Practice of Advaita

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F. Maiello wrote:

"f. maiello" <egodust

Re: Practice of Advaita

 

hariH OM!

 

something we all tend to forget now and again is

the fact that each of us is at a different stage

in development and understanding, and therefore

whatever we ascribe to or give advice on, is not

applicable to all.

 

this is why, as it was pointed out some time ago,

forums like this can be problematic. presumably

most of us here are more or less primed for the

entry level to middling teachings of advaita.

 

insofar as the choice between the so-called seeded

and unseeded meditation techniques, or even--as

Nitinji mentioned--the very act of practicing such,

is a matter of one's position on the 'path.'

 

even Sri Ramana had some incidental trouble with

this very problem. some who were mixed in with

the more advanced sadhakas, would complain that

their questions were going to be met with his

brahma astram (divine weapon of the atmavichara,

viz. 'who's doing or thinking this or that').

he was very aware of who was or wasn't ready to

hear this, as it is the highest teaching, reserved

for those approaching the threshold of moksha.

 

namaste

----------------

That is quite correct, and that is why I mentioned that meditation as a practice

does have its uses. But a person who is interested in Advaita could (I'm not

saying "should") at least be aware of this basic paradox involved in any

practice from the Advaitic point of view, because at some (perhaps later)

`stage', it is likely to create an impasse or double-bind situation. There is no

question of giving "advice" as in the ultimate Advaitic sense, there are no

separate beings to give advice to, and neither is there a separate `one' to

give it. So if one presumes to give advice, then one is missing the gist of

Advaita as much as is the presumed "advicee." This is just a discussion between

people interested in the same subject. The point is that there is a delusion -

namely that there is a `one' who is the `doer.' Once the delusion has set in,

since all subsequent activities are seen as `done' `by' that `one,' the delusion

becomes self-perpetuating. The only way out of the delusion seems to be through

the understanding of the situation, which is Advaita. Therefore Advaita begins

where practice ends. If even Advaita is sought to be `practised' (as by a

`doer'), then the whole idea becomes self-defeating and there is even the

possibility of subtler forms of delusion in which the `one' thinks that `he' has

disappeared as a result of `his' practice (delusion worse confounded).

 

What better place to bring this up than in a forum on Advaita, though of course,

this discussion may not be appropriate anywhere else.

 

(Let me add that practices done to calm or steady the mind and so on are

perfectly valid just as physical exercises performed to improve the body).

 

Best wishes,

 

Nitin

 

Homepage: http://personal.vsnl.com/ntrasi