Totapuri and Sri Ramakrishna -- question

[Guest guest]

, "omprem" <omprem> wrote:

 

>Just as we are not to entertain ourselves with thoughts of the

phenomena of our daily life when meditating, so, too, are we not

to cling to the phenomena encountered during meditation.

 

Both of those types of phenomena are traps of Maya, some

pleasant, some not, but all traps none the less. As long as there

is content of any sort in one's mind, one has not come to

Brahman.<

 

Hello: omprem and everyone!

Jai Mahakali!!!!

 

I have read the story of Sri Ramakrishna and his fortunate encounter

with Totapuri. I have had many impressions develop in my practice

because of this story. Sri Ramakrishna was the one who introduced me

to the possibility of Maa and encountering the Supreme. The core,

before meeting him in my studies, of my search was who am I or what

am I looking for? What is the truth? Sri Ramakrishna held out that

the truth can be in many and any form or formless. So to me the

challenge was to open my practice, mind and heart to this approach as

he had. So his encounter with Totapuri was a pivotal one and one

that re-focused for me the meaning of what I was looking for. I take

his encounter for my practice to mean he and I are looking for our

true Self ---- which can come in many forms and can be formless at

the same time.

 

I enjoyed the comments about the content of the Maya delusion of this

saha world. I have found this paradox to be true that Maya and

Brahman are the same thing. But how to truly "believe" this is the

question asked. With in this human life and our actions and the

karmic results we find a need to "work" through our understanding of

the present life we live. We need to move past the point of the

labels we encounter for different events and experiences we have in

this life experience. But my question has been, how to break this

pattern or cycle of experience and truly find what is behind it all --

- what makes up the fabric of this life and the universe --- where is

this longing for understanding, love, knowledge, union leading too

and where did it come from?

 

The answer apparently from history of religion and the stories of

saints lives has been one of the use of expedients. The use

of "faith" in something out side of our selves and dual to ourselves

that helps in bringing the focus back to finding the answer within

ourselves where our true self, Maa and the Universe is hidden from

the conventional reality we live within.

 

When Ramakrishna was experiencing Maa that was his reference point of

reality. He "saw" her with his mind's eye. He responded to her and

she to him though physical changes, emotions, sound, actions. But

when Totapuri, finally after waiting for Ramakrishna to see the true

reality without success cut into Sri Ramakrishna's forehead literally

with the piece of glass where his third eye is to be found, Totapuri

was actually instructing him to move past the label and experiences

Ramakrishna had assigned to his experiences thus far, with the true

self and its union with the Brahman. Once Ramakrishna had been able

to use the physical pain, the vison its self of Maa and the

meditation visualization to cut through this label he had assigned to

his experience of Brahman --- his experience of the universe and

union --- then Sri Ramakrishna was able to become Brahman and no

longer live with in the duality of this world.

 

So I believe instead of any one feeling that imagination and

meditational techniques are merely tools for training the mind and

the efforts of turning the mind inward. Or that Maa, the physical

experiences and faith derived from a devotion to Maa is merely a

technique of imagination or meditation. That truly the faith and

insight developed during our journey as Shakti Bhakti is of great and

true value. Meditational tools alone do not do the job. Sitting with

an object of meditation for hours does not cut through the Maya

delusions of this conventional reality we live in. This practice may

make the mind clearer, but clearer as to what and in relation to

what? It is that real connection with Maa --- combining faith, Maya,

and the shadow of reality that is forming the result of our

liberation and enlightenment. I feel that these things are a mystery

of the journey and far more meaningful and powerful than being a prop

or lie we practice daily. I guess I am writing this to voice what I

have struggled with as to approach and the development of faith and

the development of the idea that there is a universe that is hidden

from me due to my delusions, labels, karma and the nature of the

universe as Maya. And that this universe is pushing to have union

with me as I am and this union is the brightness of light of all that

I hope for. I see the shadow of this union in front of me ---- now I

must turn my head and see the origin and find the shadow gone which

was me and this world.

 

I pursue the faith that Sri Ramakrishna had in Maa and I pursue the

pure union he found with in his faith journey with Maa into the

reality we all seek. The story of this encounter with Totapuri can

seem anti-climatic, as if Sri Ramakrishna for so long had been purely

delusional in his love for Maa and his encounters with Maa and his

service for Maa. But he was not because he was moving out of the

shadows into the light of reality within his love and practice. He

was able to use conventional reasoning to break the cycle of Maya and

delusion and find "Maa" and find "himself" and find "the reality of

union with all created and uncreated". I just wanted to say this from

a fellow journeyer and practitioner's point of view. I am not a

learned person just one wanting great faith and devotion to lead me

to Maa --- a vision of her and a cutting away of this conventional

world from my true self --- then I hope with that, if not in this

life time in the next, I am able to help other beings do the same. I

hope I have not offended any one by my words here or caused any

misunderstandings --- just my thoughts, experiences and findings so

far within my journey and path.

 

with palms together

Yeshe