[Advaita-l] RE: e-vEdAnta course

Jagannathan Mahadevan jagan at ccwf.cc.utexas.edu
Wed Nov 12 12:52:57 CST 2003


Namaste,

I am completely in support of the e-course in Vedanta.

One of the expectations from Jaldhar is that one should go to a Patashala
instead of an e-course. How many of us are ready to do that?

Sincerity in learning a subject follows an interest in the subject.

Interest in the subject is aroused only after an exposure to it at an
elementary level (or an advanced level depending on the person).

The e-course, although lacking in the human touch, will definitely kindle
the interest in people who until that moment are unaware of such a thing
as Advaita Vedanta.

Now, it may be said that Advaita_L may fulfill that requirement of
exposure. I think it does and so does the e-course!

When we can have an Advaita_L why not an e-course!

I recall a story of how Swami Chinmayandji had to convince his guru
of his wish to go to the people to inform them about Advaita Vedanta.
Obviously, had he thought of the points noted by Jaldhar he would never
have reached out to as many people as he has now!

Thanks,
Jagannathan.


On Wed, 12 Nov 2003, Jaldhar H. Vyas wrote:

> What I disagree with is not new ideas but this underlying premise that the
> best is infeasible and we have to settle for second best.  In what field
> of human endeavour do you hear of such a thing?  Low expectations
> inevitably lead to low outcomes.
>
> Indian children in the US have a reputation for being good students.  Is
> this because they are genetically smarter than everyone else?  Far from
> it.  The reason is because Indian parents demand it.  Nobody tells their
> children that a C is all they are capable of so that's all they should aim
> for.   But the message I'm getting from you is that we can only hope to be
> C students in Advaita Vedanta.



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