introduction from VISWANATHAN KRISHNAMURTHY (fwd)

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Wed, 1 Apr 1998, Ravi Mayavaram wrote:

> <original post deleted>
>
> namaskAram
>
>
> I thought I should write this to the list and discuss it openly.
> I received the request from shrI Vishwanathan Krishnamoorthy, quite
> sometime back. In fact I wanted to deny the request.   After
> discussing this issue with Govind, I decided to go ahead and add.
>
>
> Personally I think, advaita-L is not a test bed for untested ideas of
> new age philosophers. It is to discuss advaita-vedanta.  These days
> many form notions like those posted in the introduction, after reading
> inexpensive paperbacks on Modern Physics. Many of them are not even
> physicists. Whether Universe sprung from a singularity or not, are
> debatable from Modern Physics view point itself. It is positively
> disgusting to discuss eternal vedantic ideas in terms of ephemeral
> modern science. And the audacity of concluding what saints and sages
> thought after reading a english translation of bhagavad gita is
> amazing to me.
>
> As a member of the list, I can hit the D key on many such posts, which
> I do often. But as maintainer, I cannot remain silent. This is list is
> for advaita-vedanta.  This forum is not for discussing Buddhism, and
> definitely not for discussing new-age philosophies.  Personally I
> remain silent like many others because, I do not want to write
> something non-vedantic and pollute the forum. Like others, I learn
> from many who write so well on the issues of Advaitam like
> Vidyasankar, Anand, Sadananda, Jaladhar Vyas and few others.  I am
> grateful to them.
>
> I request that this forum need not be used for discussing one's pet
> theories and be used only to discuss advaita vedanta as taught by
> Shankara and his disciples. Personally I would prefer silence to a
> daring display of ignorance. Of course, where you draw the line is
> upto you.
>
> with respects,
> Ravi
> parandhAma rUpAm bhajE pANDya bAlAm
>

Ravi,

As you and readers of this list of this are probably aware, I am not shy
about rejecting what our sages have considered ignorant or worthless even
when as a result I have been accused of being intolerant, fanatic etc.
However even though I heartily concur with the feelings expressed in your
message, there is an aspect that trouble me.

To this day, even though I have learned to expect the posts of some
writers to be devoid of useful content, I haven't established a killfile
and try and read every single word.  Because you never know when some
nugget of wisdom might turn up.  Hope may be foolish sometimes but one is
better off for having it.

People usually have good intentions.  If they do things wrong it is out of
ignorance.  Luckily in the words of the shastras we have an excellent
means to fix this problem!  Armed with them without in anyway
compromising, we can refute all errors.  This may not be palatable to
every questioner but that shouldn't discourage anyone from trying.

So, in conclusion, I think you and Govind made the right choice in giving
this new poster a chance to be heard.  Now let's see what _he_ makes of
it.

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>