List discussions (was Re: [Advaita-l] BSB Discussion)

[S Jayanarayanan]

Sorry for the delay in my reply.

--- "M. S. Ravisankar" <ravi at ambaa.org> wrote:

[..]

> Hence, I wish to start a discussion on
> BSB.
> 

Thanks for taking the time to discuss the BSB. I
remember an old posting by Ramakrishnan B. where he
mentioned that the present Sringeri AchArya has
prohibited the study of BSB without a Guru. That being
the case, we are certainly bending quite a few rules
when we study the BSB as we do in this list. Also,
according to H.H.Chandrashekhara BhAratI, studying any
of the great VedAnta BhAshhyas (including the BSB) by
a GR^ihastha (or one who has not taken up sannyAsa)
will not result in moksha. 

Since no person across the internet can replace the
role of a Guru, and since I'm sure most list-members
are not sannyAsins, I feel that the main objective of
discussing advaita VedAnta on this list can only be in
the theoretical realm (i.e. as mere book-learning) and
never in the practical (i.e. spiritual or leading to
moksha). So it seems to me that the only purpose of
our study is to inspire us and leave us with a sense
of awe of the great Masters. As H.H. says, it may also
create favorable vAsanas ("shAstra vAsanas"?) which
could help us if we take up sannyAsa in this life or
the next. 

Every list-member has made errors in his presentation
of certain aspects of advaita VedAnta in the past,
which makes it evident that everyone in this list is
learning, and there are some excellent students in
this list. The only reason most of us are so ignorant
is because we have studied Western secular education,
and not our spiritually enriching tradition. The few
who have studied traditionally know <10% (or <1%) of
the Vedas, hardly enough to even hold a candle to the
extraordinary pandits of our tradition. 

It would be a very good aid for our understanding if
we compare and contrast advaita VedAnta with other
schools such as dvaita, vishishhTAdvaita, etc. But
unfortunately, the common forum that makes such a
discussion possible -- the newsgroup
soc.religion.hindu -- is dead. Perhaps, in this list,
a knowledgeable dvaitin (Krishna alias Nomadeva Sharma
or others) could discuss dvaita with the sole aim of
comparing it with advaita, fully aware that we all
agree to disagree. For dvaitins, advaita is a
pUrvapaksha, and I'm sure such discussions will also
help them better understand their own siddhAnta. This
is certainly possible, and hopefully feasible as well.


[..]

> To start with, I am going to repost (starting from
> next week) the article of
> adhyAsa bhaashhya by Sri Subhanu Saxena. Follow it
> with a repost of the
> series by Sri Sadananda. Your participation is
> crucial.

Thanks also for the reposting. I'll try to resume my
series on adhyAsa.

-Kartik

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