The Enlightenment of King Janaka - contd..

Day 150

The Enlightenment of King Janaka

VASISTHA's Continued Narrative:

Reflecting on these thoughts, King Janaka rose from his seat like the sun rising on the horizon and began his royal duties, free from any attachment. He had let go of all concepts of desirable and undesirable, acting spontaneously and appropriately, as if in a state of deep sleep while being fully awake. He performed his daily tasks, including honoring the holy ones, and at the end of the day, he retired to his seclusion to meditate deeply, a practice that came naturally to him. His mind had turned away from confusion and delusion, becoming firmly established in equanimity. When he woke up in the morning, King Janaka reflected:

'O restless mind! This worldly life does not bring you true happiness. Seek equanimity, where you will find peace, bliss, and truth. When you indulge in perverse thinking, the illusion of the world spreads out. Desire for pleasure causes this illusion to grow. Thought creates this network of world-appearance. Abandon whims and attain equanimity. Weigh sense pleasures against the bliss of peace and seek what you determine to be true. Give up all hopes and expectations, free yourself from desires to seek or abandon, and roam freely. Whether this world-appearance is real or unreal, do not let its qualities disturb your equanimity. You have no real relationship with this world-appearance; it appears due to your ignorance. You and the world-appearance are both false, sharing a mysterious relationship like a barren woman and her son. If you are real and the world is unreal, how can there be a valid relationship? If both are real, there is no reason for joy or sorrow. Abandon sorrow and seek deep contemplation. Nothing in this world leads to fulfillment. Take refuge in courage and endurance, and overcome your own waywardness.'

VASISTHA continued:

With this understanding, Janaka performed his kingly duties with great strength of mind and spirit, undistracted by royal pleasures. He moved about as if in a state of deep sleep, appearing neither to accumulate nor reject anything, living in the present without doubt or confusion. His wisdom remained uninterrupted, and his intelligence stayed clear of impurities. The light of self-knowledge rose in his heart, free from impurity and sorrow, just as the sun rises on the horizon. He saw everything in the universe as existing in cosmic power. With self-knowledge, he viewed all things within the infinite self. Aware that everything happens naturally, he neither felt elation nor suffered depression, maintaining unbroken equanimity. Janaka had become liberated while still living.

Janaka continued ruling the kingdom, with his self-knowledge unaffected by good or evil influences. He remained ever conscious of the infinite, experiencing a state of non-action even though he appeared busy to others. His tendencies and intentions had ceased, making him seem always in deep sleep. He did not dwell on the past or worry about the future, living happily in the present.

Janaka attained all this through his own enquiry. One should similarly pursue the enquiry into truth until reaching its limits. Self-knowledge is not attained through a guru, scripture study, or good works, but through enquiry inspired by the company of wise and holy men. One's inner light is the only means. When this inner light is kept alive, it remains unaffected by inertia.

VASISTHA continued:

All sorrows, no matter how difficult, can be overcome with the boat of wisdom (the inner light). Without this wisdom, even minor difficulties become burdensome. With wisdom, one can cross the sea of sorrow alone and unassisted. One who lacks wisdom loses even what they have. Therefore, constantly strive to gain this inner light or wisdom, as one would diligently tend a garden for its fruits. Wisdom is the root that, when nourished, yields the good fruits of self-knowledge.

People's efforts in worldly activities should first be directed towards gaining wisdom. Destroy the dullness of wit, which is the source of sorrow and the seed of world-appearance. Wisdom allows one to cross this ocean of world-appearance, not charity, pilgrimage, or austerities. Divine virtues are gained through wisdom. Even kings gain their thrones through wisdom; it is the path to heaven and liberation.

Wisdom enables a meek scholar to win against a powerful adversary. It is like a legendary precious stone granting all desires. With wisdom, one easily reaches the other shore of world-illusion; without it, one drowns. Properly guided by inner light, one overcomes obstacles. Defects, desires, and evils do not approach the wise. Through wisdom, the world is seen clearly as it is. Good fortune and misfortune do not affect those with clear vision. Just as the wind disperses clouds veiling the sun, wisdom dispels the darkness of ego-sense. To establish oneself in the highest state of consciousness, purify the mind by cultivating wisdom or inner light, like tilling a field for foodgrains."