dry discrimination (was FROM SAD VIDYA V39)

[Guest guest]

Dear David,

 

I certianly agree with you that discrimination (as a part of an

inquiry practice) is not remotely a "dry" practice. I know how much

it deepens my inquiry. I also see the increasing joy, as un-needed

mis-identifications are dropped. (And what mis-identifications are

needed, anyway???)

 

Again, Nome, a Self-realized Jnani who teaches at Society of Abidance

in Truth in Santa Cruz, CA (www.SATRamana.org), and teaches of

Ramana's teachings with a clear focus on inquiry, says (I am

paraphrasing, not quoting):

 

We are aleady That, so all that is needed for Self-realization is to

remove the mis-identifications (and projections of the Reality that

we are), and what remains is only the Self.

 

Not two,

Richard

 

RamanaMaharshi, David McEwen

<David.McEwen@e...> wrote:

>

 

I'd like to jump in and comment on this excerpt:

 

>2. The practice of discrimination is a very dry, dry

>path and I don't think that most westerners or even

>westernized Hindus are suited for it. And if I were in

>the "advocation" business, which I'm not, I wouldn't

>advocate it.

 

In my opinion there is widespread misunderstanding about the nature

of discrimination and its practice. At least as taught by Bhagavan.

>From time to time when I mention to folks I am a devotee of Bhagavan,

they almost invariably comment that the path of jnana is too cold,

dry and analytical for them. My usual reply to these kinds of

comments is, "That hasn't been my experience," and leave it at that--

unless they are really interested. In which case, I try to show

them "dry" discrimination couldn't be further from the truth! The

practice of Self-inquiry, jnana, and discrimination, as taught by

Bhagavan have nothing to do with thinking and analysis, and in fact

is the essence of devotion.

 

Bhagavan describes the ego as chit-jada-granthi: a knot tying

together the Self and the world. As such, ego has the power of

attention to:

 

* either attend to the world, ("I am the body" consciousness)

* or attend to the Self, ("I am" consciousness).

 

When the knot is severed, true Self-realization results. Until then,

attention waivers--more or less frequently--between world attention

and Self attention. Being able to distinguish "I am" from the world

is discrimination. Willful direction of attention toward the Self is

practicing discrimination. This is declared to be discriminating the

real from the unreal.

 

When discussed this way, it can seem very clinical and dry! What is

missing is the devotee's practicing experience. :-) The nature of

Self is Sat-Chit-Ananda or Being-Awareness-Joy. Discrimination of

Self and experience of joy go hand in hand. We can't have one without

the other. A little discrimination yields a little joy; deeper

discrimination yields deeper joy. By turning our attention to the

core of our being, we behold the Living Radiance beautiful beyond

compare. Then "dry" discrimination becomes an ocean of joyful

adoration.

 

Sincerest regards,

 

David

[Guest guest]

--- Richard Clarke <rclarke wrote:

> Dear David,

>

> I certianly agree with you that discrimination (as a

> part of an

> inquiry practice) is not remotely a "dry" practice.

> I know how much

> it deepens my inquiry. I also see the increasing

> joy, as un-needed

> mis-identifications are dropped. (And what

> mis-identifications are

> needed, anyway???)

 

SNIP

 

> Not two,

> Richard

>

> RamanaMaharshi, David McEwen

> <David.McEwen@e...> wrote:

> >

>

> I'd like to jump in and comment on this excerpt:

>

> >2. The practice of discrimination is a very dry,

> dry

> >path and I don't think that most westerners or even

> >westernized Hindus are suited for it. And if I were

> in

> >the "advocation" business, which I'm not, I

> wouldn't

> >advocate it.

>

> In my opinion there is widespread misunderstanding

> about the nature

> of discrimination and its practice. At least as

> taught by Bhagavan.

> From time to time when I mention to folks I am a

> devotee of Bhagavan,

> they almost invariably comment that the path of

> jnana is too cold,

> dry and analytical for them. My usual reply to these

> kinds of

> comments is, "That hasn't been my experience," and

> leave it at that--

> unless they are really interested. In which case, I

> try to show

> them "dry" discrimination couldn't be further from

> the truth! The

> practice of Self-inquiry, jnana, and discrimination,

> as taught by

> Bhagavan have nothing to do with thinking and

> analysis, and in fact

> is the essence of devotion.

 

SNIP

 

> Then "dry" discrimination becomes an ocean

> of joyful

> adoration.

>

> Sincerest regards,

>

> David

 

 

Dear Richard, David and ALL,

 

I have made short-sighted and unecessary comments

about the practice of discrimination. After all, true

vichara is a form of discrimination. Vichara is

discrimination between the "permanent" and the

"impermanent".

 

As many persons - so many paths.

 

michael