[Advaita-l] RM and shaMkara - part 2 (was Re: doubt on the role of shruti vAkyAs)

[jagannathan mahadevan]

Dear shrI Amuthan,

> > [...]
> > Interpretation D........................
> > SCS --> S (,M,N) --> AV --> permanent chitta vRtti
> > nirodha.
> > [...]
> > shrI jayanArAyaNan's interpretation, which was D, is
> > also not what RM has in mind.
> >
>
> i guess i need to refine the latter statement. RM is
> certainly of the opinion that traditional shruti based
> manana and parisa~NkhyAna are useful aids for a
> mumukShu (i.e. one who has not realized the self)
> since they  produce strength and one-pointedness of
> the mind. Hence, it can be seen that (M (,N) --> AV) =
> M*. (M,N stand for traditional manana and nididhyAsana
> and M* stands for RM's view of manana.) seen this way,
> your view D fits within RM's view.
>

>From the essay quote in your last email (part 1), I deduced that Atma
vicArA (Self-enquiry) consists of shravanam, mananam and nididhyAsanam
all three of them (the last sentence in the second para). Please point
me in the direction of your thoughts.

One of the practices that mahAtmas have engaged in is penance-written
in almost all biographical sketches such as that of ramaNa bhagavAn,
paramahamsa, mAtA amritAnandamayi and also different traditional
AcAryAs. I am unable to understand whether this is also something that
is part of the traditional teaching in some form- something that the
sequence of SCS, S, M, N includes. Coming back, what I am referring to
as penance is based on my observation from the biographical sketches,
namely continuous meditation in the caves or in nature, withstanding
great physical pains to persist in the meditation, and even going
without food in the process sometimes.

Amuthan, please do share your thoughts on the above and I humbly
request that of other members also.

Jagannathan.