The supreme goal

[Allan Curry]

Namaskar

Gummuluru writes:

>I think Shri Nanda Kumar raised a very pertinent question. However, I
>wonder if anyone knows how to attain jnanihood. As far as I know, there
>are only the divine grace and purification of the mind (which is also a
>result of divine grace) are the two prerequisites. Beyond that, there is
>nothing, absolutely nothing which anyone can do to attain jnanihood. Until
>then, we have to keep on asking and answering these questions. There is no
>other way.
>
>Also, I think that asking and answering these questions is part of the
>purification process of the mind.
>

    Yes, I too wonder if anyone on this list in particular
    "knows how to attain jnanihood". There are a handful of
    people among us who seem to imply they are jnanis and
    they might then be able to tell us how to attain
    jnanihood, but I doubt whether anyone on this list is
    a perfectly realized being.

    If any list member is a jnani (a perfectly enlightened
    being) then please take pity on us and simply say so.
    If you are not a *perfectly* enlightened being then
    please admit this by by your silence. If there *were*
    any "pretenders to the throne" out there they might
    just gracefully pretend to have not even read this  :-)


regards,

- Allan Curry

P.S.
     Of course asking questions and answering them to the
    best of our ability is a good thing and part of the
    "purification process" which I whole heartedly support.
    Claiming (falsely) to be enlightened is going the other
    direction for both the claimant and anyone who listens
    to him, IMO.

>From  Tue Oct 28 00:45:33 1997
Message-Id: <TUE.28.OCT.1997.004533.0500.>
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 1997 00:45:33 -0500
Reply-To: chandran at tidalwave.net
To: "Advaita (non-duality) with reverence" <ADVAITA-L at TAMU.EDU>
From: Ram Chandran <chandran at TIDALWAVE.NET>
Organization: Home Personal Account
Subject: Re: The supreme goal
Comments: To: "Advaita (non-duality) with reverence" <ADVAITA-L at TAMU.EDU>
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Allan Curry wrote:
>
> Namaskar
>
> Gummuluru writes:
>
> >I think Shri Nanda Kumar raised a very pertinent question. However, I
> >wonder if anyone knows how to attain jnanihood. As far as I know, there
> >are only the divine grace and purification of the mind (which is also a
> >result of divine grace) are the two prerequisites. Beyond that, there is
> >nothing, absolutely nothing which anyone can do to attain jnanihood. Until
> >then, we have to keep on asking and answering these questions. There is no
> >other way.
> >
> >Also, I think that asking and answering these questions is part of the
> >purification process of the mind.
> >
>
>     Yes, I too wonder if anyone on this list in particular
>     "knows how to attain jnanihood". There are a handful of
>     people among us who seem to imply they are jnanis and
>     they might then be able to tell us how to attain
>     jnanihood, but I doubt whether anyone on this list is
>     a perfectly realized being.
>
>     If any list member is a jnani (a perfectly enlightened
>     being) then please take pity on us and simply say so.
>     If you are not a *perfectly* enlightened being then
>     please admit this by by your silence. If there *were*
>     any "pretenders to the throne" out there they might
>     just gracefully pretend to have not even read this  :-)
>
> regards,
>
> - Allan Curry
>
> P.S.
>      Of course asking questions and answering them to the
>     best of our ability is a good thing and part of the
>     "purification process" which I whole heartedly support.
>     Claiming (falsely) to be enlightened is going the other
>     direction for both the claimant and anyone who listens
>     to him, IMO.

Namaskar:

        The eighteen chapters of Gita suggest a path consists of Karma, Bhakthi
and Jnana yoga for liberation from the bondage of human desires.
Already Greg, Allan and others have quoted several important  verses
from Gita relating to this topic.  During our study group discussions, I
summarized the linkages between the chapters on the issue of
self-realization.  This is a delicate area and the scriptures
(Upanishads) have carefully stated the implications of the claim about
Jnanihood.  The Upanishads will reject anyone making a public claim that
"I am a Jnani!"  I did not see any claim by anyone in the Advaita
group.  I have organized subtitles on different stages of the liberation
passages.  I would like to make it clear that all these stages of
development are presented for coherent reading and understanding of the
issues.  The spiritual developments that are postulated in Gita are
necessary conditions. The most important ingredient for Self-realization
is the Grace of God! This is so fundamental and subtle.
        The scriptures have stressed the importance of "Sadhana" as the driving
force for Self-realization.  According to Gita, the most important
Sadhana is to conduct our activities without looking for the fruits of
our actions.  This is Karma Yoga.  Karma yoga is impossible to perform
with out Bhakthi.  Bhakthi is an infinite love for the Lord! Infinite
devotion to the Lord necessarily implies infinite love for everyone
around us! When we see everyone within us and see us in everyone then we
reach the goal of TRUE BHAKTHI.  If and when we are able to conduct our
Karma Yoga spontaneously without any hesitation, we become Jnanis.  The
person who has the wisdom to understand the formula for the liberation
is the Jnani.  Gita's specification of the Janani is with mathematical
perfection! I don't dare to call myself a Jnani because I am selfish
most of the time!

