Peace of mind alone is NOT Moksha/liberation; Moksha on death; Moksha while being alive (Jeevanmukti)

Last updated on 17th Nov. 2019

Read a quote somewhere, in the context of Vedanta/"Who am I?" oriented spirituality, about peace of mind being liberation.

I am not sure about that being correct.

But then, I ask myself, what is liberation in the context of Hinduism (may be similar in Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism but I don't know enough about them to be sure)? I think in the Hinduism context, the English word liberation is the translation of the Sanskrit word Moksha.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moksha says:

Moksha (/ˈmoʊkʃə/; Sanskrit: मोक्ष, mokṣa), also called vimoksha, vimukti and mukti,[1] is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism which refers to various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release.[2] In its soteriological and eschatological senses, it refers to freedom from saṃsāra, the cycle of death and rebirth.[3] In its epistemological and psychological senses, moksha refers to freedom from ignorance: self-realization, self-actualization and self-knowledge.[4]

[Wiki Refs:]
1. "The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism, vimoksha". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
2. John Bowker, The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0192139658, p. 650
3. Sharma 2000, p. 113.
4. See:
 * E. Deutsch, The self in Advaita Vedanta, in Roy Perrett (Editor), Indian philosophy: metaphysics, Volume 3, ISBN 0-8153-3608-X, Taylor and Francis, pp 343-360;
 * T. Chatterjee (2003), Knowledge and Freedom in Indian Philosophy, ISBN 978-0739106921, pp 89-102; Quote - "Moksa means freedom"; "Moksa is founded on atmajnana, which is the knowledge of the self.";
 * Jorge Ferrer, Transpersonal knowledge, in Transpersonal Knowing: Exploring the Horizon of Consciousness (editors: Hart et al.), ISBN 978-0791446157, State University of New York Press, Chapter 10
--- end wiki extract ---

Hmmm. The wiki page for Moksha is going all over the place!

Based on having lived most of my life of over 5 decades in majority Hindu community in India and with me and my family being Hindu, I think that the vast majority of Hindus in India in our times view liberation/Moksha to be a release from samsara which is the cycle of birth, death followed by reincarnation (another birth), and (Moksha) also as merger in God. In other words, Moksha means that the person will NOT have another birth, and that he/she will merge in God!

Now the word, Moksha, does get used in looser contexts, sometimes in humour, like a person coming out of a difficult worldly crisis/jam being termed as Moksha for the person (from that difficult worldly crisis/jam).

But I think most Hindus in India (which perhaps applies to Hindus elsewhere too) view the word Moksha in a serious context as liberation from the cycle of life (worldly life) & death i.e. no more births for that person, and merger in God though sometimes the merger part is implicit and not explicitly stated.

I think the general understanding is that Moksha can be on death or something achieved while living itself which achievement stays through the remaining period of that person's life and on his/her death.

For the vast majority of Hindus, the view is that if Moksha does come to them, it comes at the time of death. Therefore a lot of importance is given by Hindus to the tradition of old people retiring from worldly and family matters, and focusing on worship of God in their old age whether they are living in the family (and being taken care by younger family members), or have chosen to move to a Hindu ashram/ashram-town for that purpose. The belief is that if the elderly person is focused on worship of God in the period before his/her death, he/she will merge in God and not have another birth i.e. achieve Moksha.

I think the view is that Moksha (liberation) while being alive (Jeevanmukti) is achieved by only a very few spiritual aspirants who do intense sadhana (spiritual efforts) for spiritual enlightenment. Note that this liberation achieved while being alive is said to continue for the person's life and at the time of his/her death.

I think this sort of Moksha while being alive - Jeevanmukti - is referred to as Atma-Jnana (knowledge of self/realization of self/Self-realization; Jnana is knowledge). I have heard the term Jnani (one who has Jnana or Atma-Jnana) often being used by Hindus to refer to self-realized persons, especially those who demonstrate or communicate this knowledge/Jnana to others. Note that the self-realized person (Atmajnani or simply jnani) is also viewed as a Mukta (freed from cycle of life & death).

With this background, let us look at what I referred to at the beginning of this post: peace of mind being liberation.

I think here the context is Moksha (liberation) while alive and so Jeevanmukti and Atmajnana. I think it is an oversimplification to say that peace of mind is Moksha as that peace of mind can be temporary.

