The Perfect Man and Free Will
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E.P. Hafstein
The Bhagavad Gita – the Religious Poem and its Moral Message
The Bhagavad Gita, Section II, Verses 54-72
Bhagavad Gita, Section XI, Verses 32-34
The Bhagavad Gita and Free Will
References
In this article, I refer to two parts of the Bhagavad Gita.[1] These two parts contain the core of the poem’s message, which I attempt to illustrate. In the second part of the article, I discuss the message of the Bhagavad Gita.
The Bhagavad Gita – the Religious Poem and its Moral Message
The Bhagavad Gita is a religious poem and a work of spiritual philosophy. The Mahabharata (The Great Bharata) incorporates it into a large poetic cycle. It recounts the struggle between two branches of the same clan, the powerful Bharata clan. One branch is called the Kuravas, while the other is called the Pandavas. Arjuna is one of the leaders of the Pandavas, and his charioteer is named Krishna. When Arjuna confronts his relatives, the Kuravas, he is overcome by despair. He throws down his weapons and refuses to fight. Then, Krishna takes the initiative and begins to persuade him. The Bhagavad Gita unfolds as a conversation between Krishna and Arjuna. The center of Krishna’s encouragement of Arjuna is based on a particular moral viewpoint. This moral viewpoint, or moral teaching, is called dharma, or the theory of duty in life. It has been best expressed: “Do your duty without fear of the consequences.” Acts of duty performed without considering the results do not shackle the individual or create new karma. Irrespective of our social standing and position on the path of development, we must all observe our dharma and duties in life and towards life. We will succeed if we observe our duties with joy and peace in our minds. This moral teaching pervades the Bhagavad Gita from beginning to end.
There has been considerable controversy regarding how to read the Bhagavad Gita. Some commentators believe the events it describes are realistic and actually occurred. Others argue it should be interpreted symbolically. For the latter group, Krishna symbolizes God, while Arjuna represents the human soul. The named warriors are seen as human inclinations and instincts. God urges the soul to confront some of them because they intend to oppress the soul, despite having previously been its companions, providing it with knowledge and experience, and making it wiser. The battlefield is life itself, and it is here that the soul must fight. God compels the soul to engage in this battle. If it refuses to fight, it abandons its duty or dharma, leading to misfortune. On the other hand, if it fights, it faces no danger, and victory is assured. God himself has vanquished all its enemies, even though they remain unconquered! There is no escape for the evil desires and inclinations that combat against the soul. Development follows its natural course.
The Bhagavad Gita, Section II, Verses 54-72
Arjuna said:
II,54: What are the characteristics of the man with this wisdom, Krishna? How does he speak? How does he sit and walk?
The second section of the Bhagavad Gita[2] addresses the teachings of Samkhya and Yoga, two of Hinduism’s six philosophical schools. As evolution progresses and man approaches his ultimate goal, he gains increasing wisdom, which is the privilege of the few who have journeyed the path before him. Krishna explains to Arjuna, the individual who has reached the culmination of the path:
Then the glorious lord spoke:
II,55: The man, Arjuna, who bids farewell to all the desires of the mind and finds satisfaction in his spirit for its own sake, is said to stand in the hall of wisdom.
In the latter part of man’s development, he follows two paths. The first is the path of probation. The second is the path of holiness or initiation. It is said that he is in the hall of learning when he stands on the path of probation. On the path of initiation, he confronts his soul and is born into the fifth kingdom of nature, or the kingdom of God. At this point, he has transitioned from the hall of learning to the hall of wisdom.
II,56: That man is called wise, who in joy and sorrow is free of passions, fear, and anger, and has a constant mind.
No matter what happens in a wise man’s life, joy, sorrow, anger, fear, or passions do not affect him. If these feelings touch him, he dismisses them with love and looks inward to the source of life within him.
II,57: The man who has no desires and neither rejoices nor is repelled by the good or the bad, his wisdom is constant.
The personality of man is like flowers: They bloom and die. There is no need to praise the former or condemn the latter. We must accept whatever happens without sorrow or pain.
II,58: He who can withdraw his senses from the objects of sense, like a tortoise, draws its legs into its shell. His wisdom is constant.
It should be as simple for the wise man to avoid focusing on his sensations as it is for the tortoise to withdraw its legs if it experiences interference.
II,59: Sensations depart from the incarnate soul as soon as it rejects them, but attachment to
the objects of sense does not. But if it has perceived the Supreme, then attachment also departs.
Here, the difference lies in “outer” and “inner” wisdom. Faith does not consist of kneeling before an altar or praising God; true faith is conviction. We can deny our sensations, but the longing for the objects of sense remains. Awareness and understanding of the inner reality result in the disappearance of attachment to the objects of the senses.
II,60: Even though the wise man strives, Arjuna, and sees the goal clearly, the senses take his mind by force.
II,61: The man who has succeeded in gaining control of all his senses and desires only me; his wisdom is constant.
Control of the senses requires the concentration of the whole personality. Controlling the emotional and mental bodies is a prerequisite for complete mastery over the senses. However, self-discipline alone does not equate to knowledge. Self-discipline can be traced back to willpower and emotions. It becomes simpler when a person’s consciousness is directed toward the Supreme.
II,62: The man who constantly thinks about the objects of his sense reaps the harvest of attachment; desire arises from attachment and gives rise to anger.
Desire can be as irresistible as the most potent external force. Desires can elevate us to heights or plunge us into the darkest depths. In the Bhagavad Gita, III, 37, the two enemies, desire and anger, are discussed.
II,63: Delusion arises from anger, and a confused memory results from delusion. A confused memory leads to the destruction of insight, which results in destruction.
There are many aspects to the destruction of insight. For example, discriminating between right and wrong, or good and evil, is a delusion. When a person is overcome by desire, the result is confused memory and the loss of insight. When this occurs, he loses contact with his inner self. This does not mean he should withdraw from the world or shut out his sensations. To hate one’s senses because of their sensations is as incorrect as loving them. Guided from within, the mind should control the senses.
II,64: The man who has disciplined himself and is directed by his soul can go his way among the objects of sense. His senses do not discriminate between hatred and desire, and he enters into a state of peace.
When contact with the soul is established, objects and events around the individual no longer affect him. He accepts things as they are, free from despair or upsetting feelings. He desires nothing and envies no one. He has no wants and makes no demands.
II,65: In this peace, all the suffering he has experienced departs from him because his consciousness is soon apparent, and his insight is constant.
The man who has connected with his soul and yields to its guidance attains clarity of consciousness and a steady stream of insight from the soul.
II,66: For the man without control, there is no insight. He is unable to concentrate his mind, and without concentration, there is no peace of mind. How can a man without peace attain happiness?
Peace of mind forms the foundation of happiness.
II,67: When the mind submits to the control of the transient senses, wisdom departs like a boat driven before the winds.
Wisdom cannot be firmly established without peace of mind.
II,68: For this reason, Arjuna, who keeps all his senses away from the objects of sense, attains constant wisdom.
Stress is constantly placed in the control of the senses.
II,69: For all beings, it is considered a day; it is the night of ignorance for the wise, and what all creatures see as night is the day for the wise man.
When the delusory images of the senses attract all other creatures, the wise man concentrates on understanding reality. He remains awake to his inner reality, while the foolish man is either asleep or indifferent. The life of opposites represents the day for the unenlightened man, while it signifies night for the wise man.
II,70: The man who can let all desires flow through his mind without disturbing his peace, like an ocean into which all rivers flow without it becoming disturbed, has found peace, but not the man who clings to his desires.
II,71: The man who has rejected all desires is humble, selfless, and free of longing. He enters into a state of peace.
