About Advaita Vedanta....

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Thu, 22 Jun 2000, IndraDeva Ishaya wrote:

> I was under the impression that Advaita meant "non-dual", for lack of a
> more indepth definition.

Yes and what two things is it not?

> What in the world are you arguing about? I signed
> onto this list expecting to learn about Vedantic tradition and history, and
> I have to listen to arguments that are completely irrelevant to anything.
> Why do you all feel the need to so vehemently defend your opinions and
> personal paths?

My personal path would involve heavy metal music, computer games and
lot's and lots of chocolate.  Advaita Vedanta is important to me precisely
because it is _not_ personal.  It doesn't deal with the temporary person
called Jaldhar but the underlying eternal consciousness that is the real
truth.

Yes truth must be defended.  To the hilt!  Why?  Consider the
alternative.  Allowing lies to flourish is an infinitely worse fate as
history shows again and again.

Perhaps some issues truly are beyond conclusion but people are often too
quick to judge them so.  We must always keep striving to know _especialy_
when it seems futile.  Look at the history of science.  So many times it
has reached deadends.  Some have been willing to give up but others
continued and made breakthroughs and new insights.  Aren't you glad they
did?

>
> "The unreal has no being; the real never ceases to be." Bhagavad-gita 2:1.
>
> Now, that is a statement worthy of your meditations.

Indeed.  Now look at the practical upshot of that statement.  At the
beginning of the battle Arjuna makes the argument that in order to win he
will have to kill his cousins, elders, teachers and friends.  Can such
carnage be worth it for something as insignificant and transient as a
kingdom?  Does Bhagawan say "ok it's all unreal just go and hide
somewhere."?  On the contrary preciously because the world is unreal it
amenable to our will, understanding, and action.

> If you believe Advaita
> Vedanta is The Truth, as I hear thown around so carelessly, then it needs
> no defense. If the teachings of the Buddha, or his disciples, is the Truth,
> then IT needs no defense. These arguments are irrelevant. If what you
> believe is the Truth, then it will stand under scrutiny. If not, well, good
> riddance.

And what other than scrutiny do you believe is going on here?

> You remind me of Religious Zealots, defending their beliefs that they
> barely believe in themselves, and because of that fear, attempt to convert
> as many as possible so as to feel safe.

I don't know about anyone else but I am a religious zealot.  And yes I do
defend my beliefs. What would be the advantage to not defending them?  If
defence is fear then what is premature silence except cowardice?  The
great sages resorted to silence after they had exhausted all there was to
say not a moment before.

As to the other evidence of moral turpitude could all the list members who
have been kidnapped and forced to join this list please raise your
hands.  And the ones who have had an Advaitin ring their doorbells and
lecture them on unreality?


I'm waiting :-)

> Very little of what I have read has led me to a greater understanding and
> experience of Atman, Brahman, Nirvikalpa Samadhi, Satori, Nirvana, The One,
> Transendant, Cosmic, or Ascendant Consciousness, or whatever name that you
> insist I call my Enlightenment.

This is the funny thing I always notice about people who make outbursts
like you (you're by no means the first.)  You have a very definite idea in
your mind about enlightenment is supposed to be.  (Which you haven't
deigned to share.  Are we not worthy?) Why aren't you accusing
yourself of vehemence?  Why are your ideas not silently defending
themselves.  Because you too sir are a religious zealot!  Admit it, it
feels good. :-)

> Except to make me run from my computer to
> meditate ;)

So you see good has come out of this! :-)

> I won't post on this subject again, for I fear that this message will fall
> on more than a few pairs of deaf ears, but I will continue to wade thru the
> drivel in search of the pearls.

And we will keep on producing pearls even if the untrained eye mistakes
them for drivel. :-)

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

--
bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam

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