"Questioner:
Surely, I am not the master of what happens.
... Its slave rather.
Nisargadatta Maharaj:
๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ, ๐ง๐จ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐.
... ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐!
Questioner:
Does it imply avoidance of action?
Nisargadatta Majaraj:
You cannot avoid action.
... It happens, like everything else.
Q: My actions, surely, I can control.
NM: Try!
... You will soon see that you do what you must.
Q: I can act, according to my will.
NM: You know your will,
... Only 'after' you have acted.
Q: I remember my desires, the choices made, the decisions taken, and act accordingly.
NM: Then your memory decides - not you!
Q: Where do 'I' come in?
NM: You make it possible by giving it Attention.
Q: Is there no such thing as Free-Will?
... Am I not Free to desire?
NM: Oh No!
... You are compelled to desire!
In Hinduism the very idea of 'free-will' is non-existent.., so there is no word for it.
... Will is commitment - fixation, bondage!
Q: I am Free to choose my limitations.
NM: You must be Free first!
To be Free 'in' the world,
... You must be Free 'of' the world.
Otherwise, your past decides for you, And your future: Between what had happened, and what must happen - you are caught!
Call it Destiny or Karma, but never Freedom.
๐ ๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ,
... ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ '๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐'."
I am that