II,72: This is the condition of the Eternal, Arjuna. No one who attains it is bewildered. He who attains this condition, even at the moment of his death, enters into Nirvana.
In Buddhism, Nirvana is perfection, the condition of the Eternal. The Dhammapada, one of the Buddhist scriptures, states: “Health is the greatest of gifts, contentment is the greatest wealth; trust is the best of relationships. Nirvana is the highest happiness.”[3]
The expansion of consciousness is the main aim of man’s inner evolution. Nevertheless, it does not solely consist of prayer or desire-free work. Although the wise man is at one with his soul and free from the world’s distractions, his life is dedicated to continuous service.
Bhagavad Gita, Section XI, Verses 32-34
In Section XI of the Bhagavad Gita, the author sounds a new note. Here, it is suggested that all events have taken place before. Krishna says they are born in his mind and known in advance.
XI,32: I am time, the destroyer of worlds. My work consists of destroying them. Even without you, these warriors who stand in the ranks of your enemies would lose their lives.
The creator is presented as time, and his creations, part of him, are the form he takes on temporarily. Thus, he is depicted as both creator and destroyer. Here, the creator is entirely responsible for his creation and everything it encompasses, whether it be life and creativity or death and destruction. The creator has control over time because he exists outside of it. Krishna sees further than we do and knows that all external events are subject to control. He tells Arjuna that various causes which have been active inwardly for years and which we cannot influence appear as effects on the earthly plane. The death of Arjuna’s enemies is an irrevocable event that took place long ago. Impersonal forces, which we call Providence, are at work here; they are universal forces, part of God’s will, and subject to the control of His inscrutable purpose. All struggle by the individual against these forces is futile.
XI,33: Rise and earn glory. Overcome your enemies and enjoy unrestricted authority. I alone have already slain them. Become my instrument, Arjuna.
God’s will is active, and Arjuna is the instrument he has chosen to implement his will in the great course of evolution. Arjuna deludes himself if he believes he must act according to his own will and judgment. No one can contravene the will of God. By refusing to fight, Arjuna takes a direction against the path already laid out. That decision is irrevocable, and there is nothing Arjuna can do about it. He is merely an instrument, without a will, in the hands of God. Arjuna’s difficulty lies in reconciling himself, both mentally and emotionally, with the reality that he must submit to God’s will. The battle is won when Arjuna realizes that all aspects of his personality – his mind, emotions, and body – form a single entity under the soul’s control in fulfilling God’s will. God has a specific plan for humanity; in executing it, higher powers utilize us as instruments. They understand God’s will regarding human evolution, and their role is to guide humanity, step by step, along the development path.
Even though we, in our personalities, do not realize this, the soul is aware of it. It knows the
most direct path to the object and takes this path. The soul’s striving to follow this path frequently results in suffering for the personality. The illusion lies in our perception of the world and external events through the senses of the personality, this outer covering that makes every effort to cast shadows on the path and conceal it from the sight of the soul. The Bhagavad Gita points out how to throw off the shadows of the senses of the personality and bask in the soul’s light. Everything becomes illuminated in this light.
XI,34: Slay Dorna, Bhisma, Jayadratha, Karna, and the other mighty warriors. I have already slain them. Be unafraid; you will overcome your enemies in this battle.
The future is known, and nothing – not even the fall of a sparrow – escapes God’s attention.
The Bhagavad Gita and Free Will
These verses of the Bhagavad Gita address two fundamental assertions: firstly, that all events in the human world are determined and carried out before they appear to happen, and secondly, that we must discipline and control our minds and emotions so that the events of the moment do not affect us. On this basis, it is easy to conclude that while we cannot control or influence the course of events on the earthly plane, we can influence and control our minds and emotions. How, then, does free will fit into the picture? Firstly, we must understand that an individual’s personality is threefold, composed of three layers of material of differing density. The heaviest and densest part is the “rupa”, matter, and form; this is the physical body. The second layer is made of lighter material than the first and is the seat of our attachments and desires. It is called “kama-rupa”, the form of desires, or the emotional body. The third component of our personality consists of the lightest material: the “manas” (lower “manas”), the lower concrete mind, or the lower mental body. It is the seat of logical thought.
According to the Bhagavad Gita, all external events in life (i.e., all events that belong to the physical plane and are carried out by the physical body) are not free. Only the will that belongs to man’s lower mental body (i.e., his thoughts) and his emotional body (i.e., his emotions) is free. Since we cannot govern the actions of the physical body, we should not concern ourselves with them. We ought to concentrate our energies on actions that are subject to our free will and that we can control. The message of the Bhagavad Gita is that equilibrium is achieved in the personality when the mind and emotions are directed towards adapting to the events that occur in our lives. At the same time, our minds and hearts should constantly be directed toward the divine. With increased equilibrium, the soul gains greater control over the personality, which consciously becomes its instrument and the instrument of the higher powers. In light of these considerations, the message of the Bhagavad Gita in the verses quoted above may become more apparent.
When the stage of evolution is reached where the soul controls the personality, a new departure is made in the individual’s life. He is surrounded by the knowledge that he is a soul and that his personality is its projection in the three worlds of human evolution. The secret of the wheel of karma is revealed to him, and his consciousness is directed towards one aim: throwing off the shackles of cause and effect. The method indicated by the Bhagavad Gita produces the desired result. The individual’s free will on the emotional and mental planes, i.e., his thoughts and emotions concerning what happens unavoidably on the physical plane, is crucial. If free will is employed against the events that occur, the individual chains himself to the wheel of karma. The solution consists of directing the threefold personality in the same direction. Or, in the words of Krishna: “The man who has rejected all desires is free of longing and is humble and selfless. He enters into a state of peace.”[4]
Therefore, the aspirant’s goal is threefold: Firstly, he must become aware of his nature as a soul. He must understand that he is a soul and that the soul controls external events. The soul is a warrior and knows the shortest path to the Heavenly Father. The personality is short-lived yet has its uses as an actor in the grand spectacle. In battle, it stands beside the warrior, taking his commands and obeying them.[5] Secondly, the individual must remember that the emotions of the emotional body are of great importance in preparing for subsequent incarnations. Instead of silencing or suppressing emotions, we must discipline the emotional body. The correct method is to gradually allow more positive emotions to flow through the emotional body while driving out the negative and confusing feelings that characterize far too many people today. A noble and beautifully colored emotional body should be our aim. Thirdly, the same applies to the mental and emotional bodies. The thoughts generated by the individual are critical. Noble and positive thoughts drive out undesirable thoughts and pave the way for the future. A suitable method of training the mind is to “examine” the ideas in one’s mind, give them a moment’s attention, and think about why they arose. Then, they can be dismissed.
The moment arrives when the soul’s control over the personality is so strong that it makes itself known to the personality in one way or another. Awareness of the soul’s existence forces its way into the brain. This moment has been explored in various writings on occultism. Light on the Path[6], for example, states that “the flower of the soul has opened.” Faith no longer exists as such; it has become a fact, a certainty. The time for saying “I believe” is past; instead, the individual says: “I know.” “You dwelt long in the hall of learning; now you have gained admission to the hall of wisdom.” The first stage of occult initiation is now behind, and birth into the fifth kingdom of nature, the kingdom of God, has taken place.
When certainty is attained, the soul’s control over the personality steadily increases. Gradually, the brain becomes prepared. Wisdom and love flow from the soul to the personality, allowing it to experience things it never imagined existed. It comes to recognize many of the personalities that constitute the soul. In other words, it shares in the experiences the soul has gathered through the ages. The personality is reminded that it is only one of the soul’s many personalities and, as such, serves as the active instrument of the soul during this incarnation. It is impermanent, and it had better obey! The wrappings of delusion are stripped away, and guidance is given with love. Another thing also happens. The veil is partly lifted from the future, revealing the role of the soul, in the form of the personality during the present incarnation. From this moment, the personality is dedicated to the soul’s will, and in humility and gratitude, it receives the soul’s instructions and carries them out. It does so not only because they are its dharma, which it must fulfill without fail, but also because the entire personality – mind, heart, and hand – engages in this work wholeheartedly. The personality has found its path and follows it with love toward all living things.
