Is Advaita Vedanta of Adi Shankara only for Sanyasis???

[Guest guest]

Hari OM!

 

Dear all,

 

One of our Respected learning member wrote the below and his version is

Advaita Vedanta is only applicable to Sanyasis one who is a renunciate?

 

I invite the learned members to comment on this.

 

With Love & OM!

 

Krishna Prasad

 

Sanjay Srivastava Wrote:

 

All secular activities (including vedic karmas) are against this knowledge.

It is because of this reason alone that practically advaita is not a path

for householders.

 

> If Adi Shankaracharya's teaching are only for Sanyasa, to me it is a big

> joke at least, proof or evidence is that You and I are there in this

> advaitin list and want to study. the Acharya's greatest Bhashyams, what else

> evidence you need Sir.

>

 

It is in fact a big joke that we want to achieve AchArya's goal without

following the path prescribed by him. In the absence of courage to take

sannyAsa, I do not credit my study more than a curiosity.

 

In his commentary on "na karmaNA, na prajayA, dhanEn, tyAgEnEkai

amrutatvamAnashuh.." bhagvAn makes it clear in unequivocal terms that only

sannyAsins have adhikAra on this path. If you have further doubts please see

below Shankara's introduction to the Aitreya upanishad:

 

"A man of realization's renunciation consists in the mere absence of

activity; and it is not a positive something to be accomplished like

sacrifice etc. . .

 

Objection: . . . If the supreme knowledge of Brahman dawns in domestic life,

 

the inactive man may continue in that state, and there need be no moving

away from it.

 

Answer: No, since domestic life is induced by desire, for it has be clearly

declared . . . And so the inactive man of realization cannot continue in the

 

domestic life itself. . . . the constant habit of resorting to any

particular house of one's own is prompted by desire."

 

If you need further proof, entire ch.8 of mAnasollAsa is devoted on this

issue.

 

The point is that bhagvAn has laid down the path for us in unequivocal

terms. If we do not have courage to follow his path, does it give us liberty

to contaminate it with our ideas"?

 

 

--

Krishna Prasad

 

.. Yad yad aacarati sreshtah, tad tad eva itaro janah. As the Gita puts it,

consistency of purpose and a spirit of dedication and, if necessary,

sacrifice, should characterize the new spirit.

We Must - Swami Chinmayanada

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

advaitin, Krishna Prasad <rkrishp99@g...>

wrote:

>

> Hari OM!

>

> Dear all,

>

> One of our Respected learning member wrote the below and his

version is

> Advaita Vedanta is only applicable to Sanyasis one who is a

renunciate?

 

Namaste,

 

Brahma Sutra Bhashya 3:4:36-39 mention other qualifications.

 

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/bs_3/bs_3-4-09.html

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

nmaste:

 

A similar thread was discussed before and may be helpful if we read

them again.

 

advaitin/message/20498

 

Sunder-Ji has also replied with more specific information.

 

Regards,

 

Dr. Yadu

 

advaitin, Krishna Prasad <rkrishp99@g...>

wrote:

>>

>

>

>One of our Respected learning member wrote the below and his

version is

> Advaita Vedanta is only applicable to Sanyasis one who is a

renunciate?

>

>

> Krishna Prasad

>

>

[Guest guest]

On 12/13/05, Krishna Prasad <rkrishp99 wrote:

> Sanjay Srivastava Wrote:

>

> All secular activities (including vedic karmas) are against this knowledge...

 

Sri Krishna Prasad-ji has quoted our personal exchanges on the list

which was not my intention. Anyway, lot of discussion has already

taken place on this list as well as advaita-l on this issue. Here is

another thread:

 

advaitin/message/27366

 

praNAm

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sri Sanjay:

 

This is one of the ongoing every year discussion without any final

conclusion on the defintion for the word "Sanyaasa." The orthodox

advaita vedantins will rightfully argue that 'Sanyaasa Ashram' is a

necessary condition. The acharyas of Sankara Mutts (both Kanchi and

Sringeri)also assertain that initiation to Sanyaasa is the foremost

step for self-realization. It should be pointed out that cermonial

Sanyasi (one who completes the initiation ceremony and wears special

clothes, etc.) will not necessarily have all the qualifications stated

in the scriptures. There are very strict stipulations stated in the

scriptures and many of the modern times sanyasis seldom follow those

rules.

