[Fwd] Welcome to advaitin

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Hari Om:

 

This message is forwarded from a new member, Sri Subramanian to the list.

First, let me welcome Sri Subramanian again to the list. To post your messages

directly to the list, please send an email to advaitin .

 

Thanks,

 

Ram Chandran

 

 

Mon, 28 Aug 2000 15:38:17 EDT

"S. V. Subrahmanian" <svskotra

advaitin-owner

 

Dear learned members,

 

I just joined today and I received the usual welcome mails that I guess, the

list master sends to everybody. I read the following sentences and had a

little confusion and hence wanted to get it clarified.

 

In the note:

Advaita is based on the ancient Vedic Scriptures, the Upanishads, the

Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahmasutras.

 

Question:

Is Advaita based on scriptures or are scriptures based on Advaita ? Even if

the scriptures did not mention it, is not Advaita a fact to be realized.

Scriptures, I thought are only a pramANa, as opposed being the basis of

Advaita.

 

Another mention in the welcome note:

The plurality of living and nonliving beings of the entire universe is

indeed nothing but Brahman.

 

Question:

All living and non-living beings are Brahman, but the plurality among them

is what is the illusion. But you have stated above that the plurality is

nothing but Brahman. Did I not understand it properly ?

 

Another mention in the welcome note:

>A number of institutions have drawn inspiration from this philosophy and

>include Shankara Matha-s, Ramanaashram, Ramakrishna Mission, Sivananda

>Ashram, etc.

 

Question:

These institutions primarily owe allegiance only to their Master's

teachings, which being the Truth is hence Advaita. Their primary source of

inspiration has been their Master's teachings only (which happens to be

Advaita, because Truth is One)

 

Sri Ramakrishna and Sri RamaNa Maharshi, as far as I have read their

biographies (Gospel of Ramakrishna for the former and Self-Knowledge by

Arthur Osborne for the latter), never say that these giants ever "drew

inspiration" from Advaita. They realized Advaita. And they were

(especially Ramakrishna) never partisan and accepted all faiths including

"avaidika" ones as Christianity as valid means of final emancipation.

 

If the list masters have time, please clarify.

 

Regards.

S. V. Subrahmanian.