A conversation with Adyashanti on ‘choice and free will’.

Q. Do I have free will or do I not?” And the answer is, “No, you don’t exist.” (laughter) Do you feel it? It starts to be a relief of the question.
Q. You’ve spoken in the past about the individual, oneness, and the eternal.
A. Yes. They are all the same, actually.

Q. So, where does choice come in?
A. Where does choice come in? It comes in exactly where it comes
in. Where there is the appearance of choice, make it. Where there is not an appearance of choice, don’t worry about it. I understand that doesn’t answer the question, “Is there choice or is there not choice?” The answer is no to both, and yes to both. That’s the answer. But since I know that won’t help you, I’ll give its practical application. When it appears that there is choice, make it; when it appears that there is no choice, don’t worry about it.

Q. So when choice appears, is there free will?
A. Yes, and no, and they are both true. You would like me to explain that wouldn’t you? (laughter) All truth is like that by the way—that’s why we call it non-dual. Non-dual doesn’t mean that there is no duality, it means that the truth that expresses itself as duality and itself is bigger. So, it expresses itself as duality, which means there is free will and there isn’t free will. And, the ultimate truth is something that’s bigger than either one of those—where both are sort of completely irrelevant. Because the ultimate truth is that neither apply. Free will and no free will only apply to a “me.” But either way it’s saying something to the little me that’s not really true: “You have free will,” it’s not really true. “You don’t have free will,” that’s not really true. If it’s all one, since it is all one, where does the question of free will and no free will come about? You see what I mean? It’s only relevant when the mind separates itself and goes, “OK, now I’ve got to see, where do I stack up in it all. Do I have free will or do I not?” And the answer is, “No,you don’t exist.” (laughter) Do you feel it? It starts to be a relief of the question. That’s the relief, yes. The answer isn’t the answer. The answer is the relief of the question. There it is.

Q. It does feel like a relief.

A. Good. There you see it. That’s it. It doesn’t apply because the one asking the question is the one that’s always in bondage. And it’s just a movement of thought and it’s not really “what I am.” And it feels so good to see it. Ultimately there are no answers to all the questions, the only answer is the disappearance of the questioner. All of a sudden the questioner is realized to be a movement of thought that has no actual existence. The questioner disappears, it’s not like you got an answer. It’s just that there is no questioner. And if there is no questioner, there is no question. There has to be a separateness. You see? Without the questioner, there is just what is. And that’s it. Which is totally unsatisfactory to the egoic self, but absolute bliss to the truth within.”

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Adyashanti is an American spiritual teacher and author from the San Francisco Bay Area who offers talks, online study courses, and retreats in the United States and abroad. WikipediaBorn: October 26, 1962 (age 57 years), Cupertino, CASpouse: Mukti GrayParents: Larry GrayBooks: Emptiness dancingAlbums: True Meditation