Unity in Diversity

[Guest guest]

Vivekachudamani [483] "Where is the universe gone, by whom is it

taken, wherein is the world merged ? It was just now seen by me and

is it non-existent now? What a wonder!"

 

Vivekachudamani [485] "I neither see nor hear nor know anything in

this. I simply exist as the Self, the Eternal Bliss, distinct from

everything else."

 

Sri Ramakrishna Parahamsopanishad [5] "Realization of the Supreme

Lord is the ultimate goal of human life. It is thus that a person can

attain liberation. The Supreme Lord, however, can be seen, can be

touched. It is even possible to talk to Him. All religions are equal

and it is Him that they reveal."

 

Tagore's Gitanjali[50]:

I had gone a-begging from door to door in the village path, when thy

golden chariot appeared in the distance like a gorgeous dream and I

wondered who was the King of all kings!

 

My hopes rose high and methought my evil days were at end end, and I

stood waiting for alms to be given unasked and for wealth scattered

on all sides in the dust.

 

The chariot stopped where I stood. Thy glance fell on me and thou

camest down down with a smile. I felt that the luck of my life had

come at last. Then of a sudden thou didst hold out thy right hand and

say "What hast thou to give to me?"

 

Ah, what a kingly jest was it to open thy palm to a begger to beg! I

was confused and stood undecided, and then from my wallet I slowly

took out the least grain of corn and gave it to thee.

 

But how great my surprise when at the day's end I emptied my bag on

the floor to find a least little grain of gold among the poor heap. I

bitterly wept and wished that I had had the heart to give thee my all.

[Guest guest]

More of unity in diversity, which I believe, will help in quest for

the Absolute.

 

Exodus 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM

Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

 

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.

John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any

thing made that was made.

John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness

comprehended it not.

John 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that

cometh into the world.

John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the

world knew him not.

 

Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments

is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

 

Matt 5:9 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

Matt 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of

heaven.

 

Gita 6:30 He who sees Me everywhere and sees all in Me, he never

becomes lost to Me, dor do I become lost to him.

Gita 6:31 He who, established in oneness, worships Me abiding in all

beings, that yogi lives in Me, whatever may be his mode of living.

Gita 6:27 Supreme Bliss verily comes to that yogi whose mind is calm,

whose passions are pacified, who has become one with Brahman and who

is sinless.

[Guest guest]

Hello. I am enjoying your posts they give much to ponder & reflect

upon. Thankyou so much.

 

Peace,

 

Colette

 

advaitin , raghavakaluri wrote:

> Vivekachudamani [483] "Where is the universe gone, by whom is it

> taken, wherein is the world merged ? It was just now seen by me and

> is it non-existent now? What a wonder!"

>

> Vivekachudamani [485] "I neither see nor hear nor know anything in

> this. I simply exist as the Self, the Eternal Bliss, distinct from

> everything else."

>

> Sri Ramakrishna Parahamsopanishad [5] "Realization of the Supreme

> Lord is the ultimate goal of human life. It is thus that a person

can

> attain liberation. The Supreme Lord, however, can be seen, can be

> touched. It is even possible to talk to Him. All religions are equal

> and it is Him that they reveal."

[Guest guest]

Just beautiful. Thanks for the post.

 

Hari Om!

Sadananda

 

K. Sadananda

Code 6323

Naval Research Laboratory

Washington D.C. 20375

Voice (202)767-2117

Fax:(202)767-2623

[Guest guest]

raghavakaluri wrote:

> Vivekachudamani [483] "Where is the universe gone, by whom is it

> taken, wherein is the world merged ? It was just now seen by me and

> is it non-existent now? What a wonder!"

>

> Vivekachudamani [485] "I neither see nor hear nor know anything in

> this. I simply exist as the Self, the Eternal Bliss, distinct from

> everything else."

>

> Sri Ramakrishna Parahamsopanishad [5] "Realization of the Supreme

> Lord is the ultimate goal of human life. It is thus that a person

can

> attain liberation. The Supreme Lord, however, can be seen, can be

> touched. It is even possible to talk to Him. All religions are equal

> and it is Him that they reveal."

 

 

beautiful.

 

it can further be observed:

 

advaitam resolves the fact that it is

this world, this Lord, and [the] implied

perceiver of this world and this Lord,

that are truly all one and the same Self.

 

OM tat sat OM

[Guest guest]

Namste,

 

Some other perspectives:

 

The most general definition of Beauty....Multeity in Unity.

Samuel Coleridge.

 

Plurality which is not reduced to Unity is confusion. Unity which

does not depend on plurality is tyranny.