The Seizure of Human Mind by  Emotion, Ego, Ignorance and Stupidity (1-
47)
        The human Arjun is overwhelmed by emotion and self-pity and collapses
down on the seat of his chariot. He throws down his bow, arrow and
dignity.  He momentarily forgets his True Human Nature  and desperately
asks  for outside help.  Instantaneously, ignorance, selfishness,
self-centered ego, emotion and stupidity takes charge of his
personality.  He separates himself from his true human nature and
neglects his obligation to fight the war.  Fortunately, the flash of
light from his subconscious mind emerges to give all the necessary
guidance to fight his freedom from emotion, ego and ignorance and to
save the human soul.

The Key to Liberation ( 2 - 67 & 68)
When the mind runs after  rowing senses it carries away intelligence,
just as the wind carries away a ship on the waters. By withdrawing our
senses from objects we can firmly set our intelligence!

Importance Senses, Mind, Intelligence and Consciousness: ( 3 -  41 & 42)
The rowing senses can destroy the wisdom and discriminating power and
hence they should be controlled. Knowledge of Self is greater than
intelligence; intelligence is greater than the mind and mind is greater
than the senses.  Hence it is important for everyone to acquire the
knowledge of SELF (Jnani) through reading the scriptures, listening to
teachers and through personal experience.

SanyasaYoga and the Renunciation of Senses (4 - 26 & 27)
Some follow the sanyasa yoga by restraining the use of sense organs by
meditating in caves, mountains and forests. They sacrifice worldly life
by falling into the fire of yoga of self control.

What is Balanced Mind? (5 - 22 & 23)
Those who realize that real happiness does not born out of the pleasures
from contacts with  objects and who are able to resist the rush of
desire and anger will have a balanced mind.

What is  Meditation? (6 - 18, 24, 25)
Meditation is the liberation of mind from all desires and the
establishment of the mind on Self alone.  Such a Yogi will be self
content and self-controlled with unshakable determination.

Goal of Human Life ( 7 - 10)
God is the strength of the strong, devoid of desire and passion. The
desire for union with God is the only desire that will fulfil the goal
of having no desire and it will not be contrary to the Goal.

Practice of Yoga Sastraa to Control Body: (8 - 12)
All the gates of the body restrained, the mind confined within the
heart, one's life force fixed in the head, established in concentration
by Yoga (The physical body is called the nine-gated city!)

What is Yoga of Sovereign Mystery (Devotion)? (9 - 34)
The way to rise out of our ego-centered consciousness to the divine
plane is through focusing of all our energies, intellectual, emotional
and volitional on God. Knowledge, love and power get fused in supreme
unification. Bliss through Total Surrender and Complete Detachment from
desires.

What is Buddhi Yoga? (10 - 9 & 10)
The devotion of mind by which the disciple gains the wisdom which sees
the one in all the forms which change and pass.  By diverting the rowing
mind on God the disciple controls the senses.

 What is Devotion (Bhakti)? (11 - 55)
The essence of Bhakti is to carry out the duties, directing the spirit
to God and with a complete detachment from all interest in the things of
the world and also free from enmity toward others.

Who is a True Devotee? (12 - 13 & 14)
The person with no ill will to any being, who is friendly and
compassionate, free from egoism and self -sense, even-minded in pain and
pleasure, tolerant and self-controlled is a True Devotee!

What is True Wisdom ? (13 - 13 & 14)
Humility, integrity, nonviolence, patience, uprightness, service of
teacher, purity, steadfastness, self-control, indifference to the
objects of sense, self-effacement and the perception of the evil of
birth, death, old age, sickness and pain, non-attachment to spouse,
children, and other possessions, and a constant equal-mindedness to all
desirable and undesirable happenings.

The True Human Nature (Stithaprajna) (14 - 24 to 26)
The person who regards pain and pleasure alike, who dwells in own self,
who looks upon a clod, a stone, apiece of gold as of equal worth, who
remains the same amidst the pleasant and the unpleasant things, who is
firm of mind, who regards both blame and praise as one, who is the same
in honor and dishonor, who treats friends and foes same, who has given
up all initiative of action and who serves God with unfailing devotion
of love  is said to have risen above the three modes.

What is  Liberation? (15 - 5)
Those who are freed from pride and delusion, who have conquered the evil
of attachment, who have frozen their desires, who are ever devoted to
the Supreme Spirit are liberated from the dualities known as pleasure
and pain and are undeluded,  go to that eternal state of Brahman.

Divinity in Human Nature (16 - 2 & 3)
The virtues that include Nonviolence, truth, freedom from anger,
renunciation, tranquility, aversion to fault finding, compassion to
living beings, freedom from covetousness, gentleness, modesty  and
steadiness, vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, freedom from malice
and excessive pride belong to True Human nature unified with Divinity.

Qualities of a Perfect Human Being (17 - 14 to 16)
Worship of the Gods, of the twice-born, of teachers and of the wise,
purity, uprightness, austerity and nonviolence, the utterance of
non-offensive speech, serenity of mind, gentleness, silence and
self-control are the necessary standard to become more perfect.

Who is a  Perfect Yogi? (18 - 51 to 53)
A Yogi endowed with a pure understanding, firmly restraining oneself,
turning away from sound and other objects of sense, casting aside
attraction and aversion, dwelling in solitude, controlling speech, body
and mind, engaged in meditation and concentration, free from self-sense,
arrogance, violence, desire, anger, possession, ego-less and with total
peace of mind.