The section Moksha in this life (as per Hinduism) in the Moksha wiki page is very relevant in this context. Given below is an extract from it, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moksha#Mok%E1%B9%A3a_in_this_life :

Among the Samkhya, Yoga and Vedanta schools of Hinduism, liberation and freedom reached within one's life is referred to as jivanmukti, and the individual who has experienced this state is called jivanmukta (self-realized person).[92] Dozens of Upanishads, including those from middle Upanishadic period, mention or describe the state of liberation, jivanmukti.[93][94] Some contrast jivanmukti with videhamukti (moksha from samsara after death).[95] Jivanmukti is a state that transforms the nature, attributes and behaviors of an individual, claim these ancient texts of Hindu philosophy. For example, according to Naradaparivrajaka Upanishad, the liberated individual shows attributes such as:[96]

* he is not bothered by disrespect and endures cruel words, treats others with respect regardless of how others treat him;
* when confronted by an angry person he does not return anger, instead replies with soft and kind words;
* even if tortured, he speaks and trusts the truth;
* he does not crave for blessings or expect praise from others;
* he never injures or harms any life or being (ahimsa), he is intent in the welfare of all beings;[97]
* he is as comfortable being alone as in the presence of others;
* he is as comfortable with a bowl, at the foot of a tree in tattered robe without help, as when he is in a mithuna (union of mendicants), grama (village) and nagara (city);
* he doesn’t care about or wear ṣikha (tuft of hair on the back of head for religious reasons), nor the holy thread across his body. To him, knowledge is sikha, knowledge is the holy thread, knowledge alone is supreme. Outer appearances and rituals do not matter to him, only knowledge matters;
* for him there is no invocation nor dismissal of deities, no mantra nor non-mantra, no prostrations nor worship of gods, goddess or ancestors, nothing other than knowledge of Self;
* he is humble, high-spirited, of clear and steady mind, straightforward, compassionate, patient, indifferent, courageous, speaks firmly and with sweet words.

When a Jivanmukta dies he achieves Paramukti and becomes a Paramukta. Jivanmukta experience enlightenment and liberation while alive and also after death i.e., after becoming paramukta, while Videhmukta experiences enlightenment and liberation only after death.

[Wiki Refs:]
92. see:
* Andrew Fort and Patricia Mumme (1996), Living Liberation in Hindu Thought, ISBN 978-0-7914-2706-4;
* Norman E. Thomas (April 1988), Liberation for Life: A Hindu Liberation Philosophy, Missiology, Volume 16, Number 2, pp 149-160
93. See for example Muktika Upanishad, Varaha Upanishad, Adhyatma Upanishad, Sandilya Upanishad, Tejobindu Upanishad, etc.; in K.N. Aiyar (Transl. 1914), Thirty Minor Upanishads, University of Toronto Robart Library Archives, Canada
94. Paul Deussen, The philosophy of the Upanishads, Translated by A.S. Geden (1906), T&T Clark, Edinburgh
95. Paul Deussen, Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Vol 1 & 2, ISBN 978-81-208-1467-7
96. see: K.N. Aiyar (Transl. 1914), Thirty Minor Upanishads, University of Toronto Robart Library Archives, Canada, pp 140-147
* S. Nikhilananda (1958), Hinduism : Its meaning for the liberation of the spirit, Harper, ISBN 978-0911206265, pp 53-79;
* Andrew Fort (1998), Jivanmukti in Transformation, State University of New York Press, ISBN 0-7914-3904-6
97. see also Sandilya Upanishad for ahimsa and other virtues; Quote: "तत्र हिंसा नाम मनोवाक्कायकर्मभिः सर्वभूतेषु सर्वदा क्लेशजननम्"; Aiyar translates this as: He practices Ahimsa - no injury or harm to any living being at any time through actions of his body, his speech or in his mind; K.N. Aiyar (Transl. 1914), Thirty Minor Upanishads, University of Toronto Robart Library Archives, Canada, pp 173-174
--- end wiki extract ---

I am not sure whether the above wiki extract is fully accurate though most of what is given in it is what I understand the Hindu view of a Jeevanmukta to be. I don't think the ahimsa (non-violence) part is viewed by all Hindus in our times to be a trait of a Jeevanmukta. My understanding is that the Jeevanmukta is a peaceful person but the Jeevanmukta may engage in violence like beating somebody who is on the wrong track or take precautions from his body being damaged by pests or even human enemies. The Jeevanmukta would do these things for the good of the world, and not for selfish reasons.

