Guest guest Posted June 21, 1999 Report Share Posted June 21, 1999 > > JodyHolly1 [sMTP:JodyHolly1] > Sunday, June 20, 1999 10:40 PM > Ramakrishna > Re: [ramakrishna] Digest Number 107 > > JodyHolly1 > > It has always saddened me that the more spiritually and chronologically > mature a person is, the less likelihood of his being accepted into a > formal > spiritual community. And yet it is taught that the last stage of life is > when one naturally renounces the world and seeks God. [Madhava Replies:] Dear Jody, Hari Om! Advaita is a path "Alone to The Alone all Alone...". Though spiritual community is necessary for a little bit of time for the beginner, in my opinion, it is of no use when one starts advancing in sadhana. After some time, sadhaka feels pretty disturbed by people around him. He will try to find a quite place and will try to meditate. After all we can find nothing in the world, every thing is in side us. Let me share with you my own experience that I faced 10 years back: after having very much disturbed about the atmosphere in side the ashram --- one day I went crying to my guru, I asked her "mother, why should spiritual people also behave like all those worldly people? why do they behave like the same... though they are in side the ashram?..." she smiled and replied "They are the same five elements, they are the same trigunas, we are breathing the same air... we are sharing every thing on the same earth... it is the same people who enter in to the ashram, then what kind of change are you expecting *in* them? Think..., don't expect *anything* to change. You have to change. Either you accept or you reject, every thing is in *you*. Have a different vision like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He could see mother in a woman, in whom everybody has seen a prostitute. Look at the world with a different vision, you can see a different world. Change yourself. Never complain about the world. It is the world created for you, exclusively by you. " > > > In the final stage of life, the imperious "urge to merge" cools down > considerably, as one naturally turns within. At this time one has > experienced the futility of being "of the world", and at last experiences > true wealth which comes from within. [Madhava Replies:] After reading this I started wondering: Is the aging related to physical body? Is there really a final stage for the mind? How old is then the intellect? How old is *that* which is beyond all this? yOga ratOvA bhOga ratOvA saMga ratOvA saMga viheenaH yasya brahmaNi ramatE cittaM naMdati naMdati naMdatyEva || bhaja gOviMdaM.... Hari Om! -mAdhava > Om Shanti! > > Jody (Premadevi) > > ------ > Last chance to earn $5000 for your charity of choice! > > Deadline for "GROW TO GIVE" is June 19. See homepage for details. > ------ > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah > Vivekananda Centre London > http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 1999 Report Share Posted June 22, 1999 > > JodyHolly1 [sMTP:JodyHolly1] > Monday, June 21, 1999 6:42 PM > Ramakrishna > Re: [ramakrishna] Digest Number 107 > > JodyHolly1 > > In a message dated 6/21/99 2:42:42 AM Pacific Daylight Time, > kathirasan writes: > > << but basically (from > what I know after a casual conversation I had with a swami a few years > ago > on this topic) it is due to their unique mission to the world. >> > > Hi Kathi, > > What unique mission are you referring to? Even in the Catholic Church, a > person is too old for monastic life. [Madhava Replies:] Hari Om! I will look forward to hear Kathi's answer. Mean while, I would like to share my views on this topic. In my opinion, there is a need to understand what is monastic life and the reason people choose to live that way... I have already mentioned in one of my earlier mails that there are two kinds of people in this world who renounce (1) Those who renounce after gaining sufficient *knowledge* from the world (2) Those who renounce after gaining sufficient *troubles* in the world :-). In my opinion, the second kind of people are like patients. They get troubles and join the hospital. Mission is a hospital, the knowledgeble monks/gurus are the resident doctors. They listen to the patients, patiently :-), and give them the medicine of knowledge. No patient is supposed to stay in side the hospital for ever. After getting cured they should leave. Other wise, their stay will hinder the future patients from getting treatment in the hospital. The young monks are nothing but Doctors who are getting trained. As I understand it, the missionary purpose is to spread the knowledge. Significant amount of study is necessary in order to understand the scriptures and upanishads. Perhaps, that is also the reason why ramakrishna mission chooses people below the age of 30. Also Mission is entirely dependent on public funds. Mission can't keep taking people just because they are interested in renouncing! I would see Mission and Sanyas as separate entities. They don't mix much. Mission spreads knowledge/message. Sanyas is the result of knowledge. In my opinion, a true renouncer will renounce even the desire of depending on an ashram for food and shelter... > I know of NO orders that will accept > people over the age of thirty. It would be wonderful if you would share > specifics about those orders which do accept people over the age of 30. [Madhava Replies:] I came across many missions who accept people even after the age of 50! I know that my teacher has accepted Swamini krishnanda, when Krishnanda was 50 years old. I can recollect the names of 10 sanyasis who are living at present in the ashram, who renounced after crossing the age of 40. > I have been around many ashrams and various Christian religions, and the > rule > is the same throughout...over 30 is too old. I'm surprised to hear > otherwise. As I said, please provide specifics. > > > Love, > Jody > > ------ > Get involved. Share your thoughts! > > Join the ONElist Weekly Survey. Go to homepage for details. > ------ > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah > Vivekananda Centre London > http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.