Do the Vndists follow a sadhana?

[Guest guest]

Namaste All,

 

Possible some of the Vndists on here can enlighten us on this question

of purification.

 

Even Jnan Yar or Koham, Who am I? presupposes a certain amount of

purification.

 

For if a Vdnist does no spiritual practice and is still a prisoner of

the senses, except for sterile intellectual roundabouts, then they

truly are Nastikas.

 

I am really expecting an answer to see if they meditate, or do japa or

watch diet or whatever sadhana they do?

 

Om Namah Sivaya......Tony.

[Guest guest]

Dear Tony,

 

I'm not sure what's your definition of a verbal nondualist? Maybe the

non-sadhana is built in to the very definition you are using. So maybe if

someone says they do a sadhana, then you'll say, "OK, then you are not a

VND." This is totally up to you, since it's your term.... If non-sadhana

is not in the definition, then I'd ask you to provide a definition of VND.

 

I think you've got a point here, there are folks who tend to take a

nihilistic outlook, and who interpret "everything is consciousness" to

entail that "Neither I nor anyone else needs to be nice or courteous or

avoid doing harmful things to other beings." This is sometimes dishonest,

and is proclaimed until something harmful is done by another person to

*them* -- THEN you hear a different story!

 

There is also a psychological angle to this business about sadhana. Lots

of people have been told in many books by many teachers of all kinds that

there is nothing to do. Many people are very relieved at that. They

certainly won't welcome arguments that tell them that, after all, there IS

lots of practice to do. They've put down that load, and certainly don't

want to pick it up again. Many times it's colored by negative or

depressing or despairing or abusive experiences growing up in their

religious tradition. I'm sure that everyone here has heard or experienced

stories along these lines. So many folks aren't going to welcome being

told that sadhana is actually necessary and that the load must be picked

up. If you'd like VND's and other folks to purify and do practices, then

maybe you can find other ways to reach them....

 

 

As far as "nastika" goes, here is the definition in the Cologne Digital

Sanskrit Lexicon

(http://www.uni-koeln.de/cgi-bin/SFgate). The references to "MW" ar to the

Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary:

 

n. atheistical , infidel ; m. an atheist or unbeliever

(opp. to %{A7stika} q.v.) Mn. MBh. &c. ; %{-tA} f. (MW.) ,

%{-tva} n. (W.) disbelief , atheism ; %{-kya} n. id.

(with %{karmaNAm} , denying the consequence of works)

Mn. iii , 65 ; %{-mata} n. an atheistical opinion MW.;

%{-vRtti} mfn. leading the life of an atheist or receiving

sustenance from an athñatheist Vishn2

 

So it means "atheist," and "someone who denies the consequences of

actions." Is that a negative thing these days? In many spiritual circles,

not at all! For some folks it feels positively liberating to the emotions!

That's what they care about! Not everyone looks further.... In certain

religious and cultural circles, this was a pretty charged term. It is

still not a complimentary thing to be called in some circles, such as on

ADVAITA-L or even the Advaitin list. But elsewhere, many say, "I am an

atheist. There is no karma because there is no place for karma to reside."

But it certainly does not carry the weight of a negative thing in many

circles.

 

Love/Om Namah Sivaya/Amituofo,

 

--Greg

 

 

At 08:02 PM 6/22/01 -0000, Tony O'Clery wrote:

>Namaste All,

>

>Possible some of the Vndists on here can enlighten us on this question

>of purification.

>

>Even Jnan Yar or Koham, Who am I? presupposes a certain amount of

>purification.

>

>For if a Vdnist does no spiritual practice and is still a prisoner of

>the senses, except for sterile intellectual roundabouts, then they

>truly are Nastikas.

>

>I am really expecting an answer to see if they meditate, or do japa or

>watch diet or whatever sadhana they do?

>

>Om Namah Sivaya......Tony.