Blaise Pascal

 

 

Regards,

 

s.

>

> it can further be observed:

>

> advaitam resolves the fact that it is

> this world, this Lord, and [the] implied

> perceiver of this world and this Lord,

> that are truly all one and the same Self.

>

> OM tat sat OM

[Guest guest]

Thanks to the forum for enjoying my compilations.

 

These tune and resonate with our souls in beautiful and perfect

harmony because none other than Shankara and Ramakrishna said them.

 

Vivekachudamni of Shankara and Ramakrishna's sayings have innumerable

number of such jewels, of which I had posted just three !

 

Here are more.

 

In Talks with Swami Vivekananda [section 25]:

Swami Vivekananda said - One day in the temple-garden at

Dakshineshwar Sri Ramakrishna touched me over the heart, and first of

all I began to see that the houses - rooms, doors windows, verandahs-

the trees, the sun, the moon - all were flying off, shattering to

pieces as it were- reduced to atoms and molecules-and ultimately

became merged in the Akasha. Gradually again, the Akasha also

vanished, and after that, my consciousness of the ego with it; what

happened next I do not recollect. I was at first frightened. Coming

back from that state, again I began to see the houses, doors,

windows, verandahs and other things.

 

[section 9] Swamiji said - In the process of entering into Samadhi,

first the universe appears as one mass of ideas; then the whole thing

loses itself in a profound "Om". Then even that melts away, even that

seems to be between being and non-being. That is the experience of

eternal Nada. And then the mind becomes lost in the Reality of

Brahman, and then it is done! All is peace!

 

[section 38] Swamiji said - As you desire the whole-hearted good of

your family, knowing them to be your own, so when a like amount of

love and attraction for every Jiva will awaken in you, then I shall

know that the Brahman is awakening in you, not a moment before.

 

Vivekachudamani[170] - In dreams, when there is no actual contact

with the external world, the mind alone creates the whole universe

consisting of the experiencer etc. Similarly, in the waking state

also, there is no difference. Therefore all this (phenomenal

universe) is the projection of the mind.

 

Vivekachudamani[171] - In dreamless sleep, when the mind is reduced

to its causal state, there exists nothing(for the person asleep), as

is evident from universal experience. Hence a person's relative

existence is simply the creation of his/her mind, and has no

objective reality.

 

Vivekachudamani[128] - By which this universe is pervaded, but which

nothing pervades, which shining, all this (universe) shines as Its

reflection - This is That.

 

Gita[8:22] That Supreme Purusha, O Partha, is attainable by unswerving

devotion to Him alone within whom all beings dwell, by whom all this

is pervaded.

 

Gita[9:30] Even if one of the most sinful conduct worships Me with

undeviating devotion, he/she must be reckoned as righteous, for

he/she has rightly resolved.

[Guest guest]

On Tue, 21 Nov 2000 raghavakaluri wrote:

> Vivekachudamani [483] "Where is the universe gone, by whom is it

> taken, wherein is the world merged ? It was just now seen by me and

> is it non-existent now? What a wonder!"

>

> Vivekachudamani [485] "I neither see nor hear nor know anything in

> this. I simply exist as the Self, the Eternal Bliss, distinct from

> everything else."

>

> [...]

 

 

namaste.

 

Thanks for those valuable quotes from the VivekacUDAmaNi (VC).

 

I would prefer to translate part of VC485 slightly differently.

 

VC485 says:

 

na ki~ncid atra pashyAmi na shr^nomi na vedamyaham.h

svAtmanaiva sadAnandarUpenAsmi vilakshaNaH

 

These are the words of the disciple, in a realized state, trying

to put into words the ecstasy and bliss of Self-realization, although

It is inexpressible. The translation above is given as "... I simply

exist as the Self, the Eternal Bliss, distinct from everything else."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I agree vilakshaNaH above meaning distinct. But, what is the

distinctness referred to here? Is this the distinctness of the SELF

from everything else? It may not be so. Here the disciple is realized.

The disciple is not seeing the jagat anymore. There is nothing *else*.

Everything is all-inclusive. The sense organs have turned inward and

the jagat is not seen/perceived anymore. The jagat has merged in Him.

Further, the disciple is beyond the witness state. There is nothing

outside to witness. By vilakshaNaH, he is probably meaning that he

is distinct from the sense organs and from the body, mind and intellect.

 

This is also consistent with the VC483 where the disciple is exclaiming

where is the jagat gone and where has it merged.

 

Please keep those VC quotes coming.

 

Regards

Gummuluru Murthy

------

[Guest guest]

We are indebted to Shree Murthy for explaning to us the true

interpretation of 'vilakshaNaH'. Thank you, Sir.

