“ADVAITA” - AN OBSTACLE TO HUMAN “PROGRESS”?

[Guest guest]

Respected Advaitins, Namaste,

 

Very often I come across the following remarks from my friends and relatives

regarding Advaita Vedanta:

 

“That It leads to compromises in life,

 

That It leads to Complacency,

 

That it leads to Lethargy, Laziness, Idleness,

 

That It kills Enterprise,

 

That It kills Enthusiasm,

 

That It is an obstacle for one who wants to “Progress/Success”

 

That It is not Not Practical nor is it useful for day today life,

 

That It makes one Arrogant,

 

Etc. etc. etc.”

 

One young boy of nineteen, very brilliant, always first in his school, and who

has just got admission to a Medical Course, happens to hear a Lecture on

Vedanta, particularly Advaita, where the Teacher in his eagerness to bring home

the vision of Adviata, i.e. the Self is Happiness itself, narrated the following

story:

 

One middle-aged man was sitting under a tree by the Sea and just dozing. A young

man who happened to see this, asked the fellow “Why are you so lazy, Can’t you

do something?”

 

“Tell me what I should do?”

 

“You can at least go to the sea and catch some fish.”

 

“What will happen if I do that?”

 

“You can make money.”

 

“What will I do with that money?”

 

“You can put it in a small business and make more money”

 

“What will happen if I make more money?”

”You can start a bigger business and get much more money”

 

“Is it? But what will I do with that more money?”

 

“You can invest and make more and more money and you will be a very rich fellow,

after some time.”

 

“Is it? After that what will I do?”

 

“It is funny you are asking that. You can relax and live in happiness.”

 

“Oh, That is exactly what I am doing now. Why should I go through all these

troubles?”

 

What will you tell him?

 

The point is, our hero, who got admission to a medical course, after hearing

this story/lecture left his house and went away (maybe in search of Truth),

ignoring the very good opportunity of becoming a doctor and serving the people.

The society has thus lost a doctor.

 

This may be a story. But my friends say, there is a danger that people can

become lethargic, in the name of Advaita, and ignore their duties and dharma.

 

What should I tell them? They will not understand that Advaita helps one work in

a better way, in the right way, and it helps one to do his duties in a much

better way. Swami Chinmayanandaji used to say, “A doctor with This Knowledge,

will be a Good Doctor, and an engineer with This Knowledge will be a Good

Engineer”. My friends say, that this Knowledge is an obstacle for one who wants

to be even doctor, let alone becoming a good doctor.

 

My Teacher rather Guru used to say “Vedanta is for one who has more or less

finished his agenda in life.” “That is why “Sanyasa” is the last Ashrama in

life.”

 

If the Vision of Advaita is not understood in the right spirit, it can do a lot

of harm and can lead to “Escapism”. One can engage in all sorts of undesirable

activities saying that “I am not the Kartha or Doer”

 

There are such people, whom I know.

 

Another argument is “Aham Brahmasmi” makes one arrogant and people with this

knowledge look down people who are following Bhakti Marga, Karma etc. etc.

 

The purpose of this posting is, correct understanding of Advaita Philosophy is

very important. Unless it reflects in one’s life, the exercise is futile.

 

Warm Regards & Hari Om