[Advaita-l] Language and Advaita

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ 
~~~~~~

hello Michael


Your point is well founded. I have been taught ( and practice) that it is knowledge and
experience that bears fruit for the upAsaka.  And what does this aspirant practice? various upAya.

praNAm (praṇām)

words used
upAsaka (upāsaka)  उपासक - is the worshiper, the aspirant, the one who meditates.
upAsana (upāsana) उपासन - as a noun, it is the act of throwing off... What is thrown off? Ignorace.
This upAsana is  the act of sitting or being near or at hand ; serving , waiting upon , service , attendance , respect ;
Yet we are drawn to the definition ( which is applicable) adoration , worship. 
upAya ( upāya) उपाय - that by one reaches thier aim;  a means or expedient of any kind; a way, strategiy, plan, approach, craft  


-----Original Message-----
From: advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org [mailto:advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org] On Behalf Of Michael Shepherd
Sent: Sunday, February 21, 2010 3:38 AM
To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Language and Advaita

Dear friends,

A 'test case' could be the word upasana -- or priyanamupaste, so awkwardly translated into English as 'meditate upon'..

'Learning' may pass the word on; but only experience brings it to life.

A non-Hindu will have (from my experience) difficulty with this term in translation -- so vital to the Chandogya and Briha, for instance. But with contemplation, experience will throw up equivalents in one's own language -- such as 'hold this close to your heart'..or 'take this to heart'.. or the full original meaning of 'learn this by heart' (which so often now only means, learn this only well enough to repeat it in class..)

Michael



-----Original Message-----
From: advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
[mailto:advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org]On Behalf Of Sunil Bhattacharjya
Sent: 21 February 2010 06:33
To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Language and Advaita



Dear friends,
 
I think language is related to learning  rather than to experience.
 
Regards,
 
Sunil K. Bhattacharjya

--- On Tue, 2/2/10, sriram <srirudra at vsnl.com> wrote:


From: sriram <srirudra at vsnl.com>
Subject: [Advaita-l] Language and Advaita
To: "advaita" <ADVAITA-L at LISTS.ADVAITA-VEDANTA.ORG>
Date: Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 7:41 AM


Dear Members
It is my humble opinion language is no barrier to experience any spiritual truth.Experiences are subjective and to share that beautiful experience with the notion that others also experience the same  the realisers expressed the inner experience in their own mother tongue or a language in which they are proficient.So it is for us to get at the correct import of their words/sayings for which we have to take pains.One is to know the language of the seers.But even translations will help to get at the truth of their sayings if one contemplates continuously.this is my experience.R.Krishnamoorthy.
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