Vedanta and intellect (was Re: Some Vedic sacrifices of this century)

[Jagannathan Mahadevan]

I think we can always use the intellect as a tool in our daily lives..in
matters of decision and many other functions..but using the intellect to
achieve knowledge of the atman or brahman is analogous to using the
"limited" to get the "limitless".

This is never possible..the very attempt to gain "knowledge" with the
intellect is acknowledging you to be the limited individual..well then you
may ask "how then do we gain the knowledge?" Knowledge is never gained by
you as you are already the "whole"!

The only thing remains therefore is to "gain" the maturity of the mind to
offer every action of ours to the lord and there exists no duality anymore
because you are no more the doer of actions nor the enjoyer or the
sufferer of the fruits of the actions..The one and the only thing left is
the maturity of the mind to accept what one cannot change, to change what
one can and to discriminate between the two(this is where one needs the
intellect and not for "gaining" the knowledge of brahman..)

The above was exactly what was mean't by me when I said no amount of
intellectual duels will lead us to the brahman...

Thanks for reading..and appreciate your enthusiasm..

Om

On Thu, 23 Dec 1999, Jaldhar H. Vyas wrote:

> On Fri, 17 Dec 1999, Jagannathan Mahadevan wrote:
>
> > Keith was right, advaita is not food for the intellect, again as we give
> > validity to the intellect by chewing on it, we destroy the whole
> > foundation of advaita..
> > Jagan
> >
>
> But we give validity to the intellect every day in everything we do.  It
> would be the height of hypocracy to let ignorance rule in matters of
> religion when we would never allow it in any other sphere of of our lives.
>
> Our acharyas have always stressed the importance of vivek--discrimination
> between right and wrong, true and false--as the most importance of
> virtues.  If we look at the Upanishads, we see even there there is debate
> and questioning amongst the sages.  They rightfully warn us that
> intellectual pursuits can blind instead of enlighten but unfortunately for
> us poor humans the intellect is the only tool we have available.  So we
> must use it and develop safeguards to try and prevent its misuse.  Because
> the only alternative--to remain ignorant--is far, far worse.
>
> --
> Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
>
> --
> bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam
>
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