as free, one is free, and if one thinks of oneself as bound, one is bound. Here this saying is true, "Thinking makes it so". 1.11

Yes, but is one not bound by identifying ourselfes to be a thought form? A seperate entity?

[lenejento]

Yes, but is one not bound by identifying ourselfes to be a thought form? A seperate entity?

Quote from Gangaji: Who you think you are is by the very nature of thought limited, so however grandiose the thought may be, it's still limited; but who you are has never been spoken, is closer than you can know.

[lenejento]

I mean, everyone can think they are free right? That's what most of the population think themselves to be...

[tejas]

I mean, everyone can think they are free right? That's what most of the population think themselves to be...

Exactly, and isnt that just self delusion?...

[mahabaratara]

I mean, everyone can think they are free right? That's what most of the population think themselves to be...


Spiritual Evolution has many levels...The first starts with self and then then rest dont matter...

[lenejento]

Many levels of ignorance maybe. Truth of our being stays same.

[mahabaratara]

And each truth is individual to the one experiencing it...

Thats the crux...

[rossus]

so finally... the last few days, i've slowly started reading the ashtavakra gita.
i just finished it....

the thing is a masterpiece!!!
it unfolds beautifully like a story. :)

too bad that people who have not much experience with "being"...
when they read this stuff... it probably won't mean much to them...

so they'd need to start with something more simple such as the stuff advertised in my signature...
and then read ashtavakra gita at the end, when their self-knowledge has ripened a bit....

or perhaps it's good for beginners too... i don't know.
some quotes i like...

If you are seeking liberation, my son, shun the objects of the senses like poison. Practise tolerance, sincerity, compassion, contentment and truthfulness like nectar. 1.2

You are neither earth, water, fire, air or even ether. For liberation know yourself as consisting of consciousness, the witness of these. 1.3

If only you will remain resting in consciousness, seeing yourself as distinct from the body, then even now you will become happy, peaceful and free from bonds. 1.4

You do not belong to the brahmin or any other caste, you are not at any stage, nor are you anything that the eye can see. You are unattached and formless, the witness of everything - so be happy. 1.5

Righteousness and unrighteousness, pleasure and pain are purely of the mind and are no concern of yours. You are neither the doer nor the reaper of the consequences, so you are always free. 1.6

You are the one witness of everything, and are always totally free. The cause of your bondage is that you see the witness as something other than this. 1.7

Since you have been bitten by the black snake of the self-opinion that 'I am the doer', drink the nectar of faith in the fact that 'I am not the doer', and be happy. 1.8

.............................

My son, you may recite or listen to countless scriptures, but you will not be established within until you can forget everything. 16.1

You may, as a learned man, indulge in wealth, activity and meditation, but your mind will still long for that which is the cessation of desire, and beyond all goals. 16.2

It is because of effort that everyone is in pain, but no-one realises it. By just this simple instruction, the lucky one attains tranquillity. 16.3

Happiness belongs to no-one but that supremely lazy man for whom even opening and closing his eyes is a bother. 16.4

When the mind is freed from such pairs of opposites as, þI have done thisþ, and 'I have not done that', it becomes indifferent to merit, wealth, sensuality and liberation. 16.5

One man is abstemious and averse to the senses, another is greedy and attached to them, but he who is free from both taking and rejecting is neither abstemious nor greedy. 16.6

So long as desire, which is the state of lack of discrimination, remains, the sense of revulsion and attraction will remain, which is the root and branch of samsara. 16.7

Desire springs from usage, and aversion from abstension, but the wise man is free from the pairs of opposites like a child, and becomes established. 16.8

The passionate man wants to be rid of samsara so as to avoid pain, but the dispassionate man is without pain and feels no distress even in it. 16.9

[rossus]

And each truth is individual to the one experiencing it...

Thats the crux...
"enlightenment", as in....
being deeply happy...
independent of the absence of pleasure or the presence of pain....

is not a subjective truth....
it is not even a truth or "the truth".
it is what it is.


when you no longer identify with the body...
when you no longer identify with any idea... and simply be that you are.... simply be....

then you experience "enlightenment" :)