Ashtavakra Gita: Peace

18.31

The liberated one
does not exert effort
to meditate or act.
Action and meditation just happen.

18.32

Hearing ultimate Truth,
the dull-witted man is bewildered.
The wise man hearing Truth
retreats within and appears
dull-witted.

18.33

The ignorant practice
meditation and no-thought.
The wise,
like men in deep sleep,
do nothing.

18.34

The ignorant man finds no peace
either by effort or non-effort.
The wise man
by Truth alone is stilled.

18.35

Though they are by nature Self alone,
pure intelligence, love and perfection;
though they transcend the universe
and are clearness itself,
men of the world will not see this
through meditation and practices.

18.36

The ignorant man
will never be liberated
by his repetitious practices.
Blessed is he who
by simple understanding
enters timeless freedom.

18.37

Because he desires to know God,
the ignorant man can never become That.
The wise man is God
because he is free of desire
and knows nothing.

18.38

Unable to stand steady
and eager for salvation,
the ignorant perpetuate
the illusion of world.
Seeing the world
as the source of all misery,
the wise cut it off at the root.

18.39

The fool thinks peace comes
by controlling the mind.
He will never attain it.
The wise one knows Truth,
and is stillness itself.

18.40

For he who thinks knowledge
is things and ideas
how can there be Self-knowledge?
The wise do not see separate things--
only the timeless Self.

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