 

Some would argue that the implied qualifications in the scriptures are

subject to interpretation. If the terminology of 'sanyasa' as implied

by the Bhagavad Gita is used, then all householders who conduct their

actions as a 'non-doer' will qualify as a 'sanyasi.' In this

interpretation, the attitude of the person matters and performer of

action (householder with the highest level of spiritual maturity)

renounces all selfish desires and act spontaenously.

 

It is safer to say that an 'ordinary householder' maintaining a worldly

life has no chance of self-realization from the scriptural point of

view (as interpreted by Sankaracharya). Can a householder transform as

a Sanyasi by renouncing the fruits of all actions. This is a difficult

question any debate on the definition of 'sanyaasi' will unlikely

produce any meaningful results. This inference is purely based on the

academic debates that took place so many times in several mailing lists

without a definite conclusion.

 

regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

 

advaitin, Sanjay Srivastava

<sksrivastava68@g...> wrote:

>

> On 12/13/05, Krishna Prasad <rkrishp99@g...> wrote:

>

> > Sanjay Srivastava Wrote:

> >

> > All secular activities (including vedic karmas) are against this

knowledge...

>

> Sri Krishna Prasad-ji has quoted our personal exchanges on the list

> which was not my intention. Anyway, lot of discussion has already

> taken place on this list as well as advaita-l on this issue. Here is

> another thread:

[Guest guest]

Namaste Ram Chandran-ji.

 

I entirely agree with you that this is an inconclusive debate. That is

why I did not want to start it again. I had some discussions with Sri

Krishna Prasad-ji off the list. However he posted my mail on this list

without my knowledge. If I had known that my personal mail is going to

be posted on the list, I could have given him the reference of earlier

discussions on this topic from the list itself.

 

praNAm

[Guest guest]

Ram Chandran <ramvchandran wrote: Namaste Sri Sanjay:

 

This is one of the ongoing every year discussion without any final

conclusion on the defintion for the word "Sanyaasa." The orthodox

advaita vedantins will rightfully argue that 'Sanyaasa Ashram' is a

necessary condition. The acharyas of Sankara Mutts (both Kanchi and

Sringeri)also assertain that initiation to Sanyaasa is the foremost

step for self-realization. It should be pointed out that cermonial

Sanyasi (one who completes the initiation ceremony and wears special

clothes, etc.) will not necessarily have all the qualifications stated

in the scriptures. There are very strict stipulations stated in the

scriptures and many of the modern times sanyasis seldom follow those

rules.

 

According to traditional interpretation, surely, sanyasahood is

necessary for the pursuit of the spiritual path and realization; but, with the

changing times, one has to introspect a lot to understand the implication of

this statement. In the modern days, the sanyasins are not subjecting themselves

to the rigours of a solitary life, but lead a secure life in a cloister with

sound economic sufficiency. They have all the systems that society has to

protect the individual. They do not resort to a life of begging, which is

demanded of Sanyasa. So, this question, I think, is purely academic and

historic, and is not relevant to the understanding of life. After all, money is

only an economic devise in the world for the exchange of goods. If one is not

attached to money, one can lead an equally good spiritual life. Bhaghavan Raman

has emphasized only the fact of non-identification with the non-self in what

ever forms it may rear its ugly head, be it sanyasa or samsara,

all these things being non-existent in deep-sleep, the Self alone constituting

our sovereign reality. In the modern days the Sanyasahood does not mean a

solitary life away from the moorings of society. The sanyasins move very much

with the society and interact. But of course, a time will come, if a man is

honest in his spiritual quest, when there will have been found to be no

security in any of the phenomenal things, such an understanding goading him to

abandon possessions even physically. Till then we had better try to pursue our

path from where we stand without raising hypothetical questions in matters of

this kind which are purely intellectual, not helping us in our quest.

Incidentally, it may be stated that sanyasahood is purely a matter of

convenience enabling a man to be free from the outer onslaughts of life to be

in a better position to pursue the spiritual path.

Sankarraman

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

advaitin, "Ram Chandran" <ramvchandran>

wrote:

>

> Namaste Sri Sanjay:

>

> This is one of the ongoing every year discussion without any final

> conclusion on the defintion for the word "Sanyaasa." The orthodox

> advaita vedantins will rightfully argue that 'Sanyaasa Ashram' is

a

> necessary condition. The acharyas of Sankara Mutts (both Kanchi

and

> Sringeri)also assertain that initiation to Sanyaasa is the

foremost

> step for self-realization. It should be pointed out that cermonial

> Sanyasi (one who completes the initiation ceremony and wears

special

> clothes, etc.) will not necessarily have all the qualifications

stated

> in the scriptures. There are very strict stipulations stated in

the

> scriptures and many of the modern times sanyasis seldom follow

those

> rules.

>

> Some would argue that the implied qualifications in the scriptures

are

> subject to interpretation. If the terminology of 'sanyasa' as

implied

> by the Bhagavad Gita is used, then all householders who conduct

their

> actions as a 'non-doer' will qualify as a 'sanyasi.' In this

> interpretation, the attitude of the person matters and performer

of

> action (householder with the highest level of spiritual maturity)

> renounces all selfish desires and act spontaenously.

>

> It is safer to say that an 'ordinary householder' maintaining a

worldly

> life has no chance of self-realization from the scriptural point

of

> view (as interpreted by Sankaracharya). Can a householder

transform as

> a Sanyasi by renouncing the fruits of all actions. This is a

difficult

> question any debate on the definition of 'sanyaasi' will unlikely

> produce any meaningful results. This inference is purely based on

the

> academic debates that took place so many times in several mailing

lists

> without a definite conclusion.

>

> regards,

>

> Ram Chandran

>

>

 

Namaste, Ram-ji.

 

I wanted to share the following in this context:

 

"The pursuit of Vedantic truth leading to Atmic realization requires

as a preliminary qualification in the seeker that he should have

attained a certain degree of spiritual awakening as much as of

intellectual acuteness which he may have acquired in his previous

births. And as he advances he may meet with difficulties, which he

can overcome only with the help of a Guru. It is not therefore

possible to prescribe any one course suitable for all stages.

 

"The following directions would however be found most helpful to

seekers who are not able readily to consult their Guru at each step

and who are eager to make rapid progress. The steadying of one's

mind is a sine qua non for the realisation of the Vedantic goal.

Keeping this in view the practices indicated below are advised.

 

"Firstly, physical: The avoidance of all stimulating food, drink,

and the adoption as far as possible of the vegetarian diet.

 

"Secondly, moral: The daily exercise of universal love without

distinction of any kind towards all beings and the actual rendering

of helpful services to them in a spirit of selfless service.

 

"Thirdly, mental: The cultivation of a habit of retiring into one's

own self. Daily concentration of thought on some single object held

in the highest reverence through which spiritual light is sought.

Concentration should be practised whenever the mind is fresh and

vigorous and it may be resorted to as often as convenient without

getting tired. The mind should be guarded against falling asleep

during the exercise. One may start with a few minutes practice and

the period may be gradually increased.

 

"Fourthly, intellectual: Enquiry (vichara) should be made every day

and the problem of truth deeply pondered over whenever they occur."

 

This is from the reply sent by His Holiness Sri Chandrashekhara

Bharati Swami of Sringeri to a European who wrote to His Holiness

requesting guidance in pursuing brahmavidya. This seeker would not

meet the strictly traditional requirements, though.

 

The full exchange is available at:

http://www.jagadgurus.org/home.asp?acharyalcode=CB

 

Harih Om!

Neelakantan