remark on Truth must be narrow or be false - for Joyce

[Guest guest]

Hi Joyce,

It has been a while.

WRT your post. I agree with your quotes from Sri Ramakrishna

completely, however...

my question was to an apparently "in the box" Christian and was

directed to him in the context of our dialogue.

 

I suspect that Sri Ramana Maharshi would have said much the same

thing as your quotes.

 

The symbology of the frozen blocks of ice floating in the ocean is

most interesting in the context of the discussion. I suspect Grady

would not accept the identification of Brahman with God as he

understands it.

 

Peace,

John L.

 

, "Joyce Short" <insight@s...>

wrote:

>

> John: Finding "absolute truth" is not as easy as it looks.

>

> If it is so simple, why are there so many denominations and sects

> (over 1700 at last count) each proclaiming that they are the correct

> interpretors of "divine revelation"?

>

> ---------

>

>

> Joyce: Sri Ramakrishna: "Compare Brahmin to an ocean that is

shoreless.

> Through the cooling influence, as it were, of the devotees intense

love, the

> formless water has frozen, at place, into ice blocks. That is to

say, God

> sometimes reveals himself as a Person and with forms to his

devotees.

> Again, with the rising sun of knowledge, the ice bocks melt away;

then one

> does not see him as a Person, nor does one see his forms. Who is

there then

> to describe whom? The ego has completely disappeared".

>

> Pupil: "Sir, why are there so many divergent opinions about the

nature of

> God?"

>

> Sri Ramakrishna: "Really, they are not contradictory. As a man

realizes

> him, so does he express himself. If somehow one attains him, then

one finds

> no contradiction...Kabir used to say: "The formless Absolute is my

Father,

> and God with form is my Mother."

>

> Pupil: "Sir, can one see God? If so, why can't we see him?"

>

> Sri Ramakrishna: "Yes, he can assuredly be seen. One can see him

with form

> and one can see him also as formless."

>

> Pupil: "Then by what means can one see him?"

>

> Sri Ramakrishna: "Can you weep for him with a yearning heart? Men

shed a

> jugful of tears for their children or wife or money. But who weeps

for God?

> So long as the child remains engrossed with toys, the mother is

busy doing

> household duties. When the child gets tried of the toys, throws

them aside

> and crys for its mother, then the mother runs in haste and takes

the child

> in her arms."

>

> Peace,

> Joyce