Some issues

[Williams, Pat]

Following are my responses to some of Allen's responses to my earlier
responses (-:
----------
Patrick S. Williams
Department of Social Sciences
University of Houston-Downtown
Houston, TX  77002
713-221-8982

> ----------
> From:
> un824 at FREENET.VICTORIA.BC.CA[SMTP:un824 at FREENET.VICTORIA.BC.CA]
> Sent:         Friday, September 19, 1997 2:12 PM
> To:   ADVAITA-L at TAMU.EDU
> Subject:      Re: Some issues
>
> Namaste,
>
> Patrick S. Williams writes:
>
> >I strongly agree with all those who feel that none should be excluded
> >from this list.  The reason others have expressed for this position
> are
> >apt and thoughtful.  Let's not deprive ourselves of even the tiniest
> >morsel that might possibly contribute to our awakening.  And being
> >confronted with what the conditioned I finds offensive is truly a
> gift.
> >It's a two-sided gift, of course, but this two-sidedness is the very
> >nature of this relative world from which we're awakening.  Let us not
> >respond at all to what seems to be rudeness, lest we add to our own
> >store of vasanas.
> >----------
> If you want this list to
> resemble the rest of the internet then don't moderate it. In six weeks
> it won't be worth reading.
>
I think there's very little chance of this list coming to resemble the
rest of the internet.  Most people who might stumble across us don't
have the slightest interest in reading or participating.

> If it's such a good thing to be insulted then why should we not all
> be allowed to extend this "gift" to whomever and whenever we choose on
> this
> list?
>
We are all perfectly free to extend this gift to anyone, any time.
Hopefully those who are interested enough to continue participating in
this list realize, however, the consequences of such behavior for
themselves.  Of course even those who are aware of the consequences will
slip up from time to time.  Even this ought to be considered a gift
because it is nothing more than one's vasanas showing themselves to us
so that we may then allow them to drop away by not reacting further, or
reinforce them by reacting.  It is not just Pollyanna-talk to speak of
EVERY happening in EVERY moment of our lives to be opportunities for
awakening.  What other purpose could ANY of this possibly serve?  And
how could the events that occur in this electronic forum be any
different?  If we hope to become the masters of our conditioned minds
rather than their slaves, then what better circumstances in which to
practice than in an (admittedly relatively) sattvic setting like this?

> I doubt you all would
> like to hear what I *really* think of people who give "high-minded"
> advice.
>
How should we be if not high-minded, whether giving advice or doing
anything else?  And when should we be that way if not every time we
realize we're not being so?  A number of postings have suggested that
this list should be useful not only for talking about the highest truth,
but for aiding participants in actually realizing it.  As you know if
you've read all of this, I believe we should recognize every moment of
our lives as that kind of opportunity.  It's easier to see this with
some situations than with others, and Advaita-L is one of those.