In this context, here is an interesting extract from The Mind of a Jivanmukta, http://www.yogamag.net/archives/2009/bfeb09/jivan.shtml :

A jivanmukta is a sage free from the trammels of births and deaths while living. Though the instinctive mind with low desires has been destroyed in him, his spiritual sattwic mind does not perish. Like flowers and fruits that are latent in a seed, a residue of sattwa, the cause of intelligence, rests always in the heart. If the mind were completely annihilated as soon as one attained jnana, the jivanmukti state would be impossible. How would the jivanmukta be able to undertake worldly dealings without the instrument of the mind? Therefore, a jnani identifies himself with the all-pervading Brahman and uses his mind and body as his instruments for worldly activities, whereas an ajnani (ignorant person) identifies himself with his body. There have been cases of jivanmuktas like Raja Janaka who attained jnana and utilized their mind and body in this manner for the well-being of humanity at large.

Sri Rama and Sri Krishna were ever resting in Brahman even when they were ruling their kingdoms. They were ever conscious of their essential sat-chit-ananda (truth-consciousness-bliss) Brahmic nature, even though they assumed human forms. They utilized their minds and bodies as their instruments when they were performing various activities.
--- end extract from yogamag.net ---

I think the above extract is in line with how Hindus of our times view Jivanmuktas.

Coming back to the peace of mind being liberation matter, I think such a statement can get easily misunderstood. Sometimes simplification waters down the meaning and leads to wrong understanding.

I think that the crux of liberation while alive (Jeevanmukti) is removal of wrong identification of oneself (one's self) with one's body (and mind; mind-body complex), and ***realization/experience*** (not just belief) that one's reality is the eternal Atma which is the same as the Atma in others (all-pervading), and which is changeless and eternal. Note that removal of wrong identification of oneself with one's body (& mind) does not mean that the body (& mind) should necessarily be ignored and neglected. For one in intense sadhana, the body may be ignored. But for the jeevanmukta who engages in the world to help the world, the body (& mind) should be used as an instrument to do good and so it is important to maintain that instrument in good condition.

Of course, a jeevanmukta will have peace of mind! But peace of mind alone is NOT Moksha/liberation.
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In response to a comment on my Facebook post, https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2655549544661606, associated with this blog post, I wrote (slightly edited):

Interesting to know your take on this.

My understanding of how Hindu scripture and enlightened Hindu masters view some of the aspects mentioned in your comment is as follows:

1. Being free from the bondage of pleasure and pain caused by attachment is a high level of Vairagya (detachment). Vairagya paves the way for clear experience of the changeless Atma/Self within each of us, which is otherwise clouded/mixed up with emotions and so not experienced clearly and distinctly. Note that some spiritual masters view pure awareness aspect present in each of us as the Atma.

But I think that high level of Vairagya by itself, without clear experience of inner awareness as the changeless self, would not constitute Moksha/liberation.

I think the clear experience of inner awareness as the changeless self is attained by few, while living. The Bhakti marga particularly does not focus on this kind of experience of inner awareness. The Bhakti marga is about having more and more love, worship and concentration of/on the Ishta Devata, many times including having a desire for darshan of the Ishta Devata. I think most Hindus follow the Bhakti marga and are not into contemplation of inner self which is part of Jnana marga.

And in this Bhakti marga, as per my understanding, keeping one's thoughts and prayers focused on the Ishta Devata at the time of death, is said to lead to the Bhakta (devotee) merging in the Ishta Devata/God and thereby achieving Moksha - no rebirth.

2. About the not mandatory to get Moksha part: Well, I think the standard understanding of Hindu scripture and that of teachings of enlightened spiritual masters, is that Moksha is the means of getting out of birth & death cycle. If one does not get Moksha, it is clearly implied that the person will have another birth.

3. About the famous Karmenyevadhikaraste shloka from Bhagavad Gita: 'Just do it' is an interesting way to interpret it. But I think two aspects should be added to it:
a) Just do it without being attached to the results (without desiring the results).
b) And do it as an offering of worship to God - This part is how many spiritual masters interpret it though I think the literal meaning of the shloka does not specifically mention this.

I hope you enjoyed your coffee :-), offering the enjoyment as worship of God!
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[I thank wikipedia and yogamag.net and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extract(s) (small extract from yogamag.net) from their websites on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]