rules and regulations for sannyas

[Guest guest]

---Dear Alexandra , there are Shivananda Yoga centers {and Satyananda]in many

Western Cities .I

am sure they will inform you of the rules .The Shivananda Centres do arrange for

Westerners to

take Sanyas after some training .It is worth pointing out that Ramana did not

encourahege devotees

to take Sanyas -his way was primarily for the householder in life .He said

something to the effect

that the identification with I am a Sanyasin was just as much an obstacle to

Mukti as to think I

am a Householder -or I am anything else but the Self .The Ramakrishna Order ,

perhaps the

aristocrats of Indian Monastic Orders , have branches in the West who could

advise you too .Take

care .Regards , in His Grace , Alan

 

 

Plus - For a better Internet experience

http://uk.promotions./yplus/yoffer.html

[Guest guest]

om namo bhagavate sri ramanaya

 

Dear Alexandra,

 

The true sanyasi is one who renounces individuality. Interestingly, this

implies that s/he even renounces the desire to renounce.

 

'Sri Bhagavan said: Sannyasa is mentioned for one who is fit. It consists in

renunciation not of material objects but of attachment to them. Sannyasa can

be practised by any one even at home. Only one must be fit for it.' (from

Talk; 588)

 

'So long as one thinks that he is a sanyasi, he is not one, so long as one

does not think of samsara, he is not a samsari: on the other hand he is a

sanyasi.' (from Talk; 283)

 

There are some verses which might help. I shall try and post tomorrow.

 

 

sam-nyAsin : giving up, having renounced the world, in the fourth stage of

life.

 

Ever Yours in Sri Bhagavan,

Miles

[Guest guest]

, "Alexandra Kafka"

<alexandra.kafka@a...> wrote:

> I am in search for information about the rules and regulations one

has to follow for practice of sannyas.

> Living in Europe there is no possiblity for me to take formal

sannyas, however, this is not important, important is to follow the

rules and regulations a sannyasi(ni) has to follow.

> Has someone information?

> Are there spiritual texts where the rules for sannyasis/sannyasinis

are described?

 

 

Bhagavad gita[xviii.2]: samnyasa - 'renunciation or inner sacrifice

of actions dictated by desire,of volition[sankalpa]. Mere

renunciation is held to be inferior to karam-yoga.

There are 19 Sannyasa-upanishads which expound renunciation.

 

Sannyasa in the sense of being 'homeless'wearing orange robes,never

staying in one place. begging for food, no longer

appropriate/possible in present times[kaliyuga] - Krishnamacharya

 

to renounce the desire 'to become a sannyasi' -the practise

of 'spiritual poverty'

 

km

[Guest guest]

Hi Alexandra:

 

Om Namo Bhagavate Arunachala Ramanaaya.

 

Fellow sadhakas have replied you talking about Ramana's responses to sannyas.

Ramana's own words put an end to my own desire to take up sannyas.

 

Nevertheless, the way of sannyas helps us to gather our lives around a purpose;

most importantly are the actions of the sannyasin, what s/he does and what

s/he doesn't. I haven't found any one book in all my 35 years of spiritual

search that lays out the details of the sannyasi's life. However, I would

recommend to

you to read Swami Sivananda's works which are the best I have come across. It

was Sivananda's works that drew a path for my own life right from the age of

12.

 

You can find Sivananda's works to be downloaded for free at the link below. If

you feel you want to contribute to the Sivananda ashram in Rishikesh, India you

could always send them a cheque for whatever amout you want to. If you don't

feel like it, it's also OK. Sivananda himself used to print out the books and

give

them out free.

 

http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/download/download.htm

 

Hari Om.

 

Ram Sambamurthy

 

==========================================================

 

 

 

08-Jun-03 7:46:43 AM, Alexandra Kafka <alexandra.kafka wrote:

 

>

>

> Sun, 08 Jun 2003 01:46:43 +0200

>

> Alexandra Kafka <alexandra.kafka

> Subject:[RamanaMaharshi] rules and regulations for sannyas

> RamanaMaharshi

>

>

>

> I am in search for information about the rules and regulations one has to

> follow for practice of sannyas.

> Living in Europe there is no possiblity for me to take formal

> sannyas, however, this is not important, important is to follow the rules

> and regulations a sannyasi(ni) has to follow.

> Has someone information?

> Are there spiritual texts where the rules for sannyasis/sannyasinis are

> described?

>

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[Guest guest]

om namo bhagavate sri ramanaya

> I am in search for information about the rules and regulations one has to

> follow for practice of sannyas.

> Living in Europe there is no possiblity for me to take formal sannyas,

> however, this is not important, important is to follow the rules and

> regulations a sannyasi(ni) has to follow.

> Has someone information?

> Are there spiritual texts where the rules for sannyasis/sannyasinis are

> described?

Bhagavad Gita, 18;2

Sri Bhagavan said:

The renunciation of kamya karma [which chases health, wealth, fame, long life,

children to carry on one's name, etc.] is what the Wise know as samnyasa. Those

who understand samnyasa say that renunciation is giving up the fruits of all

action.

This is the essence of samnyAsa and is confirmed by Bahagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.

