Subject: Shri Atmananda's teachings - 4. Witness of thoughts

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sri Ananda:

 

The thoughts that you presented and question that you posed to our

dear Benjaminji are quite profound. You have provided an excellent

commentary to the verses 7.12 and 9.04 verses of Gita. I like your

presentation and you articulated the advaitic point quite clearly

with simple examples.

 

I do want to share the thoughts provided in Gita here below, and

hopefully this will provide more additional support to your position.

 

Know that the three Gunas, Saattvika, Raajasika, and Taamasika, also

emanate from Me. I am not in the Gunas, but the Gunas are in Me.

(7.12)

 

I the unmanifest Brahman pervade the entire universe. All beings in

the univese came from me, but I am not in them! (9.04)

 

In verses 7.13 and 7.14, He further elaborates - The jivas (human

beings) are deluded by the three Gunas of nature and consequently;

they do not know Me because I am eternally above these Gunas. My

divine Maya consisting of three Gunas or states of mind is difficult

to overcome. Only they who surrender unto Me, cross over this Maya,

know Me.

 

The often quoted example to illustrate 7.12 and 9.04 is Ocean vs

waves - waves depend on the ocean, the ocean does not depend on the

waves. From a Advaitic or non-dualistic point of view, the question

of wave abiding in the ocean or the ocean abiding in the wave does

not arise, because there is no wave or ocean. It is water only.

Similarly, everything is a manifestation of Brahman only. (Gita 7.19)

 

Warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

advaitin, Ananda Wood <awood@v...> wrote:

> Dear Benjamin,

>

> Thanks for your reply to the question of whether consciousness is a

> physical or mental activity. I'm still confused by your answer, so

I'll

> persist with the question, if I may. .......

>

> If perceptions, thoughts and feelings are truly different from each

> other, then they cannot all be identical with consciousness. As mind

> and body act in changing ways, so as to perceive and think and

feel, it

> seems that perceptions, thoughts and feelings are changing and

> different -- quite unlike the consciousness that witnesses their

> comings and their goings. Would you agree that this appearance, of

> differing activities, is a mistake?

>

> And if you do agree, I would ask the same question as before. Is

> consciousness itself an activity of body or of mind? Or, to put it

> slightly differently: Is knowing a physical or mental act, which is

> carried out through the perceptions, thoughts and feelings of body

or

> mind?