Advaita - Vivekachudamani

[Guest guest]

*"For him who aspires after liberation, there is no other way of release

from bondage but knowledge of the identity of Brahman and Self.

Therefore, you too by your own experience, know your self as always "I

am Brahman", "Brahman I am", "Brahman alone I am"."

 

Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi (from Vivekachudamani-Sri Ramana

translated it into Tamil prose)

 

In the introduction Bhagavan Ramana writes: "Mere book learning never

yields the bliss; it can only be realized through self-inquiry or

vichara, which consists of sravana or devoted attention to the precepts

of the guru, manana, or deep contemplation and nididhyasana or

cultivation of equanimity in the Self."

 

Love to all

Harsha*

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sri Harsha-ji

> Mere book learning never

> yields the bliss;

 

How True!

 

Here is another post along similar lines

 

Please take it in the right spirit: Svadhyaya is a very important

niyama and that is not being downplayed in the following message

>

No Mirror Can Ever Shave

 

By C. K. Anavema Reddy

(http://www.ramana-maharshi.org/publish/sepoct02.htm)

 

 

There is a small piece of conversation from the life of Sri Bhagavan

which, as far as I am aware, has not been recorded. Though brief, it

has remained very vivid in my memory.

 

It was in 1940 that one day one of the devotees sitting in the hall

raised the topic regarding the utility of reading books on religion

and philosophy. In reply Sri Bhagavan said, "You wake up in the

morning and look into the mirror and the mirror shows you that you

have a growth and that you have to get rid of it. You may go on

looking into any number of mirrors; every mirror will tell you the

same thing, but no mirror can ever shave you. You have to shave

yourself. Instead of wasting time looking into mirror after mirror

it is best to start shaving after having looked into the first

mirror and known the truth.

 

"So also all books will tell you the same truth, perhaps in slightly

different ways. Instead of wasting time reading book after book why

not realize for yourself what was obvious from the very first book."

 

These words of Sri Bhagavan are pregnant with deep significance and

are capable of being elaborately commented upon.

>

 

regards

Sundar Rajan

 

advaitin, Harsha wrote:

> *"For him who aspires after liberation, there is no other way of

release

> from bondage but knowledge of the identity of Brahman and Self.

> Therefore, you too by your own experience, know your self as

always "I

> am Brahman", "Brahman I am", "Brahman alone I am"."

>

> Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi (from Vivekachudamani-Sri

Ramana

> translated it into Tamil prose)

>

> In the introduction Bhagavan Ramana writes: "Mere book learning

never

> yields the bliss; it can only be realized through self-inquiry or

> vichara, which consists of sravana or devoted attention to the

precepts

> of the guru, manana, or deep contemplation and nididhyasana or

> cultivation of equanimity in the Self."

>

> Love to all

> Harsha*

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> No Mirror Can Ever Shave

 

Namaste all,

 

Svadhyaya is one of the five Niyamas according to both Shankara as well as

Patanjali. So there is nothing wrong in book reading. Books giving different

Prakriyas, which may appeal differently to different people but all of them

are AdhyAtmavidyA after all. What is wrong is merely reading books without

practising self-inquiry or some such discipline. Such book reading would

amount to mere pasttime, or a pursuit of scholarship for worldly gains like

fame, recognition, or inflating one's ego. It would not result in spiritual

progress.

To draw a parallel it would amount to reading medical books but not seeing

any patients!

Ravi

Dr. Ravindra S. Shivde,

Shivde Hospital,

Old Pandit Colony, Nasik 422002

Maharashtra, India

Phone (0253)2578019, (0253)2315725

Telefax (0253)2570519 mobile 9823053441

E- Mail: shivde