There are many other verses scattered here and there. e.g. The Upanishads: which

advise that 'the paramahamsa (one in the highest flight of samnyAsa) rests his

mind in the Self, at all times', that he has 'renounced his family and friends

and social status, all work, the scriptural texts (ceremonial scriptures are

meant), ceremonies and the world.' 'That he wears only such clothes as

necessary.' 'He carries the staff of knowledge rather than a mere wooden

staff'. 'He gives up the desire for higher spheres' etc.

>From Srimad Bhagavatam: For the samnyAsin, the ceremonial fires become

internalised as prANAgnihotra (i.e. the life breath is offered in the inner

fires of tapas). Jiva is sacrificed on this fire which is, in essence, the fire

of Vicara. It is not the case that Jiva chooses samnyAsa but rather vice versa.

Not to renounce becomes impossible. Complete dispassion for life is essential,

otherwise renunciation is mere lip-service. It is said that one who would

embark on such a life will find various obstructions appear. These are the

tests of sincerity. For sustenance, only the barest essentials are required.

Truthfulness, Silence, inaction are essential. Restraint of speech, body and

mind (these three are the danda of the samnyAsin, i.e. the staff of knowledge),

come naturally. Again this points directly to the path of Enquiry. Looking

evenly on everything and seeing it all as the Self alone, the samnyAsin eschews

the bondage of the outgoing senses and wanders the earth. His time is devoted to

jnAna, without caring about liberation. Eventually he goes beyond the formal

ties of life. Then even the term samnyAsa carries no meaning. Such a one sports

as a child, although he is the wisest of the Wise. He appears as an idiot,

although he is well-versed in the scriptures. He ignores polemics and worthless

argument. He neither antagonises people nor is antagonised by them. etc.

There are many other references, including the following warning about premature samnyAsa.

Self-enquiry will automatically bring us to samnyAsa. And this, surely, is the

prerequisite mentioned in Skandha 11, Chapter 19, verses 38-41 of Srimad

Bhagavatam. 'If one has not mastered passion, anger, greed, attachment and

pride and if the intellect still flies out to sense objects, then taking to

samnyAsa cheats both jiva and Self. In this case the person must first seek out

a Guru who is Muni (i.e. abiding in the Self).

Ever Yours in Sri Bhagavan,

Miles

[Guest guest]

Greetings,

Kalyaanmitra's comments do not directly answer your questions but do

indicate the Advaita view.

 

There are two possible choices as I see it:

 

1) Have a look at the Precepts and the rules and regulations in the

Vinaya of Buddhism. The Buddhist Society in England can direct you to

commentaries if searching on the web doesn't lead you to information

about this. The Buddhist view dealing with the issues of monks and

nuns were developed in India and in response to the needs of the

Order.

 

2) Contact Temples and ask them for their suggestion. A good starting

place might be the Vedanta Society in Los Angeles. If you are the

follower of a particular branch of the Sanatana Dharma then you could

identify the major Temples of that branch and contact them.

 

At least begin with the 5 or 10 major precepts of Buddhism which are

pretty universal. Meditating on their meaning and attempting to apply

them to one's life lived in the world is actually quite a challenge.

Almost every major religion has these precepts in one form or another.

 

Further one must take one's culture into account. What is appropriate

in India may not be so appropriate in Europe. In order to establish

a "Rule of Life" for yourself it is important to consider the goal as

the starting point and work backward to define the appropriate

behaviors for you and your situation personally.

 

Kalyaanmitra's comments are a move in that direction.

What is real?

What is self?

Who am I?

 

The more you realize the answers to these questions the more the Way

to Live will be revealed for you. Following some "rule" will not lead

to realization, it will only lead to a feeling of being religious,

and belonging to a "family".

 

Your question indicates the desire for someone or some community with

whom to identify. If that is what you want, try Self Realization

Fellowship, founded by Paramahansa Yogananda. They have Orders of

Monks and Nuns and will want you to take training for some time

before entering that program.

 

Actually you have the best circumstances of all -- you are alone. You

are the chooser, you need not depend on some group to enter into a

direct relationship with the Absolute. Rather than renunciation

consider Unification with Self and realize that there is no self as

such. Renounce the belief that you are a separate, independent self

and find that it is the other way around: Divine Awareness is your

true identity.

 

Ramana Maharshi's approach is an excellent place to start. It, after

all, is SELF-defining.

 

TAT TVAM ASI. That Thou Art.

 

John L.

 

, "kalyaanmitra"

<kalyaanmitra> wrote:

> , "Alexandra Kafka"

> <alexandra.kafka@a...> wrote:

> > I am in search for information about the rules and regulations

one

> has to follow for practice of sannyas.

> > Living in Europe there is no possiblity for me to take formal

> sannyas, however, this is not important, important is to follow the

> rules and regulations a sannyasi(ni) has to follow.

> > Has someone information?

> > Are there spiritual texts where the rules for

sannyasis/sannyasinis

> are described?

>

>

> Bhagavad gita[xviii.2]: samnyasa - 'renunciation or inner sacrifice

> of actions dictated by desire,of volition[sankalpa]. Mere

> renunciation is held to be inferior to karam-yoga.

> There are 19 Sannyasa-upanishads which expound renunciation.

>

> Sannyasa in the sense of being 'homeless'wearing orange robes,never

> staying in one place. begging for food, no longer

> appropriate/possible in present times[kaliyuga] - Krishnamacharya

>

> to renounce the desire 'to become a sannyasi' -the practise

> of 'spiritual poverty'

>

> km