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This article is emailed to you by Ram Chandran ( chandran )

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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Realisation, state of absolute silence

 

CHENNAI, APRIL 27. The philosophy of the Vedas is distilled in

the Upanishads and the term ``Vedanta'' is used generally to

refer to them. The name is also appropriate as the Upanishads are

found towards the concluding portion of the Vedas. The subject of

discussion in them being the Ultimate Reality, the entire

exercise is aimed at teaching the spiritual aspirant that the

Supreme Being is not the object to be known as in the study of

other secular disciplines but that it is the subject (Self)

itself.

 

Thus study of Vedanta is not an intellectual pursuit but one in

which the objective is a matter of experience. The truth has to

be experienced for oneself. The spiritual teacher (Guru) is not a

teacher in the conventional sense but one who by his grace

dispels the disciple's ignorance.

 

The Guru need not come in person to guide his disciple. Ramana

Maharishi, for instance, referred to Arunachala as his Guru and

father. He has taught in his work Aksharamanamalai that the true

Guru is within, the Self (Atman). In the process of Self-enquiry

which the sage advocated, it is the Self which is the Guru. The

Guru can appear externally also in the form of a person and guide

the aspirant on the spiritual path.

 

In his discourse, Sri T. N. Pranatharthiharan said that the

greatest of the Gurus was one who taught the truth in silence.

This is due to the fact that Self-realisation is a unitive

experience and hence there is no room for speech. This silence

must not be mistaken for verbal non- communication. It is at a

more fundamental level where there is no thought. So when the

truth is grasped there can be only silence and it can be

communicated only in silence.

 

The sage used to quote an episode from the text Yoga Vasishta to

explain this apparent paradox. When Rama visited Sage Atri's

hermitage during His exile in the forest, the sage was overjoyed

with Sita's exemplary conduct and character but he wanted to test

Her all the same. When Rama was away, with his spiritual power,

Atri made a person similar to Him appear before Sita but She

nodded Her head indicating that he was not Rama. This happened

again and finally when Rama returned She remained silent

indicating thereby that there was no need for action or words to

show that He was indeed Rama.

 

Saint Tayumanavar also refers to the state of absolute silence -

when the mind is free from thoughts - as the one beyond that of

speech, body and mind. Ramana never disapproved of any spiritual

path but only showed how all must lead to the same path

eventually - the path of Self- enquiry which can be described as

the royal path to liberation.

 

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[Guest guest]

Harih Om:

 

It is very easy for any to misunderstand Ramana

Maharishi's statement, that "The True Guru is within,

the Self (Atman)" and conclude that we don't need

external Gurus. When we reach the spiritual

development to the level of the Maharishi, we don't

need external influence. No external guidance will be

necessary and sufficient at that time. One has to look

internally for guidance.

 

External guidances can be sometime direct and

othertimes subtle. Many of us get the guidance by

looking at a sage or a saint and also by thinking.

Maharishi's reference to Arunachal as the Guru is

quite profound! At the first sight of Sri Ramakrishna

Paramahamsa, he became Swami Vivekananda's Guru. True

Guru is the flash of an inspiration revealed

internally. We can never satisfactorily answer the

question, 'who is responsible for inspiration?'

However, there can be no inspiration without any

perspiration! It is also true that perspiration alone

will not gurantee inspiration!!

 

regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

 

 

 

--- thehindu wrote:

>

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> This article is emailed to you by Ram Chandran (

> chandran )

>

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> Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

>

> Realisation, state of absolute silence

>

>........................

> The Guru need not come in person to guide his

> disciple. Ramana

> Maharishi, for instance, referred to Arunachala as

> his Guru and

> father. He has taught in his work Aksharamanamalai

> that the true

> Guru is within, the Self (Atman). In the process of

> Self-enquiry

> which the sage advocated, it is the Self which is

> the Guru. The

> Guru can appear externally also in the form of a

> person and guide

> the aspirant on the spiritual path.

> ...................