With youth: Attention is independent of action

The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

Questioner (Q): Sir, as you said that if the person is free he will be joyful, he is joyful in every task he is doing. So, how will he choose the task?

Acharya Prashant (AP): No, he will not feel joy in every task he is doing, the joy is irrespective of the task.

Listener 1 (L1): So how will he choose the task then?

AP: How are you asking this question? How am I replying to this question?

Did I know what question will you ask? Still there is a response. It appears that there is a choice of words which is being used, my hand is moving, there is certain answer coming to you. Why am I choosing? When I am saying something to you, you are nodding. How are you nodding?

By just being attentive. That’s how he will choose, by observing, by being attentive.

L1: Sir external influences are there.

AP: External variables will be present, but not as influences, but not as masters. Someone has asked about the role of thought. We said, ‘It is a useful servant.’

So he can still walk, and walk on the earth. He will not walk into the river to die. He knows where to walk, but that walking the trail…