Action Without Desire Of Outcomes

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Image of the Week
La acción sin deseo de obtener resultados.
por Vinoba Bhave.

Para proteger el interés propio, las personas explotan a l@s demás, las naciones declaran la guerra y las empresas se socavan mutuamente, porque en estas situaciones ven un conflicto entre el interés propio y el interés de l@s demás. Pero en realidad no hay tal conflicto. Los intereses de tod@s están entrelazados. La paz, la prosperidad y la felicidad son del interés de tod@s. Estas son las ganancias universales, que se logran cuando los logros personales se olvidan. Cuando se persiguen ganancias personales, se pierden ganancias universales. Y si se pierden las ganancias universales, ¿dónde están las ganancias personales?

Cuando se realiza con amor, la acción se convierte en su propia recompensa. Cuando la acción se realiza sin motivos ocultos, cuando es espontánea, alegre y pura, nuestra atención está presente en el aquí y el ahora. No hay astucia, no hay cálculo premeditado, no hay especulación, no hay planiación, no hay pasado, no hay futuro, no hay que preocuparse, no hay ninguna carga. Nuestra acción fluye sin estrés, sin tensión ni presión.

Por ejemplo, si un@ cocina por la alegría de cocinar y con plena atención y presencia de la mente, entonces una buena comida será el resultado natural. Trabajar en el jardín por la alegría de la jardinería, sin impaciencia y sin ansiedad, entoces las frutas, las flores y las verduras fluirán a través del jardín por su propia cuenta. Aquell@s que se dedican a la cocina o la jardinería no se sentirán satisfech@s si les decimos que no necesitan cocinar o cultivar un huerto, y que nosotros les proporcionaremos comidas preparadas y verduras preempaquetadas. Una verdader@ cociner@ o jardinero@no se sentirá feliz, porque de esa manera se han visto privad@s de su creatividad y trabajo lleno de alegría.

Una jardiner@, mientras trabaja en el jardín con amor, se identifica con el reino vegetal. A través de la jardinería él o ella logra la unidad con todo el Universo. De esta manera, la jardinería se convierte en un acto noble, un acto espiritual, una oración y una obra de teatro (toda la vida es una obra de teatro, un drama divino). Un@ niñ@ juega por la alegría de jugar; nosotr@s actuamos por la alegría de actuar. Deberíamos realizar nuestras acciones tan naturalmente como lo hace un pájaro al cantar. No necesitamos esperar reconocimiento por actuar de acuerdo con nuestra propia naturaleza. La jardinería llega a un@ jardiner@ de forma tan natural como lo es comer, beber o dormir. No hay nada especial al respecto. No hay vanidad en esto.

["Si no hay nada que lograr", le pregunté a Vinoba, "sin objetivo, sin resultado, ¿entonces para qué siquiera actuar?"]

No podemos renunciar a la acción. La acción está delante y detrás de nosotr@s. Incluso permanecer sentad@ sin moverse es acción, y si nos quedamos quietos durante demasiado tiempo, incluso nos sentiremos incómod@s. Por lo tanto, no debemos tratar de abandonar la acción. Todo lo que podríamos abandonar es el deseo de obtener un resultado.

A través del trabajo, nos expresamos. El trabajo manifiesta nuestra imaginación. El trabajo es amor que se puede ver. A través del trabajo, establecemos relaciones con personas y las cosas materiales. Por lo tanto, el trabajo en sí mismo es hermoso. Es el deseo de impresionar a l@s demás, el deseo de reconocimiento, la fama y la fortuna, lo que hace que el trabajo sea feo. No hay necesidad de desear ninguna ganancia. Todas las ganancias, son subproductos, se dan como un resultado natural. El producto principal del trabajo es el trabajo en sí mismo.

Preguntas semilla para reflexionar: ¿Cómo te relacionas con la noción de que el trabajo en sí mismo es hermoso, pero el deseo de impresionar a l@s demás es lo que lo hace feo? ¿Puedes compartir alguna experiencia personal de algún momento en el que sentiste que el trabajo es el amor que se puede ver? ¿Qué te ayuda a evitar el apego a los resultados sin renunciar al trabajo?

Vinoba Bhave en una conversación con Satish Kumar, como apereció de su libro: "Tú eres, luego yo existo."
Seed Questions for Reflection

How do you relate to the notion that work itself is beautiful but the desire to impress others is what makes it ugly? Can you share a personal experience of a time you felt that work was love made visible? What helps you avoid attachment to outcomes without giving up work?

