Thank You

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Tue, 27 Jul 1999, Ganesh Deivashikamani wrote:

> Dear Advaitins
>
> I somehow feel offlate List members are showing little tolerance or no
> tolerance atall,

That shruti is the pramana for knowledge of Brahman is a basic tenet of
Advaita Vedanta as the historical, traditional, and literary record
shows so no we are not showing any tolerance for those who think
it is not.  If I said "Tamils believe you should slice a childs left ear
off three days after birth"  would you be 'intolerant' for suggesting I
just made that up?  We can discuss the reasons for our respective views
but ultimately we will either accept or reject them.  Intolerence is when
you are not willing to hear people out.  Do you see that happening?

> this is how I feel following the discussions about the
> authority of Vedas. For people like me who are the beginners this is very
> discouraging.

The cure for your discouragement is to not stay a beginner.  Listen to the
arguments, learn the issues and your outlook will change.

> You guys mean to say since Vedas Talk about Brahman which by its true nature
> infallible without change and eternal and that which cannot be perceived
> through ordinary sense thats why there is no real author for Veda and that
> it is infallible and the only way ?

To restate the position.  The Vedas deal with two subjects, Dharma and
Brahman.  These cannot be known through perception, inference etc.  In the
fields of Dharma and Brahman they are the final authority.  Other shastras
or teachers are only authoritative insofar as they are based on the Vedas.

The authorlessness of the Vedas is to remove the personality of the
alleged creator as a factor in the interpretation.

>  Therefore
> It also brings to our conclusion that if one reaches and realize onself in
> the Brahman,which means he also have realized what there is to be realized
> as said in Vedas then what difference does it make to one if he/she attains
> the highest state whether by studying Vedas or realize the basic truth by
> himself/herself (like say Sri Ramana Maharishi)

Nobody learns anything purely on their own.  Teachers, experience,
environmental factors all contribute.  One should have the integrity to
admit this rather than claim all credit for ones beliefs.

> May be that person should check himself by studying Vedas to make sure what
> he realized was that to be realized!!
>

Maybe they should.  Who is a realized person?  What coes it mean to be
realized?  How should someone go about it?

> please correct me if I am wrong!!
>

Please accept my correction when and if you are wrong.

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