Ashtavakra Gita – the Enlightenment or Spiritual Wisdom

Ashtavakra Gita – the Enlightenment or Spiritual Wisdom
This universe has two perpetual powers i.e. spiritual wisdom and ignorance. Ignorance is for world and spiritual wisdom is for bliss. Ignorance takes the person away from jivatma and spiritual wisdom brings him closer to jivatma. Truthfulness, love, purity, uprightness, renunciation, dispassion, compassion, mercy etc. feelings are immortality.
Jivatma is not away in heaven or in Himalaya or temples but inside everybody which needs to be experienced. Jivatma is pure, serene, infallible (without defect) and not wavering. But due to clouds of thoughts and desires, jivatma cannot be seen. By clearing distractions, thoughts and desires from mind, enlightened person see the truth. He becomes observer, witness. World is based on imaginations, good or bad. All imaginations are in mind. Once curtain is lifted from mind, world appears different. Now the person can see jivatma which is unbound and free.

Realisation or experience of Jivatma (soul, self) is the spiritual wisdom, rest are information gathered from outside. Spiritual wisdom is beyond intellect and cannot be understood from books or scriptures. Intellect cannot provide solutions to different belief-systems and opinions. Hence, person aspiring for spiritual wisdom should avoid them. Just believing that jivatma is unchangeable, eternal and pure is not sufficient, realizing is necessary.

Enlightenment or Spiritual Wisdom;

1. Spiritual wisdom is an experience. Spiritual wisdom is necessary for moksha (liberation, salvation).
2. After spiritual wisdom is developed, all worldly pleasures, desires, knowledge etc. appear temporary and person becomes detached and dispassion arises.  Spiritual wisdom brings permanent and stable bliss. After enlightenment, all spiritual efforts need to be dropped otherwise these become bondage.
3. It eliminates distinction between jivatma and universe. However, spiritual wisdom is not moksha, it is the state of “Savikalp Samadhi”. Savikalp means it has samskara, mind, buddhi, chit etc. in seed form. When this seed is destroyed, it is the state of “Nirvikalp Samadhi”. In the latter state, there is no re-birth. In case, one has uneasiness due to sexual desire, it is concluded that he has not attained spiritual wisdom. Being consciousness, you are alone in this universe and would remain alone.   

Eligibility for Spiritual Wisdom:

1. Enjoyment and moksha are two opposite directions. World is enjoyment and disinterest into it is moksha. Mind rests between them. Person who aspires for enjoyment, may be talkative, intelligent, hard worker, diligent but who person of spiritual wisdom will be silent, not interested in actions which create disturbance. His consciousness will strive to get liberated.
2. Friends, field, wealth, house, wife, relations etc. are for short time. After death, everything will change. Next birth will make new relations etc. Hence, person aspiring spiritual wisdom should be indifferent to them.
3. Mind is constantly moving and run towards sense objects. But it is never satisfied. One should realise the nature of mind and that of one’s true nature of wisdom. The thoughts and desires are the dust which obstructs the vision of jivatma. Only need is to empty the mind. Acquisition of wealth, fame, respect, knowledge from scriptures etc. creates more thoughts and arguments. Emptying all this is must to clear the vision.
4. When mind is free from desires, attachment, longings and ego; Brahman remains. Then doer-ship goes. The distinctions from jivatma are due to ego mind, desires, longings, ignorance etc. when illusion is removed, distinction goes and realization of self comes.
5. Astavakra says, everybody needs to work, perform his duties in this world. Ignorant works keeping an eye on good-bad, auspicious-inauspicious, criticism-praise, etc.
6. True awareness is necessary for enlightenment or spiritual wisdom. Person with false awareness remains curious. To purify the chit, many births may be taken. Ignorance deludes buddhi or intellect. Dhayan or Samadhi removes ignorance and develops true awareness. Only aspiring person is eligible.    
7. For spiritual wisdom, trust is important that you are pure jivatma. Then the ignorance will eliminate and spiritual wisdom will ascend.
8. Person aspiring for spiritual wisdom needs to develop worth for it. Such person should accept the pair of opposites as same. Thereafter, presence of enlightened Guru is necessary when the event of spiritual wisdom takes place.
9. Spiritual wisdom comes after dispassion from desires. Thereafter, experience of spiritual wisdom is done with the help of enlightened guru. Moksha is not one time experience but residing peacefully, detached and blissfully into the eternal jivatma.

 
Ascent of Spiritual Wisdom:

1. Spiritual wisdom can be attained with little instructions. But main hurdles are attachment-aversion, ego, greed, delusion, hate etc. Restraint and rules are necessary to discipline mind and body.
2. All distractions are like leaves, ego and desires is root. Unless ego and desires are uprooted, destruction of distractions does not serve the purpose. Distractions rise in different forms.
3. Yogi has to practice effort fully the non-violence (अहिंसा), truthfulness (सत्य), non-stealing (अस्तेय), celibacy (ब्रह्यचर्य्य), not collecting too much/renunciation of desires & ego (अपरिग्रह) by mind, speech/word & actions. After attaining spiritual wisdom, body and mind become discipline automatically. Enlightened person habitually practice them.
4. World is seen as seer like to see. It is like dream created out of feelings and emotions. Illusion is removed by spiritual wisdom. Spiritual wisdom is not attainment but removal of hindrances.
5. With ascend of spiritual wisdom, you will be misery less. By spiritual wisdom, Jivatma can be realised. Spiritual wisdom is not subject of intellect. When everything else is dropped, then only spiritual wisdom phenomenon happens.   
6. Universe is full of diversities viz. people, animals, birds, insects, plants, solid, liquid, gases etc. as seen by mind. After spiritual wisdom attained, the distinctions are eliminated and entire universe appears one universal consciousness.
7. Jivatma is like ocean in which waves develop constantly. But waves are temporary and die down without impacting ocean or jivatma. 
8. As per many scriptures, after enlightenment, accumulated actions (संचित कर्म) and actions being done (क्रियमाण कर्म) are destroyed. But fruits of actions being commenced (प्रारब्ध कर्म) are to be enjoyed. Ashtavakra ji says, in case enjoyment is still to be done then ego remains. For enlightened person, only jivatma remains. Jivatma is neither doer nor enjoyer. Hence, actions being commenced also destroy.  

 
Reference:

1. Ashtavakra Gita, By Pandit Vivek Shri Kaushik, Puja Prakashan, Sadar Bazar, Delhi.