[Advaita-l] Sankara on sannyAsa for Steadiness in GYAna (was Re: Jivanmukti - Jnana plus Sannyasa pt 5)

[Anbu sivam2]

Sunilji,

Clearly the Bouddhas postulated the option between rotting in samsaara
(sarvam dhukkam dhukkam sarvam kshaNikam kshaNikam) and becoming extinct in
soonya (niodha).  They never upheld Existence as the ultimate objective.

Advaita Vedaantis alone upheld Sat as irreducible and unchanging.  It is
they who advocated Sat as the summom bonum.

Buddhists were the ultimate challenge to the Advaitins and the Advaitins
roundly defeated them in Bharatavarsha.  This is history.

On Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 7:16 AM, Sunil Bhattacharjya <
sunil_bhattacharjya at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I have taken the fire rituals as the example as it is mandatory for the
> Brahmnas of the three Ashramas but this is not to the exclusion of the other
> karmas, and though the other karmas have not been mentioned
>
> As regards the Statement The Buddhists want extinction.  They do not want
> liberation like
> Astikas because they do not believe there is any state to be liberated
> to. again we are in a difficult situation. In "Prajnaparamita", which is
> considered the Bible of the Mahayana and it shorter versions the "Diamond-
> sutra" and the "Heart- Sutra" it is said that the liberation is to get out
> of the five skandhas (which are the Buddhist version of the five koshas) and
> to have the non-separate state but not non-existent. Nagarjuna also says
> that "Shunya" is not Non-existence.
>
> Regards,
>
> Sunil K. Bhattacharjya
>
> --- On Sun, 10/18/09, Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com> wrote:
>
> From: Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
> Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Sankara on sannyAsa for Steadiness in GYAna (was
> Re: Jivanmukti - Jnana plus Sannyasa pt 5)
> To: "A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta" <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
> Date: Sunday, October 18, 2009, 10:10 PM
>
> On Sun, 18 Oct 2009, Sunil Bhattacharjya wrote:
>
> > Dear friends,
> >
> > We have arrived at a critical position.  Can I put the problem as
> follows. Of course, I request the Vedantic scholars to say if I have put the
> problem properly. It is as follows:
> >
> > The Parivrajaka alone gives up fire and thus he gives up the Vedic
> rituals and this means he gives up the mortal world and does not aim for the
> Swarga either and his only aim is the Moksha.
>
> A clarification here.  The shastras always talk about renouncing the fire
> because agnihotra is the archetype of karmas.  But everything concerning
> agnihotra is applicable mutatis mutandis to sandhya, or working in a
> factory, or any other type of action.
>
> > In other words he rejects both this mortal and the heaven but seeks that
> which pervades both, ie. the Brahman.
>
> He rejects more than heaven but all purposeful goals (of which attaining
> heaven is the archetype.)
>
> > It seems Lord  Buddha got an inspiration for his middle path from such a
> stand of Baudhayana.
>
> The Buddhists want extinction.  They do not want liberation like Astikas
> because they do not believe there is any state to be liberated to.
>
> > If this is so then can any of the other three ashramas, who performs the
> Vedic rituals through fire, transcend Swarga  and get Moksha.
> >
>
> Once again let me stress that any intentional action is an impediment to
> moksha not just "Vedic rituals."
>
> > As regards Janaka, it may then be considered as an exception to the above
> position.
> >
>
> Public figures like Janaka may continue to appear to practice karma as an
> example to others.  Furthermore an emperor with a vast number of ministers,
> soldiers, and servants at his disposal might not actually have that much
> "work" to do.
>
>
> -- Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
> -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
>
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