Inactive action - when not doing anything all is accomplished.

"There is no urge to do anything, how do i know that this is an expression of the natural state and not just plain laziness?...At the ground level of being, there is no such thing as laziness. That is a kind of thought. The vital force expresses at different speeds of dynamic-ness by itself.Let it be expressed. don't program you life so tightly and you will be more in the presence of that freedom than you imagine. You have to move inwardly deeper than the mind into that place I am talking about, the space of non-self"...Mooji

This is primarily where i am at presently as i find myself becoming more and more self accusing about whether i am justified in not making an effort to earn an honest living to support myself with my daily needs.if as is said above, "at the ground level of being there is not such thing as laziness, why the feeling of guilt? Yes it has also been told me that I am my worse critic, that i judge myself too heavily sometimes or that i come down hard on myself as my friends used to warn me. My high school math teacher a Mr. Andrew Heng once told me to 'chill and stop growing too old for my age, slow down he said and live life. It has always escaped me how i would lash my own back like  with a switch like those monks and shiah Muslims committing self flagellation and i wonder if it will ever cease with old age. By now i aught to be able to say screw work and screw life if i refuse to play by the rules anymore.

Self flagellation in case you wonder.

Nothing irritates me more than chronic laziness in others. Mind you, it's only mental sloth I object to. Physical sloth can be heavenly.

Elizabeth Hurley

In the Zen tradition there is a saying, "After your meals,do your dishes." and i like to follow this with the saying, " Eat when you are hungry, sleep when you are sleepy, sit and watch the grass grow.".

The earlier quote suggests that one should do what comes next in terms of carrying out one's responsibilities, to do the dishes after having had your dinner is only natural, not to expect others to do it for you and so forth. The second quote however is a little more 'Zennish', as it is like telling us to relax, be cool, take it easy, don't get too serious or heavy (with life), just doing what is needed to be done. hence it may seem like Zen encourages laziness to a certain extent, not to overly excel to more than what or who you think are.In Buddhism you have an eternity to live life if you choose to do so and hence you are in no hurry to strive or make too much effort to become more than who you really are, unlik in the Judeo, Christian and Islamic religions. There is no need to strive to become good or bad to be admitted into heaven or hell. You simply 'Be' who you are and let It be as it is. It is seen also as a futility in attempting too strong an effort without creating more Karma to overcome as a result. For every action there is a reaction and for every reaction there is more reactions and thus you end up being a guy hwo keeps on creating karma to destroy karma through your entire existence until one day you wake up to realize this futility. This being the state called Nirvana or "the blowing out' of an idea or concept that has no longer any meaning or detriment to one's well being or even freedom.

Wise men would say that these are just pure justifications towards not being active in life or holding on to some kind of a moneymaking vocation of the more sophisticated and elaborate the position the better like holding the highest paying job or running the largest corporation.. Not having any job or vocation is not an option and one is no better than a beggar in life. Hence for the guilt for those who care about what others say or think of them, (myself included). it seems like nobody wants to be poor or in need like a beggar in this day and age and we all strive to become Doctors and lawyers as this is where the money is at and not to mention the prestige and perks that comes with them.  An artist is really no better than a beggar if he is truly an artist for he has no intention about what he does other than creating out of his passion just for the sake of creation. However, most artists today are creating with the hope of making a living from their works and most are successful and hence creates like a factory producing what sells. 'Great Arts is artless', created effortlessly with no deliberate intention.

There is no right or wrong in essence in Buddhism as it is all relative and at the end of it all just Maya or Illusions.Right and wrong is just a pigment,(sickness) of your own mind the Buddha is said to have said. ..suffering is, none who suffers and Nirvana is, none who attains it...

"WU WEI. These two words, which taken literally mean "not doing," form a distinctive term in Taoist philosophy. It should be stated, at once, that the literal meaning is not the true meaning. This is clearly stated in the 19th essay."

Wu may be translated as not have or without; Wei may be translated as do, act, serve as, govern or effort. The literal meaning of wu wei is "without action", "without effort", or "without control", and is often included in the paradox wei wu wei: "action without action" or "effortless doing". The practice of wu wei and the efficacy of wei wu wei are fundamental tenets in Chinese thought and have been mostly emphasized by the Taoist school. One cannot actively pursue wu wei. It manifests as a result of cultivation. The Tao is a guide.

There is another less commonly referenced sense of wu wei; "action that does not involve struggle or excessive effort". In this instance, wu means "without" and Wei means "effort" (instinct?). The concept of "effortless action" is a part of Taoist Internal martial arts such as T'ai chi ch'uan, Baguazhang and Xing Yi. It follows that wu wei complies with the main feature and distinguishing characteristic of Taoism, that of being natural...wikipaedia.

To be contd.

     

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