Knowing God

[Guest guest]

Swami Chinmayanandaji is one of my favorite gurus because of his no-

nonsense approach towards sadhna. An example of his approach is the

following passage explaining te difficulty in trying to "know" God.

 

"`Know him!' He cannot be `known' as you know this table or this

chair or your wife or your pipe. He is not an object of the

intellect. He is the VERY SUBJECT. Have you heard of the great

disciple of the Kenopanishad who approached the Master and

enquired: "Revered Sir, What is IT, directed by which the mind

cognizes objects, the eyes see, the ears hear and so on?' The

master cryptically answered:"It is the eye of the eye; the ear

of the ear, the mind of the mind'. In fact It is the VERY Subject

that enables the eyes to see, the ear to hear etc. It is not an

object of the senses or the Mind or the Intellect. Hence, to answer

your question, I have to tell you that you cannot make God an object

of Knowledge.

 

An example will elucidate the idea. You are walking along a dark

country road at night, occasionally illuminating your path with the

aid of a battery torch; you want to know how the torch gives light;

you unscrew the torch, you will not be able to see the battery cells,

as the bulb will not emit lightly unless powered by the battery of

cells. Similarly, the eyes, the ears, the mind and the intellect, all

of which get their own power to function from the LIFE PRINCIPLE,

cannot understand IT as an object. God is thus conceived of as the

life principle, in every one."

 

(Taken from the Article "You, Me and GOD" by Swami Chinmayananda)

 

If we have any disciples from his school, I would love to hear more

on Swami Chimayanandaji's presentations on the topics that discussed

here.

 

_/\_ Tat twam asi

 

Uma

[Guest guest]

Although I have never visited the Ashram at Powai near Mumbai we had

darshan of Swami Chinmayanandji whenever he used to visit Kanpur.

Swami Dayanandji also used to visit those days. They were Guru bhais

(had the same Guru i.e. Tapovanji Maharaj). Swami Sivanandji's Asram

at Rishikesh is currently in charge of anotherof their Guru bhais

whose Darshan I've had but am forgetting his name.

 

At Kanpur earlier Brahmachari Aptachaitanya was posted and then

Brahmachari Murli. They used to live at our residence from where the

Branch was run. Brahmachari Murli was rechristned Swami

Tejomayananji, and currently is the head of the Ashram at Powai.

 

After we shifted to Calcutta Swamiji used to visit here but used to

spend nights at other devotees' homes. He gave my wife and me a Geeta

with a simple and practical message on how best to read and

understand the contents. I've been reading the Geeta ever since.

 

Another few examples Swamiji used to quote on the aspect of Subject

and Objects are the post (Subject) and the Ghost (Objects or

illusions) and the wave and the Ocean (Subject). Infact the way he

explains the difficult portions of the Geeta with examples such as

the above give an almost direct perception of the Truth.

 

love

 

Vivek

 

, "Tatwamasi" <tatwamasi> wrote:

> Swami Chinmayanandaji is one of my favorite gurus because of his no-

> nonsense approach towards sadhna. An example of his approach is the

> following passage explaining te difficulty in trying to "know" God.

>

> "`Know him!' He cannot be `known' as you know this table or this

> chair or your wife or your pipe. He is not an object of the

> intellect. He is the VERY SUBJECT. Have you heard of the great

> disciple of the Kenopanishad who approached the Master and

> enquired: "Revered Sir, What is IT, directed by which the mind

> cognizes objects, the eyes see, the ears hear and so on?' The

> master cryptically answered:"It is the eye of the eye; the ear

> of the ear, the mind of the mind'. In fact It is the VERY Subject

> that enables the eyes to see, the ear to hear etc. It is not an

> object of the senses or the Mind or the Intellect. Hence, to answer

> your question, I have to tell you that you cannot make God an

object

> of Knowledge.

>

> An example will elucidate the idea. You are walking along a dark

> country road at night, occasionally illuminating your path with the

> aid of a battery torch; you want to know how the torch gives light;

> you unscrew the torch, you will not be able to see the battery

cells,

> as the bulb will not emit lightly unless powered by the battery of

> cells. Similarly, the eyes, the ears, the mind and the intellect,

all

> of which get their own power to function from the LIFE PRINCIPLE,

> cannot understand IT as an object. God is thus conceived of as the

> life principle, in every one."

>

> (Taken from the Article "You, Me and GOD" by Swami Chinmayananda)

>

> If we have any disciples from his school, I would love to hear more

> on Swami Chimayanandaji's presentations on the topics that

discussed

> here.

>

> _/\_ Tat twam asi

>

> Uma

[Guest guest]

Dear Vivek

 

You are certainly blessed to have had the privelege to hear Swami

Chinmayanandaji. While I haven't heard him, I had the privilege to

hear Swamini Sarvapriyananda - Amma to us - when she could come on

her annual trip to the US. I am told she reminds people of Swamijis

style of teaching - clear, precise without unnecessary frills. I had

tremendous respect for her especially because instead of putting

people down for asking what may be considered simple questions, she

would take the trouble of explaning each question according to the

level of the questioner. I would often take my questions to her

privately and she would then give me responses more at my level of

understanding. I met her a few times only before her untimely death.

 

Do share with us whatever you wish to share, about various aspects

of sadhnaa you learnt from Swamiji. I certainly would be very

grateful to hear more.

 

_/\_ Tat twam asi

 

Uma

 

 

, "V" <shreeom> wrote:

> He gave my wife and me a Geeta with a simple and practical message

>on how best to read and understand the contents.

