UNIVERSAL OUTLOOK

[sadananda]

Nagy wrote:

>Dear Sada:
>I am ajnani on the path of learning.
> I hate arguments but I like to keep on inquiring.  My
>questions may sound silly for a learned person - I keep on asking so I can
>learn.


Nagy we are all in the same boat.  Inquiry to learn is essential.  One can
also argue within the logic.  There are four types of discussions:
samvaada, vaada, jalpa and vitanda.  Samvaada is the discussion between the
teacher and the tought - as in Krishnaarjuna samvaada.  Vaada is the
discussion between equals as we do in this advaita list (at least most of
time) - each of the parties are ready to give up thier notions if they are
convinced of the logic of the other. Jalpa starts with the notion that each
one is convinced that he is right and the oponent is worng, and the purpose
of the discussion is only to covert the other guy to his camp.  Since
neither one gives up his convictions, there will be lot of noise.   But the
bystanders my gain if they are impartial. In Vitanda there are no
convictions.  It is wrong because you said it.  Vitanda sometimes is  used
in Vedanta to establish the lack of credability of the opponent.

My statement which I paraphrased as "In my understanding...." is only to
note that some types of inquiry does not take us anywhere.  For example why
Satyasaibaaba brings Vibhuties and not rice or chappatiis only He alone can
anwer. Why Krishna did not stop the war?  - May be it was a dramatization
to give us Bhagavad Geeta.  - My guess is no better than yours or some
others and there is no true answer to discover the truth. Inquiry into
other people's motives does not lead us to the discovery of the truth. The
true motives in any action, one who has alone knows.  The rest is
speculation. Ones speculation may be better than the other, but truth may
be neither.

On the other hand inquiry into the nature of the absolute using sastra
pramaana is a different inquiry.  That is important and becomes a means for
contemplation on the truth itself. - In this inquiry there is no silly
question. The only silly question is that which was not aksed.

P.S. Your son, Sriram and Padmani visited us todays ago and are on the way
to Pittsburgh.

Hari Om!
Sadanada



K. Sadananda
Code 6323
Naval Research Laboratory
Washington D.C. 20375
Voice (202)767-2117
Fax:(202)767-2623

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What you have is His gift to you and what you do with what you have is your
gift to Him: Swami Chinmayananda
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