The urge for liberation may stem from two different attitudes. The first, and more common, stems from the idea that this world is a world of suffering and pain where we have somehow been put, either by accident or karma or whatever else. To remain here is to remain tied and bound to the law of suffering. There is also a prevalent idea that the world is an illusion where we are somehow trapped. We react with pleasure and pain to the illusory play as someone watching a film reacts to the scenes and the characters because he is identified with them. The solution proposed is to change our attitude, detach oneself and then, once the grip of the cinema is weak, one walks out of the theater and be a free person.
This leaves the big question about who put us here and why? The word Maya only pushes the question one step further.
The second proposition, that which Sri Aurobindo proposes, is that the bondage is not something imposed upon the soul by some mysterious Maya. It is instead the conscious choice of the soul in complete acceptance of the Divine Will behind. It is somewhat like a child accepting to go to the school, go through the challenges including the initial reactions of joy and sorrow. But there is a purpose in this process, a purpose accepted by the soul. It is not something imposed forcibly and the soul is always free to leave the game or the school and step out. If it continues it is because deep within it is its own choice and the choice has a meaning and purpose in it. It can quit if it likes or it can go through the process completely until the schooling is over and the soul fulfils its purpose of growing from the seed state to the Divine Stature from which it emerged.
This changes our understanding filling the gaps left in traditional philosophy.
The passion for liberation in the sense of quitting the game of life and escaping from the burden of creation is itself therefore an ignorance and an illusion, an urge of the ego, just as a child may want to leave the school blaming his parents. Instead we should quickly complete the process.
Secondly in this urge for illusion there is this idea of being a separate individual. It is the ego that feels so. But the soul knows itself and all others as a portion of the Divine. It always seeks the larger collective good, the fulfilment of the Divine Will in oneself as well as in all, rather than escape from the great game. The world is one large family. Would be then find our own little door of escape leaving the rest behind? Seeking escape is therefore an illusion because it is an urge born out of a subtle selfishness, the illusion of separateness. The true liberty is free of all conditions. Just as the Divine is forever free even while engaged in all the works in creation, so too the soul that has united with the Divine is forever free. Its freedom does not depend upon birth or non-birth.
Affectionately
Alok Da
