Fundamental cause of salvation - Tripura Rahasya

[Guest guest]

Dear Bob,

Its always a delight when you share your inspiration. Do you know

Zenbob? He lives in your area, I think. Intellectually, I don't if such

things are logical. Company of good friends is to be cherished it seems

to me.

May all beings be free from sorrow.

Lots of love to everyone

Harsha

Bob OHearn wrote:

,

Harsha wrote:

>"Listen, Rama! I shall now tell you the fundamental cause of

salvation. Association with the wise is the root cause for

obliterating all misery."

>From Tripura Rahasya

Good Evening, Brother –

and to all, Deep Peace, and Enduring Joy!

The above-quoted statement resonates to a certain extent, and many

can attest to its validity based on their own personal experience

with great beings. Consequently, it may seem strange of me to say

that it is also nonsense, but what the hell -- all notions are up for

grabs, so let's take a look at this one:

First of all, come on . . . salvation (if there is even really

anything existing to be saved beyond the bundle of memories and

thoughts commonly construed as a self) could not be the result of any

cause, otherwise it would simply be dependently originating, along

with everything else, and thus a mere modification of consciousness.

Who needs that? Haven't we had enough of those daydreams? Sure, Shiva

and Shakti like to play. Let them! There is no self within them

either. Nor is there in the fragrant Jasmine Garden any critter to be

saved. There never was or will be. Now, That's being saved, if you

ask me!

As for the next part, obliterating all misery. . . Sheesh, who's not

for that? Still, why not understand the root of misery first, before

chasing after wise guys? It seems the truly wise only point you right

back to your own mind, precisely where concepts like misery and

salvation began. Maybe that's also why Buddha advised, "Be a lamp

unto yourself."

That said, I'll jump right up and praise with my whole joyous being

the mysterious grace of the Supreme Lord, the Heart itself, for it

has been without a shadow of a doubt my only true Guru, even as it

appears in guises of both wise and ignorant! Moreover, everything is

always expressing this very Love, in the infinite forms She wears to

delight Him, for purposes beyond the ken of sages and fools, sinners

or saved. In such Love, cause and effect are simultaneous --

recognition is liberation.

In the objective world, it is rare and fortunate indeed to encounter

the highest expression of wisdom in the form of a Jnani. Those graced

to be miraculously drawn into an appreciation of the ineffable

transmission of true Jnanis, such as Sri Ramana and Sri Nisargadatta,

can attest to the following:

"Association with jnanis leads one to liberation. Such association

should therefore be cherished. Along with the practice of self-

inquiry, such association is more potent than any other spiritual

discipline. For, the benign glance the jnani bestows makes one at

once pure. The jnani's real nature is the Heart itself. The Absolute.

The ordinary man lives in the brain, unaware of himself in the Heart.

The jnani lives in the Heart. When he (or she) moves about and deals

with men and things, they know that what they see is not separate

from the one supreme reality, the absolute, which they realize in the

Heart as their own Self, the Real.

The jnani sees no one as ignorant. All are only jnanis in their

sight. In the state of wisdom the jnani sees nothing separate from

the Self. The Self is all shining and only pure wisdom.

For the jnani, the Self alone IS, and nothing else.

By remaining in contact with jnanis, man gradually loses the

ignorance until it is removed completely. The eternal Self is thus

revealed. Realization is eternal and is not newly brought about by

the jnani, who merely helps in the removal of ignorance.

If the association with the jnani is obtained, to what purpose are

the several methods of self-discipline?"

~Sri Ramana

__/\__

LoveAlways