study & intuitive understanding

[Guest guest]

"Ram Chandran" <rchandran@c...>

Mon May 7, 2001 11:46 am

Re: FW: study & intuitive understanding

 

 

Namaste:

 

The forwarded message from needs to be understood

properly with appropriate caveats and cautions. What Bhagawan Ramana

says is that the study of science, philosophy, scriptures etc. alone

will not take us directly to "God Realization." Bhagawan is quite

right and similar statements are plentiful in the Upanishads and Gita.

 

Only those who have spiritually evolved to the level of the

Bhagawan can abandon all learnings. They should be prepared to conduct

the Tabas (Deep Meditation as a True Sanyasi)and surrender their body

and mind to the Lord just like how Bhagawan did it in the Sanctum

Santorum of Arunachal. Bhagawan didn't seek food or drink or fame and

completely immersed with the SELF. When we reach that stage, we can

also abandon all methods of learning and interaction.

 

Any interpretation that leads to abandoning reading the Upanishads and

Gita will be also misleading because they have to read the book of

Bhagawan to get their guidance. The idea of abandoning doesn't come in

the flash of the mind but it also comes from a BOOK!

 

Finally, we should be aware that the Upanishads contain the

personal experiences of sages like Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi and are

consequently quite relevant. In conclusion, be aware that catch

phrases such 'abandonment' needs to be understood with proper

perspective and any hasty conclusions have pitfalls!

 

warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

Well put Sri Ramji! There is nothing to give up or abandon. One needs to

grasp the essence of the scriptures. Scriptures say, "Know That by which all

else is known." The nature of movement towards Knowing That is dictated by

inherent tendencies and certainly involves scriptural studies and discussion

and inspirational fellowship. The saying of our sages reflect such

understanding, beauty, simplicity, and purity that for us every word and

sentence has the fragrance of Self-Knowledge that takes the breath away in

utter wonder. Although there may be diversity of views on what constitutes

Tapas due to differing backgrounds and perspectives, Ramana Maharshi

beautifully gave the essential meaning of Tapas to Ganapati Muni who had

practiced mantra japa for many years.

 

Anandaji had related the following earlier. To understand the dialogue one

should keep in mind that Ganapati Muni had practiced penance and japa for

many years. Not satisfied, and in great spiritual anguish he went to Sri

Ramana and explained to him the nature of his mantra practice. Falling to

the feet of Sri Ramana, Ganapati Muni asked for the meaning of Tapas.

 

In answer to Sri Vashishta Ganapati Muni as to What is Tapas (penance)? Sri

Ramana Maharshi replied, "When a Mantra is repeated if you look to the

source of the Mantra sound, from where it arises, the mind will be absorbed

in That. That is Tapas."

 

The essence of the teachings of the Sage of Arunachala is to follow with

attention and awareness the "I" sense to see from where it rises and

subsides.

 

Love to all

Harsha

[Guest guest]

Hi Harsha and Ram,

>The forwarded message from needs to be understood

>properly with appropriate caveats and cautions. What Bhagawan Ramana

>says is that the study of science, philosophy, scriptures etc. alone

>will not take us directly to "God Realization." Bhagawan is quite

>right and similar statements are plentiful in the Upanishads and Gita.

>

>Only those who have spiritually evolved to the level of the

>Bhagawan can abandon all learnings.

>snip<

>

>Any interpretation that leads to abandoning reading the Upanishads and

>Gita will be also misleading because they have to read the book of

>Bhagawan to get their guidance. The idea of abandoning doesn't come in

>the flash of the mind but it also comes from a BOOK!

>

>Finally, we should be aware that the Upanishads contain the

>personal experiences of sages like Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi and are

>consequently quite relevant. In conclusion, be aware that catch

>phrases such 'abandonment' needs to be understood with proper

>perspective and any hasty conclusions have pitfalls!

 

When we hear that book learning and knowledge is an impediment and we

should give it up, get rid of it, that can be very confusing. How can we

abandon our learning when it is already in the brain?

 

At one point I was being told that I had too much learning, I knew too

much, and it was in my way... that I should get rid of it all, "empty my

cup." And I couldn't figure out how to do that! Everything I had learned

was recorded in my brain. Could I wipe it out, like initializing a

computer? It seemed to me that if I could do that, it would leave me

unable to function in this world... I would be in a hospital bed, with

nurses caring for me.

 

So what did it mean? The answer came in meditation. I found myself as in

empty space... and there was a cloud of bits of stuff all around my head.

I realized that the bits were thought-forms... knowledge, mental contents

forming a cloud around my head, obscuring my vision. So I reached up and

swept them up in my hand and dropped them into my head, into the memory

banks. And again, until every bit of the cloud was gone. Nothing left in

my way.

 

After that, whenever I found mental stuff in the way again, I swept it all

up and dropped it back into the memory banks. And then I realized that I

didn't have to worry about getting the thought-form bits back into the

memory banks, as though I might lose something! )) I could just brush

them away... throw them away... clear them, like deleting copies on a

computer, knowing that the original was still in memory.

 

So I understood that abandoning our knowledge doesn't mean wiping it out...

it means not letting it interfere with our vision... standing clear from

it.

 

Wiping away the thought-forms with a hand is symbolic stuff, of course, but

that's often the way we manage in meditation or within our own minds. In

meditation we can probably do the same thing by another symbolic method...

rising up higher until we are past the level of thinking and knowledge...

until all that is so far below that we don't even notice it.

 

I think we can do the same thing in outward daily life by remembering the

wide open eyes of a baby, that look of innocence and wonder... and then

looking at the world as if everything is brand new... and it IS new in

every moment.

 

Love,

Dharma