From Emotional Maturity to Moksha
Do you ever want to feel sad, lonely, upset, anxious, insecure? No, preferably not if I can avoid it! But can we avoid it? Surely that’s life – ups and downs? The ‘ups’ (when situations in life are conducive, and I feel happy) are fine, it’s the ‘downs’ we do not want. So can we ever be totally free from feeling down? Vedanta boldly, almost outrageously, answers: Yes. That total freedom from the emotional ‘downs’ (duhkham – sadness, loneliness, insecurity, etc) of life is called ‘Moksha’ in Vedanta. Moksha is freedom from sadness, freedom from anything you do not want. Moksha is complete fullness, wholeness, peace, bliss. Moksha is the fulfilment of all your desires you’ve ever had in your entire life, in one shot, simultaneously – so says Taittiriya Upanishad: Sah Ashnute Sarvan Kamaan Saha.
So I have decided. After thinking about it, analysing my life experiences of ups and downs (Mundaka Up: Pariksha lokaan), considering what this Moksha is described as in Upanishad….I am decided. Decided on what? I want Moksha. I choose Moksha as my goal to be achieved in life (Purushartha). Above everything else, I now see that this is the most valuable thing to be attained. This decision is born of emotional maturity. An emotionally matured person is one who follows and deeply values Dharma (Truth, Non-Violence, Compassion, Humility, Prayerfulness, Duty, Giving, Steadiness, etc – See Gita Chapt 13.8). Karma Yoga is the means to achieving this emotional maturity, as taught in Gita. Emotional maturity is not simple, and often takes a lifetime in itself to achieve. Even as we grow in emotional maturity – the fruits will manifest for you to see – you feel generally more cheerful, emotionally steady, at peace with yourself, no desire to show off to others, more naturally contemplative, right decisions become clearer, and you start to question the meaning of life more (eventually bringing you to Vedanta and the desire for Moksha – Mumukshutvam).
Now I have decided I want complete freedom from sadness (Moksha) – how do I get it? What is the instrument/means by which I can achieve this freedom? Here’s where it gets a little strange….Upanishad says you are already free. You already have Moksha. Just like the story of the 10th man who is frantically looking for the 10th man amongst his 9 friends, not realising he is himself the 10th man. He is looking for himself, but doesn’t know it. He is self-ignorant and therefore needs self-knowledge. So to we are looking for freedom, not knowing we are already free. We are self-ignorant and therefore need….self-knowledge (Atma-Jnanam/enlightenment/self-realisation). This Self-Knowledge is what is exhaustively taught to us by Vedanta (Upanishad, Gita). Hence we must systematically study Vedanta with the help of a qualified teacher (Guru) in order to gain this Self-Knowledge that we are already free. Then once you know you are free, you are free. Simple.
In conclusion: live, follow dharma and karma yoga, grow in emotional maturity, naturally gain an interest in Moksha, study Vedanta with the help of a qualified teacher, attain Self-Knowledge, be Free (Moksha)!
Om Tat Sat.
Aditya
