Guest guest Posted August 30, 2001 Report Share Posted August 30, 2001 Does anyone have an opinion about the following? Can everybody, regardless of the PHYSICAL condition of their brain or nerves, achieve realization in this very life in the way Ramana Maharshi and other Advaitins advocate? Or are some people blocked by damage or deficiencies in their nervous system (genetics, present alcoholism, past alcoholism, disease, bad diet, or whatever)? How can you be sure? Perhaps masters such as Ramana were born with a certain special kind of nervous system due to good karma, that many of us can only hope for in a future life if we strive for spirituality in this life. (Of course, we need MORE than a good nervous system, but is the proper nervous system an essential first step?) Thank you. -- Benjamin Root Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2001 Report Share Posted August 30, 2001 > of us can only hope for in a future life if we strive for > spirituality in this life. (Of course, we need MORE than a good > nervous system, but is the proper nervous system an essential first > step?) Thank you. > -- > Benjamin Root Namaste Benjamin-ji, Physical body is but a manifestation of what one is in the mental plane. Our evolution takes place in the mental plane and if you make an attempt, you will also see changes in the physical body. But state of the physical body is an effect whose cause is in the mental plane. (This is quite contrary to the idea that mainstream modern science holds). Any physical condition including disorder of the nerves/brain is but a reflection of some disorder in the mental plane, typically in the form of distorted perceptions. Sprituality aims at establishing harmony in the mental plane. As one of the side effects, we tend to develop healthier and disorder free physical bodies. So to answer your question, limitations of the physical body cannot stop one from STARTING his/her sadhana and making progress. It might just be that as one progresses in sadhana, limitations of physical body might start reducing or vanish altogether. But again this is just a side effect. Best regards Shrinivas p.s. Form a brief look at your homepage I see that you are interested in physics. I myself was led to the theory that physical plane is a manifestation of what is happening at the mental plane due to quantum physics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2001 Report Share Posted August 31, 2001 Namaste, This is how the scriptures answer the question: The Self cannot be attained by the weak, nor by the careless, nor through aimless disciplines. But if one who knows strives by right means, his soul enters the abode of God. Atharva Veda, Mundaka Upanishads 3.2.4.The Upanishads,Juan Mascaro,81 ____________________ ____ Chapter 6 : Verses 16-20 [with Shankara- Bhashya, tr. Sw.Gambhirananda] dhyaana-yogaH. The Yoga of Meditation Now are being mentioned the rules about the yogi's food etc.: na aty ashnatas tu yogo .asti na cha-ikaantam anashnataH . na cha atisvapnashiilasya jaagrato na-iva cha arjuna ... 16.. 16. But, O Arjuna, Yoga is not for one who eats too much, nor for one who does not eat at all; neither for one who habitually sleeps too long, nor surely for one who keeps awake. tu, but O Arjuna, yogaH na asti, is not; ati ashnataH, for one who eats too much, for one who eats food more than his capacity; na ca, nor is, anashnatah, for one who does not eat; ekaantam, at all. This accords with the Vedic text, 'As is well known, if one eats that much food which is within one's capacity, then it sustains him, it does not hurt him; that which is more, it harms him; that which is less, it does not sustain him' (Sa. Br.; Bo. Sm. 2.7.22). Therefore, a yogi should not eat food more or less than what is suitable for him. Or the meaning is that Yoga is not for one who eats more food than what is prescribed for a yogi in the scriptures on Yoga. Indeed, the quantity has been mentioned in, 'One half of the stomach is to be filled with food including curries; the third quarter is to be filled with water; but the fourth quarter is to be left for the movement of air,' etc. Similarly, Yoga is not for ati svapna-shiilasya, one who habitually sleeps too long; and Yoga is na eva, surely not; jaagrataH, for one who keeps awake too long. How, again, does Yoga become possibel? This is being stated: Yukta-ahaara-vihaarasya yukta-cheshhTasya karmasu . Yukta-svapna-avabodhasya yogo bhavati duHkhahaa .. 17.. 17. Yoga becomes a destroyer of sorrow of one whose eating and movements are regulated, whose effort in works is moderate, and whose sleep and wakefulness are temperate. yogaH bhavati, Yoga becomes; duHkha-haa, a destroyer of sorrow-that which destroys (hanti) all sorrows (duHkhaani)-, i.e., Yoga destroys all worldly sorrows; yukta-aahaara-vihaarasya, of one whose eating and movements are regulated- aahaara (lit. food) means all that is gathered in, [According to the Commentator, aahaara, which also means food, includes mental 'food as well. See Ch. 7.26.2.-Tr.] and vihaara means moving about, walking; one for whom these two are regulated (yukta) is yukta-aahaara-vihaara-; and also yukta-cheshhTasya, of one whose effort (cheshhTaa) is moderate (yukta); karmasu, in works; similarly, yukta-svapna-avabodhasya, of one whose sleep (svapna) and wakefulness (avabodha) are temperate (yukta), have regulated periods. To him whose eating and movements are regulated, whose effort in work is moderate, whose sleep and wakefulness are temperate, Yoga becomes a destroyer of sorrows. Gita Chapter 16:verses 1-4, list the mental qulities that need to be cultivated or abjured. Ramana Maharshi himself was once asked about the visible trembling of his body, and his use of a staff for support when walking. His response was: "When you tie an elephant in a hut, the hut will shake!!" In Sri Ramakrishna's words, 'Great souls are like ocean-liners, they can carry a large number of passengers!' Regards, sunder advaitin, Benjamin Root <benroot@r...> wrote: > > Does anyone have an opinion about the following? > > Can everybody, regardless of the PHYSICAL condition of their brain or > nerves, achieve realization in this very life in the way Ramana > Maharshi and other Advaitins advocate? Or are some people blocked by > damage or deficiencies in their nervous system (genetics, present > alcoholism, past alcoholism, disease, bad diet, or whatever)? How > can you be sure? Perhaps masters such as Ramana were born with a > certain special kind of nervous system due to good karma, that many > of us can only hope for in a future life if we strive for > spirituality in this life. (Of course, we need MORE than a good > nervous system, but is the proper nervous system an essential first > step?) Thank you. > -- > Benjamin Root Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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