[Guest guest]

Dear Uma,

 

May I say I have been a member of this group for a while and it has

helped me immensely. Besides, I like your nik, Tattwamasi (That Thou

Art) immensely. It is one of the three Mahavakyas. The way you sign

off with a namaste _/\_ is also very endearing.

 

If meditation is what interests you you could read Swamiji's

Meditation and Life. He did have a mesmerising effect on people and

it was indeed a rare privelege to hear him but lots of what he used

to say you could get in his writing.

 

About Sadhanaa his focus used to be on consistency. Style, technique

ideology etc. you would get from Books, Guru but it is important to

live it. Religion is a way of life as he would say.

 

My mother could tell you much more, brother and I were a bit young to

understand fully the import of what he used to say. If you have any

specific queries please ask, I will definitely try to tell you

whatever I know.

 

love

 

Vivek

, "Tatwamasi" <tatwamasi> wrote:

> Dear Vivek

>

> You are certainly blessed to have had the privelege to hear Swami

> Chinmayanandaji. While I haven't heard him, I had the privilege to

> hear Swamini Sarvapriyananda - Amma to us - when she could come on

> her annual trip to the US. I am told she reminds people of Swamijis

> style of teaching - clear, precise without unnecessary frills. I

had

> tremendous respect for her especially because instead of putting

> people down for asking what may be considered simple questions, she

> would take the trouble of explaning each question according to the

> level of the questioner. I would often take my questions to her

> privately and she would then give me responses more at my level of

> understanding. I met her a few times only before her untimely

death.

>

> Do share with us whatever you wish to share, about various aspects

> of sadhnaa you learnt from Swamiji. I certainly would be very

> grateful to hear more.

>

> _/\_ Tat twam asi

>

> Uma

>

>

> , "V" <shreeom> wrote:

> > He gave my wife and me a Geeta with a simple and practical

message

> >on how best to read and understand the contents.

[Guest guest]

Dear Vivek

 

I really appreciate your feedback about our group and your feelings

about it. If you can let me know how we can serve the group even

more, I would be very grateful.

 

While I have been a long time meditator and a r to the "walk

the talk" philosophy, I am always eager to learn more and more. While

I have specific leanings, I find each Guru has an different

perspective to the same issue and by reading/listening to various

points of view, I find my own ideas getting clearer and clearer.

Dialogue is one my personal modes of learning - through questions,

debates and responses. I feel I can get complacent and too confident

in an extreme homogenous environment. The day I become too confident

that I know it all, and stop learning from those who are not exactly

like me, is the day I stop growing.

 

It will be wonderful if you share with us Swami Chinmayanandaji's

perspectives, whenever possible, on the various issues that are

brought up in our group. Different perspectives from different

teachers bring to the forum a ideal environment for learning,

expanding clarifying ideas and overcoming obstacles in our journey.

This is the primary mission of our group, be a facilitator in the

living of one's spiritual journey.

 

Thank you again

 

_/\_ Tat twam asi

 

Uma

 

, "V" <shreeom> wrote:

> Dear Uma,

>

> May I say I have been a member of this group for a while and it has

> helped me immensely. .

[Guest guest]

Dear Uma,

 

It is scary to think of myself as a 'facilitator'. Well meaning, I am

but that is just about it. Hope and pray your group does a super job.

There are so many sincere and knowledgeable devotees who are members.

I read the postings and it helps tremendously.

 

Did you know that you have to walk the path of meditation alone. Even

the Guru has to be forgotten once the thoughts become single pointed.

The Guru has a definite role upto a point. The Sanskrit word for

Meditation is Dhyana. They say meditation is to forget Dhyana and not

to remember Dhyana. Don't know if I'm making any sense?

 

Have had the honour of meeting lots of Sadhus and Sanyasi's. One of

them told me the above and it helped me meditate lots better.

 

It is the Bhagwad Geeta, and Swami Chinmayananda's commentary on it

that I read. Can't remember much of what he used to talk about and

one other book I read.

 

love

 

Vivek

 

, "Tatwamasi" <tatwamasi> wrote:

> Dear Vivek

>

> I really appreciate your feedback about our group and your feelings

> about it. If you can let me know how we can serve the group even

> more, I would be very grateful.

>

> While I have been a long time meditator and a r to

the "walk

> the talk" philosophy, I am always eager to learn more and more.

While

> I have specific leanings, I find each Guru has an different

> perspective to the same issue and by reading/listening to various

> points of view, I find my own ideas getting clearer and clearer.

> Dialogue is one my personal modes of learning - through questions,

> debates and responses. I feel I can get complacent and too

confident

> in an extreme homogenous environment. The day I become too

confident

> that I know it all, and stop learning from those who are not

exactly

> like me, is the day I stop growing.

>

> It will be wonderful if you share with us Swami Chinmayanandaji's

> perspectives, whenever possible, on the various issues that are

> brought up in our group. Different perspectives from different

> teachers bring to the forum a ideal environment for learning,

> expanding clarifying ideas and overcoming obstacles in our journey.

> This is the primary mission of our group, be a facilitator in the

> living of one's spiritual journey.

>

> Thank you again

>

> _/\_ Tat twam asi

>

> Uma

>

> , "V" <shreeom> wrote:

> > Dear Uma,

> >

> > May I say I have been a member of this group for a while and it

has

> > helped me immensely. .