[Advaita-l] Harmony with Saguna Nirguna and other issues

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Wed, 23 Jul 2003, narayan wrote:

> Dear All
>
> I am a new member; not quite sure the way I am asking/raising these issues:--
>
> (A)At an intelectual plane I do BELIEVE that NIRGUNA is far superior to
> SAGUNA)(spirtual sense).
>
>      However,I am still very comfortable with the SAGUNA Form.
>

Superior/inferior is the wrong way of looking at it.  You should instead
think about what it is you are trying to do.  Our shastras speak of
nirguna Brahman because that is the truth.  All gunas are superimpositions
upon the true Self.  But they also speak of saguna Brahman hen it is
appropriate.

> (B)Everthing is constituted of th FIVE ELEMENTS.
>
>       Is it possible to view (through human perception) the
>       disintegration process anywhere?
>

Creation and destruction goes on all the time.  When the potter does his
work, is he destroying clay or creating a pot?

> (C)LOVE (PURE UNSULLIED LOVE) alone Is the hallmark of divinity.
>
>      How could one raise the CONSCIOUSNESS of living beings in this
>      direction?
>

The problem is that all living beings are conscious at different levels so
there isn't a blanket answer.  But if we start working on raising
ourselves it may be a good start.


> (D)Kali Yuga Is Fast Acclerating EATING into the BASICS (VALUES).
>
>      CAN WE DO SOMETING about it as an email satsang group.
>

The short answer is no.  The internet is useful in many ways but not for
this.  We have to act.  One of the most insidious barriers preventing
action is nostalgia.  People have the false feeling that everything was
great in the "good old days" but are going to the dogs now so what can we
do?  And such a view appears to be supported by our shastras which say
that the Satyayuga was a golden age after which began a steady decline
until the present evil Kaliyuga.  But if you think about it even when Shri
Rama walked the earth there were Kaikeyis and Ravanas.  In fact according
to the Chandipatha even before Srshti, Shumbha and Nishumbha were
threatening Dharma.  On the other hand the shastras say that in the
Kaliyuga the Gods expect so little from us even by chanting Their holy
names one can advance spiritually.  So actually there is cause for
optimism.  Look at the description of the yugas a little more closely.
What comes after the Kaliyuga?  Another Satyayuga?  In fact the cycle of
up and down upheavals of time continues eternally so in the big picture
its level is really constant.

So act now.  Learn what is right and do it without thinking of the reward.
When you refuse to surrender to apathy the corrosive power of time cannot
hurt you or the people around you.


-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
It's a girl! See the pictures - http://www.braincells.com/shailaja/