Student: What is non doership ? I understand from the fact that I am not the doer of my breathing, digestion etc.. Am I responsible for my jnana and ajnana ? In that context I asked non doership. I meant does non doership apply to physical activities only, does it apply perception and acquisition of knowledge?
Prabhuji: prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah ahankara-vimudha tma kartaham iti manyate Bhagavadgita 3.27 All actions thinking, feeling, doing are due to Prakriti or nature. SELF being infinite non dual can never be the doer. Manifest Consciousness identifies with actions of nature – prakriti and thinks “I am doer” due to ego. This understanding is false. Reality is “I AM not mind, body or intellect. I AM not a thinker, feeler or Doer. I AM pure consciousness- Brahman’. Due to MAYA – dream, I identify myself with the body as Jiva and think “I am body,mind intellect, doer,thinker etc’. Please note the difference between “I AM – Brahman” and “I am Jiva”. In reality I am is THAT I AM but due to the illusion of Maya I forget my real nature.
Student: Does non-doership apply to understanding ?
Prabhuji: Knowledge of any subject is conditioned consciousness where as pure knowledge or knowing (understanding) is unconditioned consciousness Brahman. Pure knowledge is not doing. Everything else is doing.
Student: Even for a jnani, all the activities of the body and mind are done prakriti only right ?If that’s the case, what is the difference between a jnani and ajnani ?
Prabhuji: For both jnani and ajnani. Jnani knows it and hence he is non doer even when he is engaged in intense activity. Ajnani does not know it and hence he is doer and experiences karma phala. There is no karma phala for jnani. Jnani is “witness” of actions of body and mind and hence non doer. Ajnani is identified with body and mind and hence doer. Body mind belongs to Prakriti – nature.
Student: So knowledge is the difference?
Prabhuji: Right knowledge – Atmajnana nullifies wrong knowledge – ajnana. Both Jnana and ajnana are in the domain of maya. Right knowledge is called Vidya Maya and wrong knowledge is called avidya Maya. SELF is always unaffected witness. Jnani is the one who has dropped wrong beliefs through right knowledge.