New Member Introduction: Anand Hari Ghalsasi

[Devendra Vyas]

dear nanda,
             i assume that you have read all my previous messages on this
topic. i have clarified that i only proposed that we should have
discussions/interpretations of the ancient wisdom in the current context,but
unfortunately vaidya has shot down my suggestion ,so now i
am keeping quite.i entirely agree with all that you have to say.
but still,i fail to undestand if we don't have contemporary
debates/discussions/interpretaions then what is the point?might as well just
keep an automated mailer program which will deliver daily mouthings from the
scriptures for mass consumption.
to my mind, even the ancients have commanded us to apply the foll tests to
truth:
sruti/yukti/anubhuti and also to satisfy ourselves fully after applying our
minds.if krishna had followed tradition "blindly" he would not have done
what he did.after all vedanta does not say that we have to become dull,fools
and lifeless caricatures,it was ever open to interpretation and dynamic
evaluation that has been the cheif strengths of vedanta.else it too would
have become like a hopeless bystander like the rc church.sincerely-devendra.


>From: nanda chandran <vpcnk at HOTMAIL.COM>
>Reply-To: List for advaita vedanta as taught by Shri Shankara
><ADVAITA-L at braincells.com>
>To: ADVAITA-L at LISTS.ADVAITA-VEDANTA.ORG
>Subject: Re: New Member Introduction: Anand Hari Ghalsasi
>Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1999 16:10:23 PDT
>
>Devendra Vyas writes :
>
>>let us concentrate more on the jnana-kanda rather than
>>the karma-kanda.let us have more debates on the core of
>>advaita-vedanta,
>
>Ofcourse in the ultimate sense, karma kAndam is of no use and
>only jnAna kAndam matters. But then, are you ready for jnAnam?
>
>In any of our AchArya's works the opening verses generally start
>off with a salute to his guru and then he demands as requisites
>four qualities for the aspiring Advaitin.
>
>1. vivekam - discrimination between the real and the unreal.
>2. vairAgyam - the will to pursue and live by what vivekam shows
>   to be true.
>3. the control of one's senses, mind, body etc
>4. Mumukshutvam - the intense desire for liberation.
>
>Strictly speaking, if one doesn't have the above qualities
>there's not much to be gained by studying Advaitam - infact
>it might prove counter productive - you'll just be caught midway
>between - you can neither live a normal life nor can you live
>like a VedAnti. And this is not a comfortable situation for
>anybody to be in.
>
>Karma kAndam is what gradually leads to the development of the
>above qualities. If you understand and adhere to the karma
>kAndam, then the transition between karmam and jnAnam will be
>much smoother.
>
>And it is a misconception that Buddha rejects the karma kAndam.
>He only forbade the sacrifices of animals which is only part
>of the karma kAndam. There's even an instance in the NikAyas
>where he participates in a Vedic ritual with a brAhmana.
>
>Karma literally means activity - all kinds - physical as well as
>mental. JnAnam means transcending both the activities - physical
>and mental. To transcend these requires control, which
>itself is karma. Since Buddhism and Jainism are more ascetic
>than Hinduism, their karmas too are more severe. Their karma
>is similar to the karmas prescribed for Hindu samnyAsins. So if
>you're mature enough to become a samnyAsin, then go ahead become
>one and you can give up karma and devote all your attention only
>to jnAnam.
>
>But with respect to us, with our modern education - our intellect
>might be highly developed for us to understand the technicalities
>of Advaitam, but our discipline is so poor, the such knowledge
>will infact become a burden, rather than the liberator ie though
>your insight has developed, you'll be shocked to realize that your
>body and mind, uncontrolled, do not live up to your ideals - which
>will cause you unimaginable misery. Many people take up Advaitam
>without realizing the implications - it's a very serious quest and
>if you're not careful you might get burnt. So take care not to slight
>the karma kAndam. These rituals and procedures were developed by those
>who've tread the path, with full awareness of the qualities which
>need to be developed for jnAnam - so have faith and adhere to it.
>
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