[Advaita-l] How do you meditate?

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

 Sujalji - PraNAms.
 Once you have a clear understanding of Vedanta that is the essence of tat tvam asi without any doubts, the meditation is constant contemplation on the truth that is understood as paroxajnaanam to recognize or more correctly abide in the knowledge that I am Brahman. In that understanding - one has to see I am a non-doer in spite of all the doing required in the transactional world.  

Until one understand one has to follow the rules and once one has understood, one has to adopt the rule to suit the situation. 

Dattatreya says in Avadhuta Geeta - aham dhyaataa parma dhyeyam akhanDam khanDate katham? 
How can you divide that I am a meditator and this is to be meditated on, that which is division-less.
Meditation is a constant awareness that I am all in all - in spite of the apparent plurality of the transactional world .
The Live and the World - all become vibhuti - of the Lord or to be more accurate of the Self that I am. 

Hence one is in meditation all the time while still transacting in the world.
It is helpful one can take the name of the Lord - or any other symbol - to keep in the mind to provide the mind an venue to divert the mind to getting involved (emotionally) in the activities of the world and to remind oneself that He is in all and all is Him - In essence Bhakti helps  the mind to follow what the intellect has understood, otherwise the mind gets dissipated in the habitual involvement - that prevents one from abiding in the knowledge. 

Study of the scriptures, constant shravana, manana, discussions, reading, teaching... etc on the absolute truth are all means to keep the mind in that understanding - Anytime one feels the sense of pride or ego getting hurt - these are red signals to withdraw the mind from emotional indulgence. 

Swami Paramarthanandaji uses Acronyms to make us remember - he call the sanyaasa as reduction of PORT - possessions, obligations, relations, and transactions - one has to reduce PORT to the extent possible. External sanyaasa helps to reduce PORT. otherwise one has to make extra effort.
Hope this helps
Hari Om!Sadananda


 





 
      From: Sujal Upadhyay via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
 To: Venkatesh Murthy <vmurthy36 at gmail.com>; A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> 
 Sent: Monday, September 19, 2016 3:18 AM
 Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] How do you meditate?
   
Namaste Sri Venkatesh ji,

I understand what you say, but sanyAsa is a state of mind. It is absence of
desires. karma kANDa is negated in advaita. Besides there were advaitins
who have not taken sanyAsa, so advaita is not only reserved for sanyAsins
though sanyAsa is highly recommended. Sri Ramana Maharshi didnt perform any
karma kANDa, besides dosha is possible only when one has to live as a
householder, but if your mind is vairAgI, then you should quit kAmya
kamrma-s. If you give too much importance to anything, then when time comes
your mind will never become ready to quit it. So it has to be now or never.
If you think after retirement I will take sanyAsa, it will never happen. Pl
refer to Tai. Up. 1.11, Sankara bhAshya and sAyana / vidyAraNya's /
sureshvara's sub-commentary

OM covers everything, fruits of karma, and gAyatrI japa. All tytpes of
karma abd their fruits ends in samAdhi.

I know that Sringeri SankarAchArya has given a lots of importance to karma
kANDa for Brahmins. Sticking to vedic way of life is good. I acknowledge
your concern and appreciate what you are trying to say. Yes I am a Brahmin,
but I have been asked to simply chant OM, and if there is any dosha, my
guru will take care of it. I am safe.

This thread is started so that I wanted to know that apart from doing nitya
karma, does anyone meditates. Trust me, I am not trying to contradict you
or down playing the importance of karma kANDa. All I am saying is that I am
lucky :)


OM

Sujal Upadhyay

"To disconnect from the self and to become Aware of anything else is
nothing but unhappiness" - Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi

He who has faith has all
He who lacks faith, lacks all
It is the faith int he name of lord that works wonders
FAITH IS LIFE, DOUBT IS DEATH - Sri Ramakrishna

On Mon, Sep 19, 2016 at 12:31 PM, Venkatesh Murthy via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste
>
> On Mon, Sep 19, 2016 at 10:34 AM, Sujal Upadhyay <sujal.u at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > Namaste,
> >
> > I understand that you do not share the mantra and the spiritual
> experiences.
> > But you can share your daily routine. You can share how did you tackle
> > day-2-day issues.
> >
> > You say that nitya karma cannot be quite, but shAstra-s say, you should
> drop
> > agni i.e. karma kANDa.
> >
>
> There is no secret to share in Nitya Karmas. It is a standard list for all.
>
> It is not correct to drop Agni karya and Karma Kanda. This is a wrong
> interpretation of Advaita of Adi Sankara. In Karma Kanda there are
> four types of Karmas. Nitya Karmas must always be done till Death or
> you become Sanyasi. Naimittika Karmas must be done also when there is
> some event like Upanayana. Kamya Karmas must be stopped. Nishiddha
> Karmas must not be done.
>
> If you reject entire Karma Kanda before Death or Sanyasa there will be
> Pratyavaya Dosha.
>
> Sandhyavandana is a very important Nitya Karma. All must do it with no
> exception. I see from your name Upadhyay you are a Brahmin. Brahmins
> must never never stop doing Sandhya vandana till death or till
> Sanyasa.
>
> Agni Karya is a daily fire ritual done by Brahmacharis and it is also
> Nitya Karma only. Gruhasthas must do Aupasana fire ritual everyday.
> Nitya Brahma Yajna is also another Nitya Karma.
>
> In South India we get Nitya Karma books. We can learn from some
> Brahmin how to do it after Upanayana and continue it with help of
> books for remembering proper procedure. After practice all Mantras and
> procedure will come automatically.
>
> Study Vedas and Upanishads is also compulsory. Read some part of Veda
> and Upanishad of your Veda Shakha daily. If you are Sukla Yajur Veda
> Shakha read some portion of Brihadaranyaka every day with Sankara
> Bhashya. If you are Krishna Yajur Veda Shakha read a portion of
> Taittiriya Upanisad daily with Bhashya.
>
> If you have time after Nitya Karmas you can go for Yoga, Meditation
> and OM chanting. It is good only to do it. Nobody is saying it is bad.
> But it should not be done thinking Nitya Karmas are not necessary and
> skipping them.
>
>
>
>
>
> >
> > OM
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Sep 19, 2016 at 8:44 AM, Venkatesh Murthy via Advaita-l
> > <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> >>
> >> Namaste
> >> Sometime back there was a discussion for all to explain the daily
> >> spiritual activities. But some people said if we tell others our
> >> activities there will be a negative effect and we will stop doing it.
> >> It has happened to some people. They are afraid if they give out all
> >> the spiritiual activities they are doing they will stop them and it
> >> will be bad for them.
> >>
> >> But there is easy way to plan our activities. There is no secret to
> >> keep. Kindly see Upadesha Panchakam -
> >>
> >> Vedo nityamadheeyatham, tadhuditham karma swanushthiyatham,
> >> Thenesasya vidheeyatham apachithi kamye mathisthyajyatham,
> >> Papougha paridhooyatham bhava sukhe doshonusandheeyatham,
> >> Athmecha vyavaseeyatham nijagruhathoornam vinirgamyatham. 1
> >>
> >> The first line is saying study the Vedas everyday and do the Nitya
> >> Karmas well. We should do the Karmas as offering to God and leave out
> >> Karmas done with desire for something. We should cultivate desire for
> >> Moksha by seeing the defects of Laukika enjoyments. At the ripe time
> >> break attachment with home and family and take Sanyasa.
> >>
> >> Meditation and OM chanting can be part of the daily routine but we
> >> cannot give up the Nitya Karmas.
>
>
>
> --
> Regards
>
> -Venkatesh
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