Devotion and critical thinking

[Guest guest]

You would think the term was an oxymoron. Gurus big time

and obscure are surrounded by oceans of unconditional praise

and the slight, soft eyes of love. These eyes see only what

they want to see, only what they project.

 

The great hindu saint Ramakrishna had an especially

intelligent student named Vivekananda. A leader among

his peers in every way, Narendra (as he was called then)

wasn't shy about noticing inconsistencies in Ramakrishna's

message with its reliance on village superstitions and

traditional hindu mythology.

 

He would tease Ramakrishna mercilessly in front of

whomever was in attendance. This included some of the

leading lights of Calcutta society at the time. He

would laugh out loud when Ramakrishna shared one of

his visions of Kali. He balked at the whole idea of

a personal God despite the fact that his guru's entire

message was based on this idea.

 

Did Ramakrishna complain when Narendra was seemingly

undermining the message of his satsang? In fact he did

quite the opposite. He encouraged Narendra to continue

with his ongoing critique despite the protestations of

the other devotees.

 

Vivekanada became Ramakrishna's biggest booster and the

founder of Vedanta in the West. He was circumspect about

Ramakrishna's life in public even while he had been

transformed into a deep well of love and respect for the

man. He never felt the need to promote his guru at all,

for he saw that the guru only represented the truth about

us all, and that it was better to point to the truth *in*

the truth rather that point at a man who had once lived on

the other side of an ocean.

[Guest guest]

Good one!

 

i can't imagine being on a spiritual path without doing a lot of critical

analysis. And part of that is asking questions, cutting through the

delusion with either the fine toothed comb, or the sledgehammer, whatever

is needed.

 

maitri,

 

--janpa

[Guest guest]

You would think the term was an oxymoron. Gurus big time and obscure

are surrounded by oceans of unconditional praise

and the slight, soft eyes of love. These eyes see only what they want

to see, only what they project.

The great hindu saint Ramakrishna had an especially

intelligent student named Vivekananda. A leader among

his peers in every way, Narendra (as he was called then)

wasn't shy about noticing inconsistencies in Ramakrishna's

message with its reliance on village superstitions and

traditional hindu mythology.

He would tease Ramakrishna mercilessly in front of

whomever was in attendance. This included some of the

leading lights of Calcutta society at the time. He would laugh out

loud when Ramakrishna shared one of his visions of Kali. He balked

at the whole idea of a personal God despite the fact that his guru's

entire message was based on this idea.

Did Ramakrishna complain when Narendra was seemingly

undermining the message of his satsang? In fact he did

quite the opposite. He encouraged Narendra to continue with his

ongoing critique despite the protestations of the other devotees.

Vivekanada became Ramakrishna's biggest booster and the

founder of Vedanta in the West. He was circumspect about

Ramakrishna's life in public even while he had been

transformed into a deep well of love and respect for the

man. He never felt the need to promote his guru at all,

for he saw that the guru only represented the truth about

us all, and that it was better to point to the truth *in*

the truth rather that point at a man who had once lived on

the other side of an ocean.

Jody:

This is a lovely example! Vivekananda was genuinely a great

teacher...and in establishing Vedanta in the US, he paved the way for

folks like us to babble about Gurus and devotion.

The difficult thing is to break the eggs and still get the chicks out.

One needs a foundation of understanding--a method of practice---but

then one must be "free" to let it go--in time--

"No teacher--no method!"

I suppose a simplistic example is that of the housebuilder who learns

from a master craftsman who always built Cape Cod homes with a root

cellar. Moving to the west coast of the US, the student, now a

mature and brilliant designer and builder, continues to design homes

with root cellars, although no one living in the area has a clue as

to what they will do with them.

"Why do you keep building homes with root cellars?" demands one of his collegues.

"Gosh, I don't know. It's the way my teacher designed a Cape Cod

home, so by damn, if it was good enough for him, it's good enough for

me!"

Method or habit without purpose is like that.

Devotion and love must be experienced. Then cast off. That's even

harder a lesson to learn than learning to be devout and loving in the

first place. It sounds counter-intuitive. It sounds as if it is

meant to take a crack at the Guru. If the Guru is sincere, the Guru

will immediately understand and even encourage this "nest-leaving"

transition. It's always wonderful to make trips back and visit the

nest, but you cannot live in it forverer.

I have had some wonderful teachers...and being in their presence was a

powerful and transforming thing...but I never felt the need to become

them...to follow at their feet like puppies, as new devotees often do

(for all the good reasons). But, I did love being able to go back and

visit...knowing I would be remembered and embraced with the same

affection and love. Why does a good Guru send his devotees away into

the world?

Because the world needs such good light bringers and teachers. There

are millions of people out here who suffer for lack of understanding

and love...have never touched the place where grace and bliss exist.

 

It is a mistake also, to send the neophyte out into the world to

early. The world will devour them. They will lose their light and

turn dark. It happens to many. It is a tragic waste.

But the goal is to head out into the big world and shine a little

light, reflect a lot of light and try to stay out of the shadows as

best you can.

In this way, I think, we all share the same great harmony and love

that we all need to do this work. I don't desire that anyone be

confused or somehow miss this underlying nature to my comments,

reverent or irreverent. Deep down, that non-duality of purposeful

discovery is rooted in the tradition of forward motion to increase

understanding and harmony, not the opposite.

Blessings

Love

Zenbob