on advaita and society (was Re: [Advaita-l] New member, introduction: Asad Mustafa Rizvi)

[Ram Garib]

Sri Kris Manian wrote:

> I believe Ramana said that (Cmiiw) you dont have to
> be saMnyasI to achive
> what he did, in an interview. 

He says so at several places in "Talks with Ramana
Maharishi".

> This may be against
> the smrutis.

There are some very passionate discussions about this
in the archives. What I could make out from those
discussions is that a householder jIvanmukta is not
against smrutis but is highly unlikely.

> But I am curious, how many in this news group are
> practicing Advaitins?

None. Because the term "practicing Advaitin" does not
exist. They say, one can only practice the preparation
of mind not the advaita itself. After that, if other
conditions are right, hopefully advaitAnubhava may
occur.

> How many can go in to or gone in to samadhi state?

Those following scriptural testimony say that samAdhi
is not really necessary for advaita. Ramana also
confirms it.

I personally have never gone into a state which I
could give a grandiose label such as samAdhi.
Nonetheless, I have a few not-so-bad meditative
experiences under my belt, and I believe that someone
with more commitment than me would certainly have had
deeper experiences than me. 

> Another question is, if most of the participants in
> this group agree with
> Amuthan's statement, 

...most of the participants here might agree more to
Lord Krishna's statement in gIta that says only one in
a million gets Him. samnyAsI or non-samnyAsI, your
chances are negligible anyway. The only difference is
that some are more negligible than the others.

> then is your discussion about
> Advaita in this group
> for theoritical purposes only?

Most of them are here because they could not have done
otherwise even if they wanted to. (Remember free will
is mithyA :)). I sometime reflect on me. I do not have
the least inclination to make spirituality my full
time commitment. Yet I keep hovering on these boards.
Is it theoretical? Largely so. But how do you control
something that was anyway not willed by you?

Advaita discussion for householders is not prohibited.
It may not yield any results too, except for the
preparation of mind. However someone truly convinced
of advaitic truth wouldn't really bother if that
anubhava did not happen in his body or in this birth,
would he? 
 
> (or an ego trip to
> show that I know so much
> but I dont practice:-)

It is the reverse.
One doesn't go on ego trip when one slips on practice.

Though if one is careful, one can use it to cultivate
some humility.

With regards,
Ram Garib 




		
__________________________________________________________
Yahoo! India Answers: Share what you know. Learn something new
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/