Transcendence Of Thought Is Absolute Freedom
Dhruva Bhargava
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What ultimately constitutes freedom? Though we dearly cherish freedom, most view freedom with an incomplete perspective. Therefore, seeking freedom is tantamount to chasing a mirage whereby one seeks freedom from one state only to land in bondage of another.Absolute freedom, thus, remains an unending quest with incomplete knowledge. This incompleteness is founded in our inability to take a holistic view.We live in a mysterious world of duality and opposites. Having a holistic perspective requires both thesis and antithesis. Without experiencing darkness, one cannot know what light is; without experiencing heat, one cannot know what cold is; without depth, height has no meaning and without hate, love.Thesis and antithesis coexist like two sides of the same coin. Both are essential aspects of the same reality . Hence, to understand freedom wholly requires understanding bondage.
Bondage is a state of mind and how our concepts, idea, beliefs create bondage reminds one of the story of an elephant tied to heavy chains. He struggles hard to set himself free but is unable to do so. One day , he was led to his usual restoring place but left untied.Yet the elephant did not break free since he was still under the illusion that he was tied.
The belief of powerlessness is so deeply ingrained that even when freedom is at hand, one is unable to know that. Bondage is not in the chain, it's in the mind.Belief is the bondage. Same holds true for our perception of the physical world. Our perception of the world, not the world per se, creates bondage.
The foremost thought that comes to our mind on perceiving an object of liking is of ownership how I can possess or own the object. But can we really own anything in this world? We came empty handed and are destined to leave empty handed. No way a physical object can become a part of us. Therefore, whatsoever exists, exists as an idea or a thought. The sense of “my“ or ownership is merely a mental construct that exists as long as our ego exists. Thus, not the external world rather it is our belief or thought of the same that creates bondage. Human mind functions through concept, ideas and beliefs. These can be aptly substituted by the word “thought“. Thoughts have genesis and influence. When accompanied with feelings of superiority and inferiority , eld tremendous influence and they wield tremendous influence and become source of judgment.
Thoughts having lasting influence originate in minds of charismatic individuals and their impact persists over generations: for revealed religions the thought of its messenger, for spiritual lineage that of its guru, for tribe that of its head, for nation that of its political leader. However, nations, tribes, religions, traditions are not physical entities but merely thoughts or concepts.These are the mental boundaries within which our mind functions. They unite few but divide many . If we seek independence from one thought and seek solace in another, independence is then an illusion. It's seeking freedom from one and being bound by another.
Absolute freedom, therefore, lies in transcending thoughts. It's going beyond thought and seeking the Self within, the very source of thoughts.Freedom, then, becomes a personal endeavour of seeking liberation by transcending the division created by mind and attaining to our innate essence, absolute freedom, a state of sheer joy , where no bondage exists.
Bondage is a state of mind and how our concepts, idea, beliefs create bondage reminds one of the story of an elephant tied to heavy chains. He struggles hard to set himself free but is unable to do so. One day , he was led to his usual restoring place but left untied.Yet the elephant did not break free since he was still under the illusion that he was tied.
The belief of powerlessness is so deeply ingrained that even when freedom is at hand, one is unable to know that. Bondage is not in the chain, it's in the mind.Belief is the bondage. Same holds true for our perception of the physical world. Our perception of the world, not the world per se, creates bondage.
The foremost thought that comes to our mind on perceiving an object of liking is of ownership how I can possess or own the object. But can we really own anything in this world? We came empty handed and are destined to leave empty handed. No way a physical object can become a part of us. Therefore, whatsoever exists, exists as an idea or a thought. The sense of “my“ or ownership is merely a mental construct that exists as long as our ego exists. Thus, not the external world rather it is our belief or thought of the same that creates bondage. Human mind functions through concept, ideas and beliefs. These can be aptly substituted by the word “thought“. Thoughts have genesis and influence. When accompanied with feelings of superiority and inferiority , eld tremendous influence and they wield tremendous influence and become source of judgment.
Thoughts having lasting influence originate in minds of charismatic individuals and their impact persists over generations: for revealed religions the thought of its messenger, for spiritual lineage that of its guru, for tribe that of its head, for nation that of its political leader. However, nations, tribes, religions, traditions are not physical entities but merely thoughts or concepts.These are the mental boundaries within which our mind functions. They unite few but divide many . If we seek independence from one thought and seek solace in another, independence is then an illusion. It's seeking freedom from one and being bound by another.
Absolute freedom, therefore, lies in transcending thoughts. It's going beyond thought and seeking the Self within, the very source of thoughts.Freedom, then, becomes a personal endeavour of seeking liberation by transcending the division created by mind and attaining to our innate essence, absolute freedom, a state of sheer joy , where no bondage exists.
