Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands
3 February 2018
Birth of Movement
“Gross and subtle”
A man or woman takes a movement for granted. A man or woman believes that he or she brings about a movement by doing an action. A man and woman are convinced that they can do, because they are able to move.
All that a man or woman knows is: an action is followed by the next action when he or she does the action. Man and woman also know that an action is made up of many movements.
What a movement is and how it is formed is wisdom. So what could this wisdom be is the question that man or woman needs to enquire?
Enquiry into what is known as a fact would provide a clue to the wisdom of what a movement is and how it is formed. What is known as a fact is that every action is a gross movement.
Since an action is made up of many atoms and every atom is in subtle movement, it signifies that gross and subtle movements are together and cannot be separated. This signifies that gross and subtle movements are a singular movement.
Since growth happens every moment and growth is subtle movement, it signifies that an action is a singular movement, though an action does not appear to be a singular movement.
Man and woman are made up of the elements fire, air, water and earth. Fire is in gross movement as a blazing fire and in subtle movement as a tiny spark of fire before the fire becomes a blaze. This signifies that gross and subtle movements of fire are together and that fire is a singular movement, though fire does not appear to be a singular movement.
Air is in gross movement as a tornado and in subtle movement as air before the air becomes a tornado. This signifies that gross and subtle movements of air are together and that air is a singular movement, though air does not appear to be a singular movement.
Water is in gross movement as a raging river and in subtle movement as a trickle before the water becomes a raging river. This signifies that gross and subtle movements of water are together and water is a singular flow, though water does not appear to be a singular flow.
Earth is in gross movement during an earthquake and in subtle movement before earth becomes an earthquake. This signifies that gross and subtle movements of earth are together and that earth is in singular movement, though earth does not appear to be a singular movement.
Every living and non-living entity is either in subtle movement or in gross movement. Every living and non-living entity is made up of fire, air, water and earth. This signifies that life is a singular movement.
Wisdom reveals that every atom in fire, air, water and earth is light. This signifies that the birth of a movement is an illusion of light and is reflected by light. The enlightened have rightly declared that life is a play of light.
Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2018
Editor’s Note:
Man is dependent on the elements for his daily existence. Excess or deprivation of any of them arouses distress. The environment in which man lives, both animate and inanimate, experiences their gross and subtle movements. So intelligent is the nature of illusion, as revealed in this article, that it convinces the mind of man that what is not is and, accordingly, that what is is not. Turning unreality on its head to become undistinguishable from reality is the trick of a magician. The intelligence of life is such that man or woman will penetrate its illusion with the maturing of deep understanding, the enlightenment of Dr Shankar.
Abide in this gift of light.
Julian Capper, UK.
German Translator’s Note:
That life is a singular movement and not filled with real actions, is wisdom. Dr. Shankar, however, never expects anybody to just repeat this wise claim, for it would do no good to anybody. Dr. Shankar repeatedly and again in this article, requests the reader to enquire deeply himself or herself. Let us enquire everything Dr. Shankar shares! The enquiry too will finally be understood as a reflection of the singular movement of life.
Marcus Stegmaier, Germany
Dutch translator’s note:
The growth of a plant, from seed to seedling, flower bud and flower, are mentioned separately in language as if they are detached movements. However, to the plant it is growth and the growth will continue in withering, dying off, transforming to humus, becoming food for other plants et cetera. A continuous movement that forms one movement together with all movements. Where could a beginning be found? In this article Dr. Shankar shows us that only understanding the true nature of movement reveals the beginning, not a beginning in time, but the birth in the illusion we too are part of.
Paula Smit, Netherlands.