[Advaita-l] Advaita and other philosophies

[Kiran B R]

> True but on the other hand if we didn't have faith 
> that the Acharyas had the right answer then why 
> would we care what they taught?

How can you have faith in any AchArya before you
examine his answers and find out for yourself if the
answers are right?! Following the AchArya blindly is
utter foolishness, and is nowhere advocated for.

You should care about what they taught only if you
have found out for yourself that what they taught is
worth caring about! If on the ohter hand you have
programmed yourself to receive everything the AchArya
says as absolute Truth, that itself gives rise to
ahaMkAra where you see that the AchArya's teaching
seems to hold not: "How can MY AchArya be wrong?!"

Having bhakti in the AchArya does not mean accepting
everything he says even before hearing it or analyzing
it! Similarly, not accepting everything he says does
not mean that one's bhakti in the AchArya has reduced!

> But at the end of the day I must unequivocally 
> state that I consider them inferior to
> Shankaracharya.  Why?  Because he and his disciples 
> are my deshikas (guides)  His philosophy impels my 
> actions not those others.

Oh what a beautiful reason for considering other
AchAryas inferior! What a wonderful reason indeed!!
Just because the actions of Jaldhar are impelled by
shankarAchArya, other AchAryas are inferior! Hear men!
Hear ye all!

> When one is new and not well-informed, one should 
> shy away from such bold pronouncements.  However 
> once one has chosen a particual spiritual 
> discipline it has to be followed to the hilt. 

How easily you assume that following "a particular
spiritual discipline to the hilt" simply includes
considering other AchAryAs as inferior! There are
infinitely many radii that reach the centre of a
circle. Parading on one radius which you haven't even
chosen as an adult, you proclaim that every other
radius is inferior!

> Consider the word Mumukshu - one who *desires* 
> moksha.  Don't our acharyas say to give up desires?
> But there is no paradox because there is a 
> hierarchy of desires and an order to their 
> renunciation.  It's the same deal with praise of 
> the Guru and back-patting.

Ultimately, the mumukShu smiles when he recalls that
he had desired mOkSha for so long. Doing this is the
characteristic of a true mukta.

Ultimately, the shishya smiles when he recalls that he
had praised his Guru and patted on his own back for so
long. Doing this is true praise of the Guru.

Cheers
Kiran

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