Because any

kma
, any pleasure, you pick up is limited by nature in terms of time, content, and degree, the one who is
displeased remains in spite of occasional moments of pleasure. Therefore, we have now discerned
the problem to be the conclusion about myself that, I am displeased. This is a fact that is not going to be
altered just because I pick up moments of pleasure. That I am insecure does not change merely because I
acquire or give up certain securities. Thus, the only solution is to see myself secure and pleased with myself.
But how is it possible to do this
?
If, with all these securities and pleasures, I am displeased with myself, how am I going to see myself pleased
without them
?
This is where the teaching called
Vednta
comes in and tells you that your problem is not one of lacking something, but of not knowing that you do not
lack anything. It converts all one's pursuits into a pursuit of knowledge. In the vision of
Vednta
, there is no reason for you to be displeased with yourself because you are totally acceptable to yourself
not in terms of attitude, but in reality. It is not a belief; it is a fact, a discoverable fact. Only something that can
be discovered is a fact; and the discoverable fact here is that you lack nothing. You are totally free. This is a
vision of you and this is the heart of
Vednta
, the heart of this teaching. The problem that I lack is thereby converted into ignorance, the cause of which I
do not know for the time being. Until I come to know, the vision assumes the status of a promise.
YOU ARE THE PROBLEM; YOU ARE THE SOLUTION
Vednta
defines the problem as not what you lack, but that you lack, and says that you are the solution because you
are the problem. There are two types of problems. One has its solution outside the problem and
the other has its solution within the very problem itself. The solution to the problem of feeling cold, for
example, is outside the problem in the sense that you have to cover yourself, go to the fireside, or go out into
the sun. You may even decide to go to the
Bhagavadgt
10 Bahamas. When the solution to a problem is outside, it means that you have to do something to solve
the problem. If hunger is your problem, you, have to fee d the hunger by eating food, which is also
outside. The solution to a jigsaw puzzle, however, is within the problem, within the puzzle itself. Because the
solution is within the problem. There is no problem, in fact. The only problem is you and the solution is also you. When you do
not understand something, it is a problem for you, whereas when you do understand, there is
no problem. The understanding is the solution. In the vision of
Vednta
,youhave no problem, in fact. Then, you may ask, how
can I recognise that I do not have a problem
?
This seems to be one more problem to add to the ones I already have. But is it
?
One problem is not there the problem of self -non-acceptance. Because, in the vision of
Vednta
, the self is acceptable. What else do you want really
?
The only problem any human being has is self-non-acceptance. Therefore, you are the problem and you are
the solution. Now your pursuit becomes one of knowing yourself and it can be a game fun, all the way. This,
then, is the teaching. A discriminative analysis of
dharma
,
artha
,and
kma

leads one to a certain fundamental human problem. Once this human problem has been discerned, you will
take special steps to resolve it, even though you may continue to pursue
artha
,
kma
,
and
dharma
. The solution to this original fundamental problem is called
moka
.
MOKA IS NOT SALVATION
Moka
,
as we have said, is not an equivalent to salvation, as is commonly thought. Nor is it some kind of
accomplishment other than yourself. As freedom from something, however,
moka
could be considered a negative accomplishment of sorts. Nevertheless, there is nothing more positive than
moka
. Once we say freedom, the question is, Freedom from what
?
and the answer is simply, Freedom from something I do not want. No one wants freedom from what he or
she wants. Therefore, no one wants freedom from
artha
or
kma
, securities and pleasures. We want
artha
,
kma
,alittlebitof
dharma
plus
moka
.
Moka
is not freedom from
artha
or
kma
. That, which
artha
provides,
moka
cannot provide. But that which
moka
provides cannot be provided by
artha
,
kma
, and
dharma
combined. A person who has
moka
also has the freedom to pursue the other three human ends,
artha
,

kma
, and
dharma
, if he or she so chooses. This, then, is real freedom and not freedom from these pursuits. And who is it that
undertakes these pursuits
?
The person, called
purua
in Sanskrit, meaning any person young or old, man or woman, Indian or American. This
purua
, the person, is the one who is after
artha
and
kma
.