For Benjamin

[Guest guest]

--- Benjamin <orion777ben wrote:

>

> I am by no means an expert on sadhana; I am merely

> an ex-philosophy

> student with stubborn opinions regarding that

> subject and how it

> relates to Advaita.

 

Good Evening Benjamin,

As you are a student of ex-philosophy maybe you can

tell me how it relates to advaita. I must admit that

it is a new one on me but on 'this side of the pond'

we are rather behind the times.

Or am I just a pedantic old fool.

Probably.

But we oldies need to be humoured (humored) at times,

With apologies

Ken

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Hello Ken,

>As you are a student of ex-philosophy maybe you can

>tell me how it relates to advaita. I must admit that

>it is a new one on me but on 'this side of the pond'

>we are rather behind the times.

>Or am I just a pedantic old fool.

>Probably.

>But we oldies need to be humoured (humored) at times,

>With apologies

>Ken

 

 

I can tell by the jocular tone of your message that you probably

don't expect an answer. Of course, realization itself is beyond

concepts or philosophy, and this seems to be your main point. I

agree.

 

However, what I liked about a certain (idealistic) philosophy, which

I was discussing before, is that it helps (or helped me) calm the

doubts of the mind *before* engaging in sadhana. Specifically, for

someone raised in a 'scientific' environment, it can be very

difficult to avoid getting trapped in 'materialism', by which I don't

mean so much the usual connotation of greed and sensationalism

(though that is not unrelated), but rather the depressing belief that

only matter exists and even consciousness is utterly dependent on

brain chemicals and will disappear when the body dies.

 

Maybe now people can better understand why I cared so much about

establishing a credible philosophy where consciousness (and not

matter) is the fundamental reality. Otherwise, it can be quite

difficult to believe in anything spiritual. Many modern

'intellectuals', and especially Western intellectuals, are

fundamentally agnostic or atheistic. This is almost inevitable when

you believe that matter is the fundamental reality, and this

materialistic view is heavily inculcated by the 'scientific' outlook.

(And contrary to what some people say, the paradoxes of quantum

mechanics have not really changed this outlook among intellectuals.)

 

So if you are at a spiritual level that is far beyond any need for

philosophy, then rejoice and don't look back. But some people need

to assuage their conceptual fears and doubts before talking the

plunge. Maybe there are no such people on this list...

 

Hari Om!

Benjamin

[Guest guest]

--- Benjamin <orion777ben wrote:

>

> (And contrary to what some people say, the paradoxes

> of quantum

> mechanics have not really changed this outlook among

> intellectuals.)

 

Good morning Benjamin,

This is why we need to explain time and again, as

Heisenberg stated, 'You cannot experiment with quantum

physics you can only experience it'....sorry that is

from memory and not an exact quotation.

Direct experience is necessary and we cannot directly

experience the 'outer world' of name and form for the

latter create a thick curtain. As you know, concepts

of inner and outer, place and no-place disappear in

direct experience.

To move from the vision of the 'intellectual' to the

vision of the heart/intellect comes naturally as we

learn to let go of our idols, our craven images of

past 'eureka' moments. May we all progress rapidly

from the status as students of philosophy and

disappear into the fullness rather than the void.

Once again, sorry for the pedantic bit yesterday but I

was feeling mischievous, Spring is coming here in UK.

Best wishes

 

Ken

 

 

 

 

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