Guest guest Posted July 17, 2000 Report Share Posted July 17, 2000 Perhaps, Gummuluru, one could say that as is, nonseparation is the case. Perception isn't then separated from nonseparate reality. It is our perception of our perception that becomes split. Our perception of our perception includes beliefs about what is being perceived and who the perceiver is. Advaita, from this point of view, could in no way be a belief system, or a method by which to view reality. It can only be reality itself, as is, when beliefs are not impairing the view. From this perspective, we can't make it real. It already is the reality in which we (mis)construe ourselves as separately existent perceivers who can make choices about the correct view which we (erroneously) believe we can "make real". Namaste, Dan At 12:53 PM 7/17/00 -0230, you wrote: > >On Sun, 16 Jul 2000, Robert Watson wrote: > >> >> Gummuluru Murthy <gmurthy >> [...] >> Shraddha. Shraddha is that which makes advaita real. The rough >> english translation to word shraddha is faith, although it is >> not exactly equivalent. Obviously, when you say you are contemplating >> on advaita for a long time and with faith, and yet you do not find >> it real, then it seems to me that faith is still not full and may be >> there is a lingering doubt which makes you hold on to the doership >> and individuality. >> [...] >> >> Please correct me if I'm wrong, and I certainly have no wish to offend >> anyone, but it appears that, as a daily reality, Advaita shares a common >> element with most traditional religious belief: namely that it is a >> conviction founded on faith. A Christian, for instance, believes today from >> faith, bolstered by largely self-induced prayer experiences, but with the >> belief and hope that all will be made clear after his death. In Advaita, one >> death among the many that the person experiences is not such a pivotal >> event, and death is no guarantee of enlightenment, but still the belief and >> hope that all will be made clear is shared, and for many people that >> hypothetical event seems likely to occur at some point beyond the end of >> their current lives. Many people can maintain a belief over their lifetime >> with only faith as a basis, but many others cannot. In my case, if I were >> inclined to accept the traditional beliefs of my own culture, I probably >> wouldn't be participating in this list in the first place. >> >> Robert. >> > >namaste. > >Two comments on the above. > >1. My understanding is: advaita is not a means to an end; advaita > is the end itself. (I recall Frank and I had a discussion on > this sometime ago). > Advaita is not saying: look at everything as one so that at > the end, you get moksha. > Advaita is saying: look at everything as one; that *is* moksha. > There is nothing else to seek beyond that. > > Now, how can we look at everything as one? Only if we have a > pure heart. Advaita emphasizes cittashuddhi as a minimum, > minimum prerequisite for any human to see everything as one. > In my posting from which the above paragraph was excerpted, > I have emphasized the role of citta shuddhi in the immediate > next sentence. > > Further, how does this seeing everything as one happen? Does > the ego decide: from now on, I have to see everything as one? > It would not work that way. This looking at everything as one > is to evolve from the inside, pushing the ego to the side. > > This I see as a fundamental difference between the religious > beliefs which Robert mentioned in his paragraph above and the > philosophy of advaita. > >2. I think Robert may be looking at advaita in a doubtful or > cynical way. > Advaita says, that you are brahman, here and now. No need to > wait until after death or giving up the present body. > > My most favorite verse in all upanishads is: > > Yadaa sarve pramucyante kaamaa ye'sya hr^di shritaaH > atha martyo'mr^ito bhavatyatra brahma samashnute > > When all the desires that dwell in the heart fall away, > then the mortal becomes immortal, and attains Brahman here > itself. > > This verse appears in KaTha Upanishhad, Br^ihadAraNyaka upanishad > and the gist of it is there in all upanishads and in bhagavadgItA. > It is self-explanatory. To realize brahman, get rid of the avidyA. > Part of this avidyA is desire and th ego, the thinking that I am > the doer. > > >Regards >Gummuluru Murthy >------ > > > > > > > > > > > > >------ >Search from thousands of MLS listings and get 1% cash back at closing! >http://click./1/7036/6/_/489436/_/963847385/ >------ > >Discussion of the True Meaning of Sankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy focusing on non-duality between mind and matter. Searchable List Archives are available at: http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/ To from the list, send Email to <advaitin- > For other contact, Email to <advaitins > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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