Karma-Yoga : Ch-7. Part-3.

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CHAPTER VII .

FREEDOM : :

Part-3.


The next question for consideration is what we mean by law being universal.

Our universe is that portion of existence which is characterized by what the Sanskrit psychologists call Desha-kâla-nimitta, or what is known to European psychology as space, time, and causation.

This universe is only a part of infinite existence, thrown into a peculiar mould, composed of space, time, and causation.

It necessarily follows that law is possible only within this conditioned universe; beyond it there cannot be any law.

When we speak of the universe, we only mean that portion of existence which is limited by our mind — the universe of the senses, which we can see, feel, touch, hear, think of, imagine.

This alone is under law; but beyond it existence cannot be subject to law, because causation does not extend beyond the world of our minds.

Anything beyond the range of our mind and our senses is not bound by the law of causation, as there is no mental association of things in the region beyond the senses, and no causation without association of ideas.

It is only when "being'' or existence gets moulded into name and form that it obeys the law of causation, and is said to be under law; because all law has its essence in causation.

Therefore we see at once that there cannot be any such thing as free will; the very words are a contradiction, because will is what we know, and everything that we know is within our universe, and everything within our universe is moulded by the conditions of space, time, and causation.

Everything that we know, or can possibly know, must be subject to causation, and that which obeys the law of causation cannot be free.

It is acted upon by other agents, and becomes a cause in its turn.

But that which has become converted into the will, which was not the will before, but which, when it fell into this mould of space, time, and causation, became converted into the human will, is free; and when this will gets out of this mould of space, time, and causation, it will be free again.

From freedom it comes, and becomes moulded into this bondage, and it gets out and goes back to freedom again.

Swami Vivekananda
To be continued  ...





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