“is it possible for the mind to be so attentive all the time, so sensitive that every challenge is answered completely and immediately, and to come to a state when there is no challenge and no response, when it is no longer in a state of experiencing?”
Varanasi, India | 7th Public Talk 14th January 1962
Is it possible to be so attentive and sensitive that there is no challenge one cannot rise to; to be so adept that there ceases to be challenge and response?
It boggles the mind to ponder this question because challenge and response is all we know, and we’re so inept at responding to challenge that we don’t even know how inept we are. We don’t always know when we’re being challenged or what the challenge is. We smugly assume we’re doing all right when, in fact, we are stumbling and bumbling, sputtering and babbling, cluelessly (but confidently) proceeding with our make-believe lives until we expire.
As the future is now, we only need to uncover, understand and end agenda in a single moment. This one. That vast reduction in scope should render the mind-boggling task less arduous. Or so you would think.
If there is challenge and response, what will happen at the end of challenge, whether it is win/lose what it will do to me?
If I’m lost, I will get bad ‘image’ and if I’m won, I will get good ‘image’ - That’s all it brings. More than this, what these challenge/response brings?
It’s only mere defending my’self’ and offending other’self’ for result of winning - but learning doesn’t happens there as there is only ‘self-concern’. Can you see this inquiry?
So whatever the response is how we can find whether it is conditioned/appropriate?
In this, we can see that - there is no standard - and so we can’t find any response as conditioned/appropriate. So, till now in humanity - they say to run for challenges - and they find this appropriate response only by their own experiences/beliefs/ideas/images - and grade/award others as won/lost.
So, in this, we are totally aware that there is no ‘standard response’ and so no meaning for a ‘challenge’ at all. In this awareness, we are free from everything.
If one asks us to marry others or says you need a partner/friend/children for your life, we are totally aware that - there is nothing as such as ‘partner’ - as their response are only from their own ‘beliefs/etc…’.
If someone asks us to win a race/position/money/business or make profit or etc… and says it is a challenge for us - we are totally aware that - there is no such thing - and we just give what we are capable - without for ‘wanting’ results.
This is the actuality - and there is only beauty remains in the life. Actual relationship with every people takes place.
Then the question is why K spoke of challenge and response.
Any time you react or respond, it’s because you’re challenged. Only you can tell when your response is inadequate or inappropriate, and it’s a matter of honesty and objectivity. If you honestly can’t tell when your response is reactive, inadequate, inappropriate, you’re as lost as you are when you’re dishonest about it.
