Shruti Vs Smriti

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Wed, 13 Aug 1997, Gregory Goode wrote:

> At 12:52 AM 8/13/97 +0000, Jaldhar H. Vyas wrote:
> >Your reading is pointless but one day it could lead to something so in
> >that sense it is worth continuing.  That's how I characterize my study of
> >Vedanta too.  There are far more practical things I read such as vyakarana
> >but one day when I do take sannyasa knowledge of Vedanta will be
> >indispensable.
>
> Thanks for your answer.  Did you say (in a previous message) that sannyasa
> is required for
> enlightenment?
>
> >
> >That is indeed the way Indians understand caste.
>
> Then, according to this view, can non-Indians be enlightened?
>

According to that view the answer would have to be either no or don't
care.  Remember it is only since the 19th century that any human culture
has thought of itself as being universal.  Even though Christians and
Muslims not to mention various other religions have lived amongst Hindus
for centuries a look at history shows Vedantins have never made much of an
attempt to reach out to others.  This is a question that simply was not
on the minds of the authorities of the past except in an abstract,
theoretical sense.

If one did think about it, I suppose the conclusion would be as
enlightenment is achieved with the same rational faculties all humans
posess, all humans should be able to achieve it.

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas [jaldhar at braincells.com]   And the men .-_|\ who hold
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