[Fwd: [RamanaMaharshi] From Muruganar's Garland of Guru's Sayings Cont'd 885]

[Guest guest]

-------

[RamanaMaharshi] From Muruganar's Garland of Guru's Sayings

Cont'd 885

Thu, 26 Jun 2003 04:46:07 +0100 (BST)

Alan Jacobs <alanadamsjacobs

RamanaMaharshi

RamanaMaharshi

CC: atma vichara <atma_vichara>

 

 

 

Except the path of Self-Enquiry,

 

Probing the mysterious "I-sense",

 

No other effort, such as karma,

 

However strenuously pursued,

 

Can take one to the fount of Bliss,

 

The treasure shining in the Heart

 

For ever as the Self

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste Harshaji:

 

I was rather puzzled to see your two forwarded posts (by Sri Alan

Jacobs) from RamanaMaharishi's list in the middle of our discussions

on 'Sankara's Roadmap to Self-realization." With proper

understanding, the two quotations by Ramana Maharishi do not

contradict Shankara's recommended sadhanas to sadhakas (seekers).

Here is my understanding of what the sage is saying:

 

Quotation 1:

Except the path of Self-Enquiry,

Probing the mysterious "I-sense",

No other effort, such as karma,

However strenuously pursued,

Can take one to the fount of Bliss,

The treasure shining in the Heart

For ever as the Self

 

As I can see it, Sage Ramana suggests that our entire focus should be

on the subject, 'I' and we should prepare to detach everything other

than I. There is subtle message that exposes our weakness in

diverting all our efforts on karmas that can yield desired results.

In Upadesasara, Sage Ramana further explain that the only way to get

rid of the karmas is conduct them without any expectations and his

explanations are an expanded version of Karma Yoga. All that Ramana

suggests is that 'karmas' need to be conducted without creating the

impression on the mind that we are putting the efforts! Self-Enquiry

does need preparation and it is impossible without erasing the stored

images in the mind.

 

Quotation 2:

The way of Knowledge and the way of Love

Are interwoven close.

Don't tear asunder these inseparables,

but practice both together

Holding in the Heart, the two as One.

 

When we reach Sage Ramana's level of spiritual maturity, it is

possible for us to recognize that knowledge and love are interwoven.

Using quotation 1, the practice of karma yoga (karma conducted

without exercising any efforts) will require the culmination of

knowledge and love. Actually Sage Ramana hints that 'qualified

karma', knowledge and love are inseparable and they are one at same

Parabrahman, 'I..' The wisdom of Bhagavad Gita also can't be

inseparable from the wisdom exposed in the quotations of Sage Ramana.

 

When Sankara, Ramana or Nisaragadatta Maharaj says, "I am that' they

know exactly what is 'that.' With the level of our spiritual

maturity, we see 'that' differently and almost all the time pointing

to a 'that' very far away from the 'real that.' It is true that God

is so near and still we can't see, touch, smell or taste! When

someone asks you, 'where is the post office?' there is no point in

describing the post-office instead of its location. The sages of

saints of the Upanishads recommend that before we start our

enquiry, "Who am I?'" we should prepare our mind and divert its

attention from 'unreal that' to 'real that.' Sankara calls this

preparatory process as 'chittasuddhi - purification of the mind.'

Everything that we do in life requires preparation. For example even

a plan can't take off without preparation. Those who listened to

Swami Chinmayanda's Gita commentary (either in person or in tape) can

remember his enjoyable dramatization of the plane take off from the

runway. Swamiji generally describe a beautiful episode from one's

daily life and at the correct moment, injects the punch line to make

his point. It is impossible for anyone to conduct 'atmavichara'

without mind purification.

 

Warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

Note: Members who forward messages from other lists are requested not

to forward such messages to the list but forward them to one of the

moderators or to advaitins. Some of these forwarded

messages come in the middle of an interesting discussion and divert

the members from their focus. Moderators would like to see the

appropriateness of such forwarded messages before releasing them to

the list. Thanks everyone for your cooperation and understanding.

 

 

 

advaitin, Harsha wrote:

> -------

> [RamanaMaharshi] From Muruganar's Garland of Guru's

Sayings

[Guest guest]

Namaste:

 

I just want to correct an error in the earlier post and I just want

to say the following: The wisdom of Bhagavad Gita is inseparable from

the wisdom exposed in the quotations of Sage Ramana.

 

advaitin, "Ram Chandran" <rchandran@c...>

wrote:

> The wisdom of Bhagavad Gita also can't be inseparable

> from the wisdom exposed in the quotations of Sage Ramana.

 

Let me make use of this opportunity to add some additional comments.

The quotations from the sages like Ramana Maharishi should be

understood within his overall philosophical outlook and wisdom. Most

of these quotations come from his discourses and one should relate

the specific quotation in the context of that specific discourse.

This precaution can help us to avoid making contradictory

conclusions.

 

Warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sri Ramji,

 

I am on the road currently. Thank you for your commentary.

 

It never occurs to me that Sri Ramana's quotes can be taken to

contradict Sri Shankra.

 

Lots of love

Harsha

 

 

 

 

advaitin, "Ram Chandran" <rchandran@c...>

wrote:

> Namaste Harshaji:

>

> I was rather puzzled to see your two forwarded posts (by Sri Alan

> Jacobs) from RamanaMaharishi's list in the middle of our

discussions

> on 'Sankara's Roadmap to Self-realization." With proper

> understanding, the two quotations by Ramana Maharishi do not

> contradict Shankara's recommended sadhanas to sadhakas (seekers).

> Here is my understanding of what the sage is saying:

>

> Quotation 1:

> Except the path of Self-Enquiry,

> Probing the mysterious "I-sense",

> No other effort, such as karma,

> However strenuously pursued,

> Can take one to the fount of Bliss,

> The treasure shining in the Heart

> For ever as the Self

>

> As I can see it, Sage Ramana suggests that our entire focus should

be

> on the subject, 'I' and we should prepare to detach everything

other

> than I. There is subtle message that exposes our weakness in

> diverting all our efforts on karmas that can yield desired

results.

> In Upadesasara, Sage Ramana further explain that the only way to

get

> rid of the karmas is conduct them without any expectations and his

> explanations are an expanded version of Karma Yoga. All that

Ramana

> suggests is that 'karmas' need to be conducted without creating

the

> impression on the mind that we are putting the efforts! Self-

Enquiry

> does need preparation and it is impossible without erasing the

stored

> images in the mind.

>

> Quotation 2:

> The way of Knowledge and the way of Love

> Are interwoven close.

> Don't tear asunder these inseparables,

> but practice both together

> Holding in the Heart, the two as One.

>

> When we reach Sage Ramana's level of spiritual maturity, it is

> possible for us to recognize that knowledge and love are

interwoven.

> Using quotation 1, the practice of karma yoga (karma conducted

> without exercising any efforts) will require the culmination of

> knowledge and love. Actually Sage Ramana hints that 'qualified

> karma', knowledge and love are inseparable and they are one at

same

> Parabrahman, 'I..' The wisdom of Bhagavad Gita also can't be

> inseparable from the wisdom exposed in the quotations of Sage

Ramana.

>

> When Sankara, Ramana or Nisaragadatta Maharaj says, "I am that'

they

> know exactly what is 'that.' With the level of our spiritual

> maturity, we see 'that' differently and almost all the time

pointing

> to a 'that' very far away from the 'real that.' It is true that

God

> is so near and still we can't see, touch, smell or taste! When

> someone asks you, 'where is the post office?' there is no point in

> describing the post-office instead of its location. The sages of

> saints of the Upanishads recommend that before we start our

> enquiry, "Who am I?'" we should prepare our mind and divert its

> attention from 'unreal that' to 'real that.' Sankara calls this

> preparatory process as 'chittasuddhi - purification of the mind.'

> Everything that we do in life requires preparation. For example

even

> a plan can't take off without preparation. Those who listened to

> Swami Chinmayanda's Gita commentary (either in person or in tape)

can

> remember his enjoyable dramatization of the plane take off from

the

> runway. Swamiji generally describe a beautiful episode from one's

> daily life and at the correct moment, injects the punch line to

make

> his point. It is impossible for anyone to conduct 'atmavichara'

> without mind purification.

>

> Warmest regards,

>

> Ram Chandran

>

> Note: Members who forward messages from other lists are requested

not

> to forward such messages to the list but forward them to one of

the

> moderators or to advaitins Some of these forwarded

> messages come in the middle of an interesting discussion and

divert

> the members from their focus. Moderators would like to see the

> appropriateness of such forwarded messages before releasing them

to

> the list. Thanks everyone for your cooperation and understanding.

>

>

>

> advaitin, Harsha wrote:

> > -------

> > [RamanaMaharshi] From Muruganar's Garland of Guru's

> Sayings