FORMAL SANNYASA IS IT PREREQUISIT TO JIVAN MUK TI??

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sri Sanjay:

 

Let me provide here with little more details on our private

conversation on the subject matter of "Sanyasa," First I want to

inform the new members that this subject matter on "physical and/or

mental renunciation" is not new to this list. This has been

discussed several times before in this list and also at the advaita-L

list (during 1998 and even before). In all the previous discussions

there were no resolutions one way or other. At one time, some

discussants (who are staunch supporters of the contention - `sanyasa

necessarily means physical renunciation') went overboard with

personal attacks on those who maintained sanyasa to imply mental

renunciation.

 

The question regarding the definition of 'Sanyasa' in the scriptures

is rather complicated and it is impossible for all of us to come for

a common ground. It is also important to know that the term, sanyasa

can mean differently in various contexts. There are four distinct

stages of human life according to the Hindu tradition – Sanatana

dharma. They are the following four ashramas (each ashramam

represents an important stage of human life).

1. Brahmacharya (period of learning and acquiring skills before

married life)

2. Grahasta (enjoyment of materialistic comforts and pleasures)

3. Vanaprastha (ascetic way of life by renouncing materialism)

4. Sanyasa (life without desires for materialistic comforts)

According to orthodox Hindu religious tradition, sanyasa in the above

context implies `physical renunciation.' Sankara the propagator of

advaita philosophy was a great advocate of Vedic traditions and the

revival of Sanatana dharma. Sankara's greatest contribution to the

Vedic religion is the revival of Hindu way of life in every nook and

corner of India. Sanyasa ashramam (physical renunciation) within the

confinement of Sanatana dharma requires every Hindu to learn to

renounce material comforts.

 

At the same time within the context of `advaita philosophy' it is

impossible to distinguish between the mental and physical

renunciation. Those who recognize this difficulty may be able to

appreciate and understand why we have differences of opinion on the

definition of `sanyasa.' In the final stage of life the sanyasi

becomes a stithaprajana (perfect yogi with the stable mind). We all

know at the end both physical and mental renunciation are achieved

simultaneously and there is no way for anyone to know the exact

starting point!

 

In Bhagavad Gita, Bhagwan Sri Krishna came to our rescue and declared

that we should begin our sadhana by 'renouncing the fruits of our

action' as the starting point. As ProfVK pointed out in an earlier

post, the correct point of reference for `sanyasa' is the

development of a new attitude to our way of life. In Bhagavad Gita,

Karma, Bhakti and Jnana Yogas provide the guidance for attaining

the `sanyasa' attitude of life.

 

warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

advaitin, Sanjay Srivastava

<sksrivastava68@g...> wrote:

> I had some further discussions on this topic (outside this list)

with

> Sri Ram Chandran. I found his views quite useful esp. about dual

roles

> of Shankara as:

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

Formal Sanyas is said to be given to one or taken by one. I have heard that one

has to do a lot of rituals, even nightlong havan, etc. shaving of head, etc.

etc., before he is given sanyasa. It is all sorts of such karmas which one has

to do, before he is given or/he takes Sanyasa. Do these Karmas result in Sanyasa

and if so, the results of karmas are keeping with the karmas, i.e. just like

karmas are time bound, such sanyaasa will also be time bound.

 

Just a doubt that occurred to me and hope I can get clarification from respected

members.

 

Warm Regards

 

Mani

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste Maniji:

 

Most of the Advaita institutions such as the Sankara Mutts (Kanchi,

Sringeri and others), Chinmaya Mission, Ramakrishna Mission,

Sivananda Ashram, Arsha Vidya Gurukulam and others follow the Vedic

tradition. The Parama (prime) Acharyas of those institutions select

the candidates who are fully qualified and conduct the Vedic

Initiation Ceremony. For any Vedic Initiation Ritual which is quite

elaborate with Vedic chanting and taking the vows by the would be

sannyasi in front of the fire and with the guidance from Guru. Just

like, the Upanayanam (Holy thread ceremony), Vivaka (marriage) and

others, during the ceremony, the sannyasi is informed about his

obligations – most important one is his life-long dedication and

service to the humanity with utmost devotion and love without any

attachment to the fruits of his services. The sannyasi is provided

with instructions on the codes of conduct for being a sannyasi. The

codes of conduct for the sannyasi follow most of the dharma specified

in the scriptures with appropriate modifications to suit the

institution where he belongs. During the ceremony, the sannyasi

first renounces his family (all relatives) by symbolically changes

his name – the new name is provided by the Guruji. After the

ceremony, the sannyasi with the new name and a new dress symbolically

detaches himself from all family obligations and dedicate his time

and energy toward service to the universal community. The best way

to understand the obligations of a sannyasi to read the biographies

of great sages and saints such as Vedavyasa, Adi Sankara, Sri Ramana,

Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Parmacharya Chandrasekara

Saraswati, Swami Sivananda and Swami Chinmayananda and so many other

noble souls.

Here is a brief summary portrait of Swami Sivananda

=======================================

Personality of Sivananda:

(http://yogapeace.com/personality_of_sivananda.htm)

To Swami Sivananda, renunciation did not mean untidy dress and

unkempt hair. He was scrupulously clean and showed by personal

example that decency should be maintained even in the standard of a

Sannyasin's dress. To him renunciation meant renunciation of the ego,

of "I" and "mine". It meant giving up attachment. True renunciation

belonged to the mind.

In this view of renunciation no torturing of the body was involved.

On the contrary, the Master took pains to keep his body always

healthy, so that it could be put to efficient use in the service of

God's children. In the early years of his mission, he used to go for

long evening walks. In the winter months he used to play badminton in

the Ashram itself. When work increased, he could not find sufficient

time for these. So he got a tennis ball and racket and played on the

wall for a few minutes, whenever he felt the need for relaxation.

After those few minutes, the Master would be ready again for another

spell of work. As he grew old he did some simple exercises on the bed

itself. He never missed his Asanas and Pranayama. These practices

kept his body fit for work.

"Bodily mortification alone cannot lead to enlightenment. There

should be the calming of passions and discipline of the mind," wrote

the Master. "Just as striking at an ant-hill will not destroy the

snake within, so also no amount of physical torture can kill the mind

within."

Likewise, while remaining a true Sannyasin, the Master retained a

good aesthetic sense. He would give matchless appreciation for a

German bag, an exquisite coffee set, a beautiful coat, a lovely

cloth, or delicious eatables. In him one saw, not a cynical rejection

of the world, but acceptance of it as the form of the Divine.

……………..

Talking to a visitor in the Ashram one day, the Master showed him his

several notebooks, pens and watches. "People think that a Sannyasin

should not have this or use that," he said, tapping a call-bell

playfully. "But I have no such notions. Service is the thing. Work,

work and work for the welfare of humanity. Keep the instruments—the

body and mind—in a fit and healthy condition for the work. I am a

different kind of Sannyasin. I like to serve. People imagine that a

Sannyasin should always be grave and sit like this (here the Master

actually closed his eyes and sat erect), and thus give the impression

to them that he is a liberated sage. But I am of a different type.

Work should be your meditation. That is my method."

A careful reading of the biographies will likely indicate that

the `karmas' conducted by the sannyasis are free from `vasanas' and

they are free of baggage. It should be pointed out that the

initiation of sannyasi provides the means to attain liberation

through dedicated service to the humanity. The sanysasis who conduct

unselfish service to the humanity will be able to recognize that "the

service to the people is the service to the Lord of Lords!"

Warmest regards,

Ram Chandran

 

advaitin, "R.S.MANI" <r_s_mani> wrote:

>

>

>

> Namaste,

>

> Formal Sanyas is said to be given to one or taken by one. I have

heard that one has to do a lot of rituals, even nightlong havan, etc.

shaving of head, etc. etc., before he is given sanyasa. It is all

sorts of such karmas which one has to do, before he is given or/he

takes Sanyasa. Do these Karmas result in Sanyasa and if so, the

results of karmas are keeping with the karmas, i.e. just like karmas

are time bound, such sanyaasa will also be time bound.

]

[Guest guest]

Namaste, Sri Ramchandranji,

It is good of you to give a lot of information

regarding how a Sanyasi is made. It was particularly

interesting to know about the “Personality of

Sivananda”. BTW, in Swami Sivananda’s case, I do not

know who had given him sanyasa. Any information?

Although one can appreciate the traditions followed by

the various systems for giving Sanyasa, one just

wonders why there are so many rituals one has to

undergo before one “becomes” a Sanyasi. IMVHO, a

person fit to be given sanyasa, fit for taking

sanyasa, must already have sufficient exposure to the

scriptures and not only that he must have assimilated

the self knowledge sufficiently.

Karmas or rituals do bring results, but keeping with

the karmas performed and since karmas are within time,

the results will also be within time. That is why one

returns even from Heaven after a while! Swamiji puts

it “Heaven going is like going on a holiday!”

Maybe the rituals performed before one takes sanyasa

are such that the phala or result covers and takes

care of the rest of the life of the sanyasi concerned.

 

Though irrelevant from our point, in the case of

Jainism, I have heard, before one is initiated to

sanyasa (I do not know what they call), all the hair

on the head of the person concerned are plucked in

bunches. (Actually I saw it over the Discovery Channel

where one lady of around 30 years or so was initiated

and all her hair was plucked in bunches.) Though it

may appear as a cruel practice for some, it is all

relative.

IMVHO, Advaita implore on one and all to rise above

the relative fields.

Thank you, Sri Ramachandranji

Warm Regards

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri. Mani,

 

namastE.

> one just wonders why there are so many rituals one has to

> undergo before one becomes a Sanyasi.

> ...

> Maybe the rituals performed before one takes sanyasa

> are such that the phala or result covers and takes

> care of the rest of the life of the sanyasi concerned.

 

The rituals are the samskAras.

 

samskAras have three fold utility - to inculcate good gunas, to

increase/improve existing good gunas, to remove bad gunas. The samskAras

start when the baby is in the womb (sImanta), and are prescribed at all

important milestones. The samskAras are appropriate for that stage of

life.

 

Similarly, the samskAras for initiation to sanyAsa would be of a nature

appropriate for sanyAsAshrama.

 

Best regards,

Ramachandra