(May 1958) The discourse on Action and Inaction, originally delivered in Poona the year before, was then read:
In the Beyond-Beyond state of God, there is “unconscious inaction.”
In the state of God-Realization, there is “conscious inaction.” This is not the state of Perfection, but of liberation (najaat, mukti) while on earth – a Jivanmukta (Liberated Incarnate). In this state, there is absolute tranquility which gives rise to infinite power, knowledge and bliss.
In the intermediate state – between 1 and 2 – there is “conscious action.” Actions promote sanskaras. Sanskaras in turn breed more actions and create bindings. In this state there is bondage.
In the state of a Majzoob of the seventh plane, there is “unconscious action.”
In the state of Perfect Masters, there is “conscious, active inaction.
Perfect Masters are free of sanskaras; they have no impressions. As such, there cannot be room for actions of their own. Their life is one of inaction, but made active because of the prevailing environmental circumstances. Actions of Perfect Masters are prompted by the environmental atmosphere prevailing then. How are actions prompted? Baba will explain some time. But here are some examples of the above states:
The Beyond-Beyond state of God may be compared with a child fast asleep in a cradle. It is an example of unconscious inaction.
The state of a God-Realized person (a Jivanmukta, not a Perfect Master) may be compared with a child wide awake, but still in the cradle. This is an example of conscious inaction.
The state in between states 1 and 2 may be compared with a child awake and out of the cradle. It is an example of conscious action.
The state of the Majzoob of the seventh plane may be compared with a somnambulist. The somnambulist walks about or performs other actions in his sleep and is not aware of what he does in this state. Similarly, the Majzoob of the seventh plane does actions, but is not conscious of them. His is unconscious action – he eats, drinks, speaks, moves, et cetera. But all this is his unconscious action.
The state of a Perfect Master may be compared with a child wide awake, but inside the cradle that is continuously rocked by mankind. It is conscious, active inaction. Inaction is being inside the cradle, and active inaction is rocking of the cradle by others.
God is conscious inaction indeed. And the tranquility of this conscious inaction is so very profound that it gives God the attributes of infinite power, infinite knowledge and infinite bliss.
Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 15, pp. 5416 – 5417.