j~nAna and bhakti

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

> Ramana translates Shankara in Vivekachudamani-

>

> "Reject the outer world by any of these three means and recognize

him

> who sees it to be infinite, pure, homogeneous Brahman who is the

> Self....Although all three of these viewpoints are aids to

> realization, the third, in which one conceives everything as one's

> own Self is the most powerful. Therefore, knowing the indivisible

> self to be one's own Self, by one's own experience one must abide

in

> one's own true nature, BEYOND ANY MENTAL FORM (my caps). What

more

> is there to say?"

>

> before that he gives the means-

>

> "The essence of the Vedantic scriptures may be condensed into the

> follwing points.

>

> "First: In me, the unmoving Brahman, all that seems different is

> utterly without reality, I alone am. This is called the

standpoint

> of elimination(badha drishti).

>

> "Second: The dream and all else that appears in me as the result

of

> magic is an illusion, I alone am the Truth. This is called the

> standpoint of illusion (mithya drishti).

>

> "Third: All that appears as form apart from the sea, that is the

> bubble and the wave, is the sea. All that is seen in a dream is

seen

> in him who sees the dream. Similarly, in me as in the ocean or the

> man who dreams, all that seems separate from me is myself. This

is

> called the standpoint of resolving (the effect into its cause)

> (pravilapa drishti)."

>

> > > Love

> > > Bobby G.

 

May I also point out that Sri Ramana gives a very unique name to his

approach to the truth. He calls it "Vichara Marga " . I think its a

very apt and wonderful name.

If anybody does need more explanation :

Jnana Yoga is the path of knowledge; Bakthi Yoga is the path of

devotion; Raja yoga is the path of meditation and Karma Yoga is the

path of Work. These four paths are much discussed in the Gita by

Lord Krishna.

Vichara is enquiry.

According to Sri Ramana, Jnana, Bakthi etc. all ultimately end up in

Vichara.

 

Regards,

Guruprasad