There are beings on the inner planes that assist with man’s evolution. Their role (since all beings have a role to play in evolution) includes helping develop the mental and emotional bodies of those who are incarnate. They are known as our helpers and generally appear to us in the form of deceased relatives. Admittedly, the ordinary person is not aware of them, but those who are sensitive and have second sight testify to the existence of these beings. Their role involves helping us align our thoughts and feelings with the actual events of the moment, i.e., those events determined in advance and which the soul controls.
Many methods are used to provide this assistance. The most important consists of words of encouragement and a flow of love towards the troubled personality since love is the basis of our solar system. Help is also given by showing us glimpses of our future, i.e., from the annals of Akasa. These glimpses are specially chosen to reassure us, strengthen us, and reduce negative streams of thought and emotion. Simply put, the annals of Akasa are a directory of man’s past, present, and future evolution. They are God’s creation and also the enactment of that creation. They represent the word, the tone, and the creative link between life and form. They are known because they came into being through meditation and are maintained in the resonance of the sacred word. In the fullness of time, when the soul has gained total control of the personality, we will be given our rightful property, the power of creation. The annals of Akasa are a “dress rehearsal” of God’s great work, which we call creation and originated in His mind. The first performance is the enactment of God’s creation on the physical plane. Our delusion consists of confusing cause and effect, the dress rehearsal, and the first performance, reality, and illusion, thereby raising the personality to a position of respect, casting the inner God from His throne, and instead crowning the personality and worshipping it as a god. The delusion is so complete that we do not perceive this simple truth. While delusion holds sway, suffering will always exist. This is the suffering of the emotional body, emotional turmoil, and suffering in the mental body, i.e., despair. Physical suffering, i.e., the suffering of the physical body, is the consequence of despair and emotional turmoil in one way or another, with its causes either in this incarnation or in previous ones.
It is stated above that beings on the inner planes assist in the development of the emotional and mental bodies of the personality. Additionally, there are beings on the inner planes that fulfill other roles. One of their areas of activity is the higher mental plane (the higher manas), and their role includes directing, assisting, and collaborating with the soul on the tasks it undertook during its current incarnation. Examples include teaching about spiritual values, healing, and the work of mediums. For this to occur, the soul must have traveled sufficiently far along the path of return to be considered an “accepted disciple.” To be an accepted disciple means to have attained consciousness under the guidance of a Master and his assistants on the inner planes. A group of souls of this nature is characterized by their coming together, under the direction of a Master, to work on specific tasks. The beings in such a group may be either incarnate or not. To avoid misunderstanding, clarifying that this does not refer to a group in the conventional sense is essential. Instead, it pertains to a state of consciousness. The connection among the group of souls occurs within the consciousness of the beings in the group. Each soul’s personality is aware of the group’s plan and role in the group. Such conviction or message compels the individual who experiences it to relinquish everything they hold dearest in the world of personality, willingly and with the understanding and determination of a soul dedicating all its efforts to the service of its fellow men and their evolution.
References
1 Bhagavad Gita. Author unknown.
2 Bhagavad Gita, II, 1-72. Author unknown.
3 Dhammapada, XV, 8. Author unknown. Transl. S. Radhakrishnan. Oxford University Press, London 1950.
4 Bhagavad Gita, II, 71. Author unknown.
5 Collins, M. 1976: Light on the Path, II, 1-4. California Theosophical University Press. (1st edition 1888).
6 Collins, M. 1976: Light on the Path, I, 21. California Theosophical University Press. (1st edition 1888).