Article sent from The Hindu on indiaserver.com

[Guest guest]

Practical Vedanta!

=============================================================

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

=============================================================

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

 

Practical approach to spiritual life

 

CHENNAI, OCT. 11. Renunciation is the key to eternal happiness

but it is not easy for everyone to renounce the world to realise

the goal of liberation. There are examples of great spiritual

leaders down the centuries from Gautama Buddha, Adi Sankara and

Pattinathar to Ramana Maharishi in recent times. In the spiritual

firmament these saints are more an exception than a rule. So what

is the way out for the average spiritual seeker suffering from

the pangs of bondage and its consequences?

 

In the case of these enlightened men the thirst for liberation

was so strong that renunciation came to them spontaneously.

Siddharta (Gautama Buddha) was a prince who was unaware of the

travails of the world as he was sheltered from them. But the

turning point in his life came when he happened to witness death,

disease and old age and he at once renounced his royal life to

search for deliverance from suffering. He became enlightened

after meditating on the cause of man's sorrows.

 

Adi Sankara renounced life at a tender age much to the chagrin of

his mother and went on to become a great philosopher within a

short span of time. Likewise, in the case of Pattinathar and

Ramana Maharishi a life of absolute renunciation was destined for

them. But, for those who are steeped in worldly life their

concentration is focussed on their immediate concerns like their

family and career; so it is within this ambit that spiritual

evolution must take place.

 

In his lecture, Sri T.G. Narayanaswamy said that spiritual life

must be practically oriented towards enjoying peace of mind in

worldly life. According to Vedanta it is by realising one's

essential nature that lasting peace can be attained. The Buddha

arrived at the same conclusion through the process of enquiry

into the cause of man's suffering and the four noble truths he

taught show the way to get rid of suffering. Thus it is a

practical approach to life.

 

The teachings of the Siddhas also are very close to the Buddha's

teachings and their method aims at heightening man's awareness

till it abides in the Self. It is apparent that the root of man's

sorrows and joys is his mind. While it is possible to exercise

control over the senses with will power, the mind is more

difficult to control. Thoughts arise one after another of their

own accord.

 

In the Yoga Vasishta, Sage Vasishta portrays the mind

figuratively as a person with many arms inflicting pain on

himself to emphasise that the cause of man's sorrows is his mind

and not some external agency. It is only by confronting the mind

with the question, ``Who am I?'' that it can be quietened.

 

Copyrights: 2000 The Hindu & Tribeca Internet Initiatives Inc.

 

Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly

prohibited without the consent of The Hindu & Tribeca Internet Initiatives Inc.