We see two distinct ways of living. They are:
1. The ignorant man’s life, and
2. The jivan-mukta’s life.
Life consists of the relationship of objects and knowledge. Objects and knowledge are
distinct and separate. The ignorant man attributes reality to objects alone and lives in
them. His life begins with the mind and ends there. Therefore, he is bound. His activities
begin from the ego and end in the ego.
But the jivan-mukta knows that objects are nothing but Consciousness and lives in
Consciousness. He knows that life begins in him, beyond the mind, in Consciousness
and ends there. Therefore what ordinarily affects an ignorant man does not affect the
Sage.
Thus the Sage is not upset by apparently conflicting thoughts, feelings, perceptions
or actions. He sees them all as nothing but Consciousness, the Self. That is the reason
why activities do not leave any samskara in the Sage. The Sage knows that even the
ego rises from Consciousness and ends there.
So the difference comes only with regard to the centre. To the ignorant man, the
centre is the ego; and to the Sage, the centre is Consciousness.
Know that your relationship with an object is only ‘knowing’. The jivan-mukta is a
living commentary of the Truth you have visualized. So knowing that life is Consciousness,
live in Consciousness and be free.
........Shri Atmananda from Spiritual Discourses
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