Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academ-advaita.com
The Netherlands
13 November 2019
Many Actors (3)
“In Life”
When will it happen such that your attention is on the real actor instead of on the role-playing? What brings about that deep understanding? How can an understanding happen to us that we are one real actor who is not one person among many.
One real actor who is not a person appearing as many illusory roles with a character. When does that understanding happen to us that we are the real actor who is not a real person, but only appearing as a role player?
That understanding will happen the very moment it is meant to happen. How can this understanding give an understanding that you are a witnesser, which is the outcome of the understanding?
What is the impact the outcome will have? That will amaze you? That will simply bewilder you? When does that spontaneity occur that you are a witnesser? What is the consequence of the statement that there is some force in you which appears as many roles?
My goodness. In a day. How my character changes every time. I am a father to my child. I am an uncle to my neighbour’s child. My neighbour’s child calls me uncle and this girl or this boy in my house calls me father. My goodness.
And the one in front of me calls me my friend. And my wife calls me husband. What is this? Who am I really? If I am really a father, every child also should call me father. But every child does not call me father.
My role as a father is so dependent on my child. If my child never calls me father, I will not be father. It means every role is passing by. It is a disappearing role. It is not real, because the real does not pass by, only the illusory passes by.
Many roles come by spontaneously, uncontrollably and unpredictably in the moment in daily life. The roles keep changing many times during the day. But does that make my mind quieten down? It does not.
What is the consequences of the understanding that you are a witnesser is the question? What are the consequences when we understand the consequence is revealed by the intelligence in life which is flowing within us.
So what do you think could be the consequences of an understanding that there is one actor and many roles? That the many with many roles are an appearance of the intelligence in life within them, just as I with my many roles am an appearance of the same intelligence within me.
A wise man or woman understands that the consequences of becoming a witnesser are that you become steady, calm, patient with trust in life in every moment.
The enlightened accept the many roles as they are in any moment of daily life.
Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2019
Editor’s Note
It was an assembly, a regular assembly of approximately 120 young children, 4-11 year olds and staff. A character, called the principal, was standing on the stage in front with the customary and oft performed role-playing. The words of this article, recently read, suddenly become alive and upon the instant there is an extraordinary alertness in which the mind is still. It remains so in full alertness during this entire gathering. There is a single presence, a single awareness within embracing every person, no matter the age. No comment whatsoever from the mind. Alertness remains as the companion on this journey of life – such a priceless treasure to be gifted by the wise. Such a compassionate guardian to trust in man’s life. Yes, it is so.
Julian Capper. UK
German Translator‘s Note:
The points of reference for the numerous roles that daily life plays with each individual are limited and transient. The work we do determines our professional identity, our marital status determines our private identity. But who are we beyond this time-bound existence? A question to which the thinking human being has sought the answer since time immemorial. The clear answer of the sages, as presented here in simple words, is so profound that it cannot be easily accepted by man, since all his motivation, illusory as it may be, and his everyday orientation are based on the roles he plays in society. To see through the role play as illusory is really a grace given by life, because it reveals true inner freedom in every life role in every moment and especially when a certain role, for whatever reason, comes to an end.
Marcus Stegmaier, Germany.