PHIL 2070 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Vyasa
Document Summary
If intelligence is what is important, then people shouldn"t fight, for fighting undermines intelligence and increases all manner of health problems including the perturbation of the mind. Krishna claims that the calm, intelligent mind is superior. Arjuna surmises that krishna"s advice is contradictory. Our material constitution forces us to do something. There is no way for us to maintain our living body without doing. Hence, the desire to bring calm to the mind by avoiding action is irrational and impossible. Rather, peace of mind is not brought about by avoiding action, but rather perfecting our action as a type of practice, or yoga. Given that action is inherently goal oriented, if we act not for ourselves but as a means to satisfy the desires of god, then we are free from having to worry about the success of our activities. Our adherence to our duties hence constitutes a means to be liberated from worries.
