Pseudo Advaita: an critical article

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

I have found this very critical article about advaita teachers at the advaita

list. One of the members has forwarded it not knowing who is the writer.

I also forward it here because I find many said in this article illustrates the

present "inflation" of advaita teachers very well - one always wonders wherefrom

they arise so suddenly. One need not agree with all said in the article (not

every statement in the article may be correct) but I think it is worthy to be

read as it becomes more and more important to have a close and critical look

whom you trust and accept as a real teacher and not to believe that with the

first glimpses of awakening everything is already done. For awakening one has to

give everything (the ego must vanish) and it is mostly a hard struggle. It is no

cheep path, it is no quick path (only in very rare cases) - nevertheless it is

at the same time all grace and bliss.

In Sri Ramana

Gabriele

 

What I for example don't agree with is the statement that Sri Ramana sat in the

cave for 20 years before he could be complete. That is nonsense. The awakening

of Sri Ramana was final from the beginning. There was nothing left to be

completed. But he was a very rare exception.

 

>>We would like to express our concern regarding the recent phenomenon of

'satsang-culture' which in our opinion has impoverished seriously the

Orignial Spirit of Advaita. These days many individuals, who have very

little or no knowledge at all about the Process of Awakening, feel qualified

to give satsang and lead other souls on the Path.

Enlightenment has become very cheep these days. Nobody actually really knows

what is the meaning of this term as it virtually means everything and

nothing. Nowadays, it is sufficient to say 'I am awakened' in order to give

satsang.

Because of the unverifiable nature of Enlightenment, this term has been much

manipulated. Satsang has been Americanised. In an average satsang-gathering

everybody is laughing, showing signs of euphoric and unauthentic joy, while

the teacher tries to look like

he or she is in a bliss. Just like a TV show. Very few actually meditate.

Why to meditate if we are already all awakened?

But Is this really Advaita? Is Advaita a poor repetition of a several

slogans like 'There is nobody there,' 'You are That,' You are already

awakened' or 'There is no Path', etc.? Has this anything to do with teaching

of great masters like N. Maharaj or R. Maharishi?

 

Ramana sat in caves for 20 years before he could be really complete. In his

presence disciples had to meditate for months and years before they could

receive from him the glimpse of the Self.

It is true that New Millennium is a time of global awakening. But this

awakening is mostly partial and relative to the level of most people's

unconsciousness. It was Jesus who said that there would be a time when many

false teachers will teach in the name of Light. It seems to be happening

now. Many of these teachers are not necessarily 'bad people' but simply

unqualified and lost, in truth. They have believed too quickly in the

thought 'I am now ready to teach!'

 

It seems that the pauperisation of satsang culture began after the death of

Poonjaji. Many of his followers started to claim that Poonjaji approved

their awakening.' It seems that they just took him too literally. It is an

Advaita custom to say 'you are already awakened.' This is however more a

teaching device than a reflection of reality. And even if some of his

disciples had a glimpse of awakening, Poonjaji knew very well that in most

cases neither it was permanent nor the final state.

An example was Andrew Cohen who was sent to give satsang in the west. He was

meant to represent Poonjaji and attract more westerners to Lucknow. But he

and others thought that Poonjaji actually conformed his Enlightenment. For

that reason, Cohen became very hurt when Poonjaji started to criticize him

when he began to act as a master. From this wound came later the magazine

'What is Enlightenment?' which more represents Cohen's own insecurity and an

unsuccessful attempt to heal himself than a genuine search for clarity. By

the endless investigation into states of all possible masters, and not being

able

to come to any true conclusion, he has been just confusing his students. The

only thing which at the end remains clear from his seemingly 'sincere'

efforts to find clarity is that nobody has the least idea 'What

Enlightenment Is!'

It is not our intention to suggest that nobody reaches

Enlightenment. We just wish to make it clear that Complete Enlightenment and

Understanding of its nature is still an extremely rare phenomenon on the

planet earth, which a plane of low evolution. And equally important, we wish

to emphasize that a

partial or pre-mature experience of awakening does not qualify one at all to

take a role of a Self-realised being.

Enlightenment is not as cheep. Many seekers seem to be unaware of a very

simple fact that there are actually many levels of Self-realisation. There

is an enormous difference between initial awakening and the actual State of

Enlightenment. But who cares?

 

Most seekers would not bother to study these matters, for in their case

there is really 'nobody there' - just a collective seeker's mind.

And most teachers would refuse to enquire into the true nature of

Enlightenment because they already have a hidden doubt and deep fear

concerning the validity of their own attainment.

We would like to suggest not to rush too fast with announcing oneself

'awakened,' and to rush even less with the idea of giving satsang. In Zen

tradition one had to wait 10 to 20 years after Enlightenment before one

could guide others. These days we hear about individuals who give satsang

the next day after their

uncertain awakening!

 

We would like to clarify, for the sake of general knowledge, that there are

actually several levels of expansion beyond the mind.

There are three basic types of Inner Expansion:

1) Awakening to Pure Awareness (the State of Presence behind the mind).

2) Awakening to the Absolute State (unity with the unmanifested).

3) Awakening of the Heart (expansion into the Divine).

> In each of these levels there are three stages: Shift into a state,

Stabilisation and Integration. For instance, many satsang-teachers do not

experience the same state outside of teaching. This is because they are not

established permanently in the state they

have attained. For that reason, they can have a deep state during satasng,

but when they leave the satsang-room, they return back to ordinary

consciousness. In such a case only conscious

cultivation of the particular state can allow one to establish it

permanently. However, if one does not believe in actual process of

awakening, how can one consciously cultivate anything? One does not even

know that one is in a State. Here we see the importance of correct

understanding. If one just follows in a dogmatic and unimaginative way the

Advaita idea that 'I am already That,' how can one cultivate anything?

We recommend to all students and teachers of Advaita to be more critical.

Follow Advaita, if you wish but know that Reality is simply much more rich

than any linear philosophy, with Advaita included.

The Practical Advaita and the Theoretical Advaita are very different. In the

Theoretical Advaita, the Self is the only reality, there is no Path and we

are all already awakened. But Practical Advaita knows that there is a long

way to go before the truth of these statements can become our living truth.

We would like also to create a few practical anti-pseudo-advaita statements:

'You are not awakened unless you awaken!' 'You are not That, unless you

reach unity with Universal I AM!' 'There is no Path but only for those who

Completed it!' 'There is nobody here, but only when somebody has dissolved!

Until that time you are simply a suffering somebody who only tries to

believe in being no one or entertains oneself by giving 'satsang.'

We have request to all those who experience any type of awakening:

PLEASE, THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO GIVESATSANG and HONESTLY

COMTEMPLATE WHAT ARE YOUR TRUE MOTIVES BEHIND THE DESIRE TO TEACH.

Perhaps giving Satsang is not really necessary?

 

Blessings to Seekers of Truth and Clarity who have the courage to renounce

the False.