The fifty-eighth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life.

He discusses the qualities Krishna describes as essential for a person seeking moksha (liberation) in the chapter titled "The Yoga of the Distinction Between the Field and the Knower of the Field." The focus is on distinguishing the true self from the false ego and cultivating characteristics like humility, consistency, and self-control. The talk emphasizes that desire for liberation alone is insufficient without the right qualifications and actions, contrasting Western notions of good intentions with the necessity of tangible spiritual discipline.

1 Qualities for Liberation Are Essential  

• Krishna outlines specific characteristics required for moksha, not just optional traits; desire for liberation is meaningless without these qualifications and corresponding efforts.  
• Good intentions alone (e.g., "the road to hell is paved with good intentions") are inadequate—spiritual success demands real character and action.

2 Absence of Pride  

• Pride here refers to arrogance and egotism rooted in the false ego, not the true self.  
• The ego is a tricky, self-deceiving entity (e.g., "My ego is proud that it’s ashamed that it’s proud"), which cannot be reformed but must be dissolved through awareness of one’s eternal, divine nature.

3 Freedom from Hypocrisy  

• This involves authenticity—not pretending to be something one isn’t—and consistency between thoughts, words, and actions.  
• Examples include avoiding contradictions like claiming to love animals while eating them; true freedom from hypocrisy requires alignment in one’s life.

4 Harmlessness (Ahimsa)  

• Ahimsa means not causing harm, but it’s not about avoiding all offense (since some people are overly sensitive or manipulative).  
• One should speak truth when necessary, even if it offends, without being bullied into silence by others’ reactions.

5 Fortitude  

• Fortitude is not foolhardiness or ignorance of danger but a firm, principled resolve (e.g., Eisenhower’s "Don’t let the bastards wear you down").  
• It involves standing steady against external pressures and internal weaknesses, discerning true threats to spiritual life.

6 Rectitude  

• Rectitude is unwavering correctness—avoiding compromise or "little white lies"—and standing upright in one’s principles.  
• It requires courage to do what’s right without bending under pressure.

7 Approaching a Teacher  

• Acknowledging the need to learn, whether from a living teacher, books, or experience, is vital; no one knows everything inherently (e.g., the Ethiopian official in The Book of Acts needing explanation of scripture).  
• Gratitude for teachers is also emphasized as a sign of humility and growth.

8 Purity  

• Purity encompasses moral integrity (e.g., truthfulness, kindness via Yama and Niyama) and physical purity (e.g., avoiding meat, alcohol, or drugs).  
• Substances like LSD, once falsely touted as consciousness-expanding, damage the nervous system, showing purity’s practical importance.

9 Constancy  

• Steadiness in practice (like the tortoise beating the hare) is crucial; sporadic efforts fail, while consistent effort succeeds.  
• Spiritual life requires persistence, not fits and starts.

10 Self-Control  

• True control begins with ruling oneself, not others, through introspection and understanding one’s inner nature.  
• Without self-awareness, external control is meaningless; a yogi masters their "inner mechanism" to navigate life effectively.

Conclusion:

Swami Nirmalananda underscores that liberation demands more than intent—it requires specific, cultivated qualities like humility, authenticity, firmness, and purity, sustained by consistent practice and self-awareness. These traits enable one to distinguish the eternal self from the transient "field" of existence. For deeper study, he recommends his book, The Bhagavad Gita for Awakening.