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Add Your Reflection

14 Past Reflections
GA
Feb 13, 2026
Not all but yes some work when it is connected with heart, gives me a different feeling. Thinking what I can do best in the current movement, irrespective of how much other person wants to implement. Without any expectations.
JV
Feb 12, 2026
After reading this beautiful article,it’s just coming to me that if we do anything which we love ,the joy of doing that thing is unbounded and very satisfying.i feel that it’s an opportunity which we get to do whatever we like,is itself a huge blessing and then I know that it will turn out something which touches the heart.. results of that action is going to be amazing .
We had just -(4days back )got our daughter married.the sole intention of us was to share our joy with all the people around..whatever we did with lots of love which touched each and everyone’s heart…it just turned into divine wedding…the experience everyone felt was magical …so I think if intention is pious ,the whole process becomes result itself
NI
Nisha
Feb 12, 2026
I've always believed that validation is the biggest curse especially in today's world with the addition of social media.
I've encountered many selfless acts in every walk of life like a lady who teaches young children of househelps so the next generation lives a better life.
Gulzar's "तकलीफ खुद ही कम हो गई,
जब अपनों से उम्मीद कम हो गई।" is a good reminder to avoid expectations and in turn attachments not just to loved ones but also to others and to outcomes to our actions.
SM
Feb 11, 2026
The joy of the job is in the doing itself. When i am immersed in the experience, i feel the flow and fing myself dissolving in the flow as things come together and proceed. Quite naturally, i sense myself as a witness, not the doer of the action, and as the one through whom the action comes through. I become a channel of blessings!
KB
Ketan Bhuva
Feb 11, 2026
This passage gives me clear meaning of Karma Yogi , drop the question " What will I get?"

I always say "Yes" for whatever is convenient for me & "No" whatever is inconvenient to me .

" Yes" if it is yielding something & " No" if it is not yielding something to me, just by dropping a simple calculation of what can I get out of this suddenly one becomes phenomenon, volunteer, absolute yes to life .
RD
Feb 11, 2026
Very Beautiful conversation. Here i recollect 2 incidence of the conversations related to plating / Farming. At one of the community land on the outskirt of Mumbai, a Enthuaistic Guy will travel from Mumbai regularly and give his shramdan in planting seeds of flowers and fruits. He was doing this with immense joy, When the flowers start blooing and trees start giving fruits, he start sharing on social medias largely. Another incidence I met a couple from Europe at an Ashram near Vajreshwari. They were here for their spiritual journey. Their guru asked them to do shramdan as long as they are here, so they started working in the farm with innovative ideas and also to grow organic vegetables, fruits and whatsover the land can give. During conversation, I asked if the plan to settle here and gradually buy land. They were surprised with my question, but responded humbly "we are here for spiritual journey and following the path suggested by Guru. The shramdan we are doing is our offe... View full comment
JA
jasonmorgan
Jun 28, 2018

 AWESOME

DE
Jun 26, 2018

 Expectations from our actions in all areas of our lives always results in failure . One performs the action required and moves on .

SF
Suzanne Frazier
Jun 26, 2018

 As an artist, when I create oil paintings, I am working from love. My work is love manifest. As for impressing others, I am older woman artist so that is not a problem. People aren't impressed by our life's work, many times, because an older woman created it. That's ok with me because creating the art is the important part of my life.

BM
Jun 26, 2018

Thanks so much for posting this reminder! Timely for me -- it’s so easy to focus on various projects and causes, then become frustrated when progress or a hoped for outcome seems a long way off. Yet it is helpful to think that, ideally, we all come into life with a unique mission. So long as we are carrying out our mission and applying our particular talents, life can feel meaningful and fulfilling, whatever the external circumstances. The task is to work with one’s abilities and circumstances the best one can - not to control the outcome.

 
 
SA
Jun 26, 2018

 In BhagwadGeeta Lord Krishna says "Na Me Karma Fale Spruha" -- i.e, may fruit of thy action be not thy motive.  Vinobaji was a gret follower of this and he is right in saying that moment you focus on the outcome, you do not give 100% of your attention, energy to whatever you are doing.  This is a distraction from action.   Work is worship can be exmplified automatically when results are truly wonderful.

DD
Jun 25, 2018

 The desire to impress others is a problem and can be ugly because it's a desire to do something that I don't have the power to do.  I can't make anyone be impressed or unimpressed.  I can't make anyone do or feel anything.  I can perform right action, which is my responsibility.  Right action is constructive expression of my experience in the moment.  Right action does not involve trying to control outcome.  Right action is love.  Work is action, and work that is the right action is love made visible.  When I trust my truth and put it into right action without being goal directed and without trying to control outcome, I am trusting the process and I am loving and my love is made visible.  I can give up trying to control outcome without giving up right action, and knowing that helps me avoid attachment to outcome without giving up work. 

JP
Jun 22, 2018
 When anything we do is done with love, it is always joyful.The action itself is the reward. Work and love are interwoven. The work could be sweeping the floor, picking up the garbage, cooking, nursing someone who is sick and invalid, teaching or gardening. When it is done with our heart, lovingly, it is joyful and beautiful. When we work for the extrinsic reward, there is dissatisfaction, disappointment and bickering.The joy of work or the beauty of work is lost. My mom loved to cook Her face was beeming with joy. Every action connected with cooking brought a lot of joy to her and to others surrounding her They were also affected by her joy. Her joy was contageous.The same was the case with my wife. This has been my experience with many of my friends who have been very happy for cooking for me and serving meals to me. I love and enjoy learning and teaching.I  am learning because I love  to learn. I am teaching because I love to teach not for recognition or gaining fame... View full comment
AJ
Anurekha Jain Jun 26, 2018

 Beutifully expressed! Its true. But people always work for the byproduct and desire. Very few people understand what they love and do the work which give enjoyment. Otherwise work always connected with money, name and fame. thats whay satisfaction and peace is not in human mind now a days. Only live in competition.Current education and parents are giving only this kind of education and thats why stress in life is increasing.Because of not availability of space individula cannot find our own interest.Destiny also play role and if somebody is doing without interest then after some time come on to the path what like.