“If I become free from anger and shake off ignorance, if I become more vigilant and alert, I would be doing no karma even when occupied in some karma. This illustration explains both the ideas, of a person doing no karma even when occupied in karma and of another who, though he believes that he is doing no karma, is in fact weaving the bonds of karma round himself.”
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Probable attribution
This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.
Likely origin: From 'The Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi'; his commentary on desireless action (karma) and inner freedom.
About this quote
What binds a person isn't the activity itself but the state they act from. Move through a task free of anger and self-deception and it leaves no residue; do the same task gripped by craving and resentment and you tie fresh knots without noticing. The inner condition, not the outward doing, is what accumulates.
When to use it
- A nurse handling the same rounds feels drained on a bitter day and light on a calm one.
- A parent washing dishes in quiet acceptance ends the night settled rather than resentful.
- A worker who meets a tedious report without a grudge finishes clear-headed instead of stewing.