 

----

VivekaChudamani [VC] 192,193- The disciple questioned:

Be it through delusion or otherwise that the Supreme Self has come to

consider Itself as the Jiva, this superimposition is without

beginning, and that which has no beginning cannot be supposed to have

an end either.

 

Therefore the Jivahood of the soul also must have no end, and its

transmigration must continue for ever. How then can there be

liberation for the soul? Kindly enlighten me on this point, O revered

Master.

 

The Teacher replied [VC 198-199]:

Avidya or nescience and its effects are likewise considered as

beginningless. But with the rise of Vidya or realization, the entire

effects of Avidya, even though beginningless, are destroyed together

with their root - like dreams on waking up from sleep. It is clear

that the phenomenal universe, even though without beginning, is not

eternal - like previous non-existence.

 

VC 107 - That in profound sleep we experience the bliss of Atman

independant of sense-objects, is clearly attested by the Sruti(2),

direct perception, tradition, and inference.

(2-Swami Madhavananda quotes Chhandogya, Brhadaranyaka,Kaustaki,

and other Upanishads)

 

VC 121 - Profound sleep is the cessation of all kinds of perception,

in which the mind remains in a subtle, seedlike form. The test of

this is the universal verdict, "I did not know anything then".

 

----

 

As I transcend the Perishable and am even above the Imperishable,

therefore am I known in the world and in the Veda as 'Purshottama,'

the Highest Purusha. [Gita 15:18]

 

The light which residing in the sun illumines the whole world, that

which is in the moon and in the fire - know that light to be Mine.

[Gita 15:12]

 

The Lord does not create agency or actions for the world; He does not

create union with the fruits of action. Nature does all this. [Gita

5:14]

 

Gita [10:6] - The seven great Rishis and the four ancient Manus,

endowed with My power, were born of My mind; and from them have come

forth all the creatures in the world.

 

----

Swami Vivekananda said -

The highest principle, the Lord of all, cannot be a Person. The Jiva

is an individual and the sumtotal of all Jivas is the Ishvara.

 

In the Jiva, Avidya or Nescience, is predominant, but the Ishvara

controls Maya composed of Avidya and Vidya and independantly projects

this world of movable and immovable things out of Himself.

 

But Brahman transcends both the individual and collective aspects,

the Jiva and Ishvara. In Brahman there is no part. It is for the sake

of easy comprehension that parts have been imagined in It.

 

That part of Brahman in which there is the superimposition of

creation, maintenance and dissolution of the universe, has been

spoken of as Ishvara in the scriptures. While the other unchangeable

portion, with reference to which there is no thought of duality, is

indicated as Brahman. But do not on that account think that Brahman

is a distinct and separate substance from the Jivas and the universe.

 

The Qualified Monists hold that it is Brahman that has transformed

Itself into Jivas and the universe. The Advaitins on the contrary

maintain that on the Brahman, Jivas and the universe have been merely

superimposed. But in reality there has been no modification in the

Brahman. The Advaitin says that the universe consists only in name

and form. It endures only so long as there are name and form.

 

Swami Vivekananda said - I am, as the scriptures say, "always known

to myself as the etrenal subject". I have actually seen that state,

realized it.

- From Talks with Swami Vivekananda - Ch.32

 

Gita [11:15] Arjuna said to the Lord: I see all the gods, O God, in

Your body and hosts of all grades of beings; Brahma, the Lord, seated

on the lotus and all the Rishis and celestial serpents.

 

Gita [11:39] Arjuna said to the Lord: You are Vayu,Yama,Agni,Varuna,

the Moon, Prajapati, and the Great-grandfather. Salutaion, salutation

to You, a thousand times, and again and again salutation to You.

 

Gita [11:53] The Blessed Lord said to Arjuna: Very hard it is,

indeed, to see this form of Mine which you have seen. Even the Devas

are very eager to see this form.

 

Gita [7:16] Four types of virtuous people worship Me, O Arjuna: the

person in distress, the person seeking knowledge, the person seeking

wealth and the person imbued with wisdom, O the best of the Bharatas.

 

Gita [4:11] In whatever way persons identify with Me, in the same way

do I carry out their desires; people pursue My path, O Partha, in all

ways.

 

Gita [9:26] Whoever offers Me with devotion, a leaf, a flower, a

fruit or water, I accept that, the pious offering of the pure in

heart.

 

----

All the VivekaChudamani quotes are from the transalation by

Swami Madhavananda.

The Bhagavad Gita translations are from Swami Chidbhavananda.

----