Building upon many years of privately shared thoughts on the real benefits of Stoic Philosophy, Liam Milburn eventually published a selection of Stoic passages that had helped him to live well. They were accompanied by some of his own personal reflections. This blog hopes to continue his mission of encouraging the wisdom of Stoicism in the exercise of everyday life. All the reflections are taken from his notes, from late 1992 to early 2017.
The Death of Marcus Aurelius
Friday, July 10, 2020
Wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita 17
Arjuna said:
1. Renunciation of action, O Krishna, you commend, and yet again, its performance. Which is the better one of these? Tell me decisively.
The Blessed Lord said:
2. Both renunciation and performance of action lead to freedom: of these, performance of action is superior to the renunciation of action.
3. He should be known a constant Sannyâsi (Mendicant), who neither likes nor dislikes: for, free from the pairs of opposites, mighty-armed, he is easily set free from bondage.
4. Children, not the wise, speak of knowledge and performance of action, as distinct. He who truly lives in one, gains the fruits of both.
5. The plane which is reached by the Jnânins (the Wise) is also reached by the Karmayogins (Doers of Good). Who sees knowledge and performance of action as one, he sees.
6. Renunciation of action, O mighty-armed, is hard to attain to without performance of action; the man of meditation, purified by devotion to action, quickly goes to Brahman.
7. With the mind purified by devotion to performance of action, and the body conquered, and senses subdued, one who realizes one's Self, as the Self in all beings, though acting, is not tainted.
—Bhagavad Gita, 5:1-7
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment