The world is a stage

[Guest guest]

At 15.08.03-08:42 AM Ram Chandran wrote:

>Namaste Sri Jan:

>

>The sages and saints of Upanishads have understood long before

>Shakespeare that our life is a drama with full of costumes, actions

>and passions and here is their advice to all of us:

>

>"Life is a bridge, enjoy while crossing, and don't build any castle!"

>

>In the Shakespearian context, the above quotation may be modified

>appropriately as follows:

>

>"Life is a drama, enjoy your roles and the costumes, and don't try to

>inherit them!"

>

>Warmest regards,

>

>Ram Chandran

 

Namaste Sri Ram,

 

Of course, ancient Indian sages and saints have said it all. All the middle

eastern religions and the western philosophers have borrowed heavily from the

wisdom of ancient India.

I only used Shakespeare's name because the nondual group lists membership [to

which I posted] are mostly comprised of western educated individuals.

 

However, I also believe that, this knowledge should be 'modernized' to make it

more understandable. And the right people to do it would have to be those who

are already enlightened. In this respect sages like Ramana, Nisargadatta and

Balsekar have done a wonderful job. I do not also dismiss the many 'gurus' who

have cropped up in the western world. Some of their sayings are indeed very

insightful.

 

Warmest regards,

 

Jan

[East African of Indian Origin]

[Guest guest]

Jan:

Hi! It's Sarojini again. My 17 year old son has just informed me that you

do not send attachments to people because they could contain a virus. I am

pretty computer illiterate so I was not aware of this. So, I am now sending

along the Site address for the Hamlet and Bhagavad Gita article. It is:

 

http://www.santosha.com/moksha/index.html

 

Love and Peace, Always

Sarojini

-

Jan Sultan

advaitin

Monday, August 18, 2003 3:07 AM

Re: The world is a stage

 

 

At 15.08.03-08:42 AM Ram Chandran wrote:

>Namaste Sri Jan:

>

>The sages and saints of Upanishads have understood long before

>Shakespeare that our life is a drama with full of costumes, actions

>and passions and here is their advice to all of us:

>

>"Life is a bridge, enjoy while crossing, and don't build any castle!"

>

>In the Shakespearian context, the above quotation may be modified

>appropriately as follows:

>

>"Life is a drama, enjoy your roles and the costumes, and don't try to

>inherit them!"

>

>Warmest regards,

>

>Ram Chandran

 

Namaste Sri Ram,

 

Of course, ancient Indian sages and saints have said it all. All the middle

eastern religions and the western philosophers have borrowed heavily from the

wisdom of ancient India.

I only used Shakespeare's name because the nondual group lists membership [to

which I posted] are mostly comprised of western educated individuals.

 

However, I also believe that, this knowledge should be 'modernized' to make it

more understandable. And the right people to do it would have to be those who

are already enlightened. In this respect sages like Ramana, Nisargadatta and

Balsekar have done a wonderful job. I do not also dismiss the many 'gurus' who

have cropped up in the western world. Some of their sayings are indeed very

insightful.

 

Warmest regards,

 

Jan

[East African of Indian Origin]

 

 

Sponsor

 

 

 

Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of Atman

and Brahman.

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[Guest guest]

Namaste Sarojiniji:

 

The article referenced by you comparing Arjuna and Hamlet is quite

interesting and with vedantic insights. During my college days, we

had two Shakespeare plays for the English language class. One of the

two happened to be Macbeth which opens with the voice of the

witches: "Fair is foul and foul is fair!" Immediately, Macbeth

utters: "So foul and fair a day, I haven't seen." Later in the play,

Macbeth murders King Duncan in order to acquire the kingdom. After

gruesome murder, Macbeth tries to wash his hand and whispers "All

the perfumes of Arabia can't cleanse this little hand." The entire

play how easy for any human to be overpowered by greed and `lose the

discriminating intellect.'

 

The messages conveyed by Shakespeare through his plays are quite

subtle. He provide lots of open-ended questions and the answers are

left to the readers to guess! What is fair and what is foul? Did

Macbeth act due to fate or free-will? etc., etc.,

 

Here is a list of some of his quotations that makes him a Sage of the

Elizabethan times:

 

"A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows him-self to

be a fool "

 

"Having nothing, nothing can he lose"

 

"Expectation is the root of all heartache. "

 

"Talking isn't doing It is a kind of good deed to say well; and yet

words are not deeds. "

 

"Desire of having is the sin of covetousness"

 

"Reflection is the business of man; a sense of his state is his first

duty: but who remembereth himself in joy? Is it not in mercy then

that sorrow is allotted unto us?"

 

Source: The quotations came from the following URL:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/q118900.html

 

Warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

 

advaitin, "Sarojini" <Yoga@w...> wrote:

> So, I am now sending along the Site address for the Hamlet and

> Bhagavad Gita article. It is:

> http://www.santosha.com/moksha/index.html

[Guest guest]

Ram Chandran:

Thank you for those quotes. Shakespeare was, indeed, a pretty

Vedantic fellow! He could have had a good time with Purnamadah Purnamidam

couldn't he? Thanks again.

Peace and Love Always

Sarojini

-

Ram Chandran

advaitin

Monday, August 18, 2003 10:31 PM

Re: The world is a stage

 

 

Namaste Sarojiniji:

 

The article referenced by you comparing Arjuna and Hamlet is quite

interesting and with vedantic insights. During my college days, we

had two Shakespeare plays for the English language class. One of the

two happened to be Macbeth which opens with the voice of the

witches: "Fair is foul and foul is fair!" Immediately, Macbeth

utters: "So foul and fair a day, I haven't seen." Later in the play,

Macbeth murders King Duncan in order to acquire the kingdom. After

gruesome murder, Macbeth tries to wash his hand and whispers "All

the perfumes of Arabia can't cleanse this little hand." The entire

play how easy for any human to be overpowered by greed and `lose the

discriminating intellect.'

 

The messages conveyed by Shakespeare through his plays are quite

subtle. He provide lots of open-ended questions and the answers are

left to the readers to guess! What is fair and what is foul? Did

Macbeth act due to fate or free-will? etc., etc.,

 

Here is a list of some of his quotations that makes him a Sage of the

Elizabethan times:

 

"A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows him-self to

be a fool "

 

"Having nothing, nothing can he lose"

 

"Expectation is the root of all heartache. "

 

"Talking isn't doing It is a kind of good deed to say well; and yet

words are not deeds. "

 

"Desire of having is the sin of covetousness"

 

"Reflection is the business of man; a sense of his state is his first

duty: but who remembereth himself in joy? Is it not in mercy then

that sorrow is allotted unto us?"

 

Source: The quotations came from the following URL:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/q118900.html

 

Warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

 

advaitin, "Sarojini" <Yoga@w...> wrote:

> So, I am now sending along the Site address for the Hamlet and

> Bhagavad Gita article. It is:

> http://www.santosha.com/moksha/index.html

 

 

 

Sponsor

 

 

 

 

Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of Atman

and Brahman.

Advaitin List Archives available at: http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/

To Post a message send an email to : advaitin

Messages Archived at: advaitin/messages

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "Sarojini" <Yoga@w...> wrote:

> Ram Chandran:

> Thank you for those quotes. Shakespeare was,

indeed, a pretty Vedantic fellow! He could have had a good time with

Purnamadah Purnamidam couldn't he? Thanks again.

>

 

Namaste,

 

One issue that has perplexed me about Shakespeare is, which of

all the characters portrayed there is one that is truly 'sAttvika',

of the caliber of Yudhisthira, Bhishma, or Rama? His analysis of the

rajasic and tamasic character is certainly incomparable.

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

Sunder:

As great as Shakespeare was, he was also a "showman". He wrote what he

knew would bring audiences in during Elizabethan times. And, sadly, really

"sattvic" characters might have just seemed a little too one dimesnsional to

hook audiences. I guess "bad guys" intrique us because we keep watching for

them to turn into "good guys". Therefore, the main antagonists of Shakespeare's

plays really needed to be pretty rajasic or tamasic in oder to keep theatre

goers' attention.

 

Peace and Love Always,

Sarojini

 

-

Sunder Hattangadi

advaitin

Monday, August 18, 2003 11:39 PM

Re: The world is a stage

 

 

advaitin, "Sarojini" <Yoga@w...> wrote:

> Ram Chandran:

> Thank you for those quotes. Shakespeare was,

indeed, a pretty Vedantic fellow! He could have had a good time with

Purnamadah Purnamidam couldn't he? Thanks again.

>

 

Namaste,

 

One issue that has perplexed me about Shakespeare is, which of

all the characters portrayed there is one that is truly 'sAttvika',

of the caliber of Yudhisthira, Bhishma, or Rama? His analysis of the

rajasic and tamasic character is certainly incomparable.

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

 

 

Sponsor

 

 

 

 

Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of Atman

and Brahman.

Advaitin List Archives available at: http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/

To Post a message send an email to : advaitin

Messages Archived at: advaitin/messages

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sarojini-ji.

 

That may be just an explanation. This is right from under the

Greenwood Tree:

 

"Who doth ambition shun,

And loves to live i' the sun,

Seeking the food he eats,

And pleased with what he gets,

Come hither, come hither, come hither:

Here shall he see

No enemy

But winter and rough weather."

 

Does that not resonate with our Kabir's (or Tulsi Das's?) dOhA:

 

"Oh Lord! Give me only that much with which my family can make both

ends meet, I don't remain hungry and the sAdhUs who visit me do not

depart famished."

 

Who could, but Shakespaere, have woven such beauty by pouring the

elements of nature into Kabir's humble thoughts? Do we have to

relegate the man who dreamt in midsummer nights to the realm of

ordinary showmen and crowd-pullers? May be, there aren't sAttwic

characters in his plays. But, what about his thoughts which

inexorably pull the audience towards a catharsis and make them run

for the perfumes of Arabia (if not the sages of India)? That is good

literature (sAttwic, I may say), which ultimately exalts.

 

PraNAms.

 

Madathil Nair

____

 

 

advaitin, "Sarojini" <Yoga@w...> wrote:

> As great as Shakespeare was, he was also a "showman". He

wrote what he knew would bring audiences in during Elizabethan

times. And, sadly, really "sattvic" characters might have just

seemed a little too one dimesnsional to hook audiences. I guess "bad

guys" intrique us because we keep watching for them to turn

into "good guys". Therefore, the main antagonists of Shakespeare's

plays really needed to be pretty rajasic or tamasic in oder to keep

theatre goers' attention.

[Guest guest]

--- Sunder Hattangadi <sunderh wrote:

> One issue that has perplexed me about

> Shakespeare is, which of

> all the characters portrayed there is one that is

> truly 'sAttvika',

> of the caliber of Yudhisthira, Bhishma, or Rama? His

> analysis of the

> rajasic and tamasic character is certainly

> incomparable.

 

Namaste Sunder,

Not sure what you mean by adding the word 'truly' as

wherever there is a guna dominant the other two are

present until they disappear in the pure light of

purusha.

Maybe Prospero gets close for you as he 'breaks his

staff', the power of being able to produce the

illusions, in a final act of renunciation. Then he is

restored to his rightful dominion.

Maybe if we measure Prospero up against the

descriptions of Gita chapter 14 he might do quite well

inasmuch as he overcomes the sweet fruits of the

'Island play'...he demonstrates the two birds on the

tree quite well.....

Did he realise Gita 14.19 as he gives up 'his' power?

'When the percipient sees no agent other than the

gunas and knows My status beyond them, he attains My

status.'

I had better go back to the play and read it again but

I am locked into a study of 'sweetness' in the

Rgveda..svAd or svad and madhu...at the moment.

Wonderful topic.

 

By the way, this is one for you in the moderating

role. Some friends and I have recently completed a

few study sessions together. For one set of these I

'searched'through the Upanishads...including the minor

ones...and some other writings for references to mAyA.

The aim was to see how the word was used from the

Vedas through to Shankara.

The relevant verses were 'copied and pasted', without

any explanations other than their refs. to file for

future study. I had wondered whether this file would

be of any use to the archives but I do not want to

just block up people's inboxes.

Let me know what you think. They are only in English

translations by Aiyar etc but they could lead someone

to look further at the Sanskrit.

 

Best wishes

 

 

Ken Knight

 

 

manur bhava janayaa daivyam janam

 

“Become the human being, create the divine race....”

 

(Rig Veda, X.53.6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

>

>

> Regards,

>

> Sunder

>

>

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

advaitin, ken knight <hilken_98@Y...> wrote:

> > Not sure what you mean by adding the word 'truly' as

> wherever there is a guna dominant the other two are

> present until they disappear in the pure light of

> purusha.

> Maybe Prospero gets close for you as he 'breaks his

> staff', the power of being able to produce the

> illusions, in a final act of renunciation. Then he is

> restored to his rightful dominion.>

 

 

#############

Namaste Ken,

 

What I meant by 'truly' was to point out that the character

has not become a proverbial prototype of a sAttvika nature, an ideal

that inspires everyday thought.

##############

 

 

Some friends and I have recently completed a

> few study sessions together. For one set of these I

> 'searched'through the Upanishads...including the minor

> ones...and some other writings for references to mAyA.

> The aim was to see how the word was used from the

> Vedas through to Shankara.

> The relevant verses were 'copied and pasted', without

> any explanations other than their refs. to file for

> future study. I had wondered whether this file would

> be of any use to the archives but I do not want to

> just block up people's inboxes.

> Let me know what you think. They are only in English

> translations by Aiyar etc but they could lead someone

> to look further at the Sanskrit.

 

 

###########

Our Files archives would certainly become richer by adding

whatever you have studied for your own enrichment. The cross

referencing to Sanskrit verses would pose no problems. Thanks for the

offer.

The Upanishads have often used the word 'iva' (as if/like)

to bring out the nuance of 'mAyA'. I hope you have included such

references too.

############

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder