[Advaita-l] SADHANA - The different Paths

[Ryan Armstrong]

Once again, Namaskaras

Firstly, when you say "knowledge" what is being referred to?
I ask since English fails us here, the same word being used for different
concepts...

In the Taittiriiya Upanishad, the first part involves grammar and more
specifically, the joinings of different sounds, or संहिता.
It describes the 5 महासंहिता.
One of these states:
अथाधिविद्यम् । आचार्यः पूर्वरूपम् अन्तेवास्युत्तररूपम् । विद्या सन्धिः ।
प्रवचनं सन्धानम्
"Here begins (thhe meditation on) knowledge. The teacher is the first
letter, The student is the last letter, Knowledge is the meeting-place,
instruction is the link"
This does not seem to show that there is a transfer of knowledge, but
rather an arising of it during instruction.

Now it is interesting that the English word "knowledge" is the translation
of विद्या the dhatu of which is विद्

In the second book, the upanishad declares:
सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म
And Gambhirananda translates this as "Brahman is Truth, knowledge and
infinite"
Now, the English word "knowledge" is the translation of ज्ञानम् - dhatu ज्ञा
And in the bhaashya, Shankara explains how this statement can be broken
into 3 sentences, one of which is "ज्ञानम् ब्रह्म" - The Brahman is
Knowledge.

So the word knowledge could refer to विद्या, or ज्ञानम्.
When I posted that guru "knows (innately) *अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि", *I was using
know in the sense of ज्ञानम्.
And if  "ज्ञानम् ब्रह्म" then surely the "knowledge" is already in the
student but the student is ignoring it.
Hence the term ignorance - to ignore the knowledge of One's True Nature.
Perhaps then, this is where the shakti comes in - that by this great gift
from the guru, the knowledge can arise in the student of himself.

Such is my understanding anyway, and I would appreciate any errors in the
reasoning to be pointed out.

Yours in Truth
Ryan


On 16 January 2018 at 15:58, KAMESWARARAO MULA <kamesh_ccmb at yahoo.co.in>
wrote:

> Dear Sir,
>                Although I have expressed my views on 'Guru', but i feel
> that I may be too small to comment on that as I am just beginner in the
> path of self-realization.
>
> As Sh. Ryan Ji Says that " गुरु refers to one who has realized the Truth
> and knows (innately) *अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि" *
> But What I want to understand that *what makes a Guru to transfer the
> Knowledge to the needy disciple*? (this is not applicable to
> acharya/teacher)
>
> Any learned members or seniors of the list, please put your views so that
> we can understand our selves better.
>
>
> *What is the driving force by which 'Guru'  transmits his shakti or siddhi
> /knowledge to the Sishya?  how the disciple is his knowledge son?*
> *What makes do this?* and knowing this is the objective of my life
>
> Today I exists on this earth and could able to stand on my feet due to the
> grace of my Guru only as he is immortal on this karma bhumi.
>
>    *Na Guror-adhikam tattvam na Guror-adhikam tapah*
> *   Tattva-gyanat-param nasti tasmai Shri Gurave Namah*
>
>    *Man-naathah Shri Jagan-nathah Mat-guru-shri jagad-guruhu*
> *   Mad-atma sarva-bhutatma tasmai Shri Gurave Namah*
>
> SriGuruPadaravindarpanaMastu
> *Kameswara*
>
> On Tuesday, 16 January 2018 12:57 PM, Ryan Armstrong <ryanarm at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
> Namaste Sri Belavadi
>
> In my understanding, the term गुरु refers to one who has realised the
> Truth and knows (innately) अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि.
> Manu says something about this as being the difference between an आचर्य
> and a गुरु. (I shall have to find the reference if needed.)
> The guru knows who he is and instructs the student as to how the student
> may reach the same realisation.
>
> As such, the guru IS the Absolute.
> So I would say that it is quite redundant to say "immortal guru" since the
> guru must be immortal in the first place for the title to be used.
>
> Of course, this is within व्यवहार.
> In the final verse of तत्त्वोपदेष (ascribed to aadi shankara)
> states नाद्वैतं गुरुणा सह - There is no advaita between the guru (and the
> student).
> The guru exists while in ignorance and the seeker needs assistance to
> dispel the ignorance.
> Once ignorance is dispelled, the truth that only  Brahman exists is known,
> and distinction of teacher/student falls away.
>
> Yours in Truth
> Ryan
>
> On 16 January 2018 at 08:34, Belavadi Shankar via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> Where can anyone find an 'immortal' GURU?
>
>
>
>
> --
> Regards
>
> Ryan Armstrong
> +27 82 852 7787 <+27%2082%20852%207787>
> ryanarm at gmail.com
>
>
>
>


-- 
Regards

Ryan Armstrong
+27 82 852 7787
ryanarm at gmail.com