Use of Advaita in practical spiritual effort

[Guest guest]

Since there is utility, Advaita was brought by Sankara into

practical spiritual effort (Sadhana). Actually Advaita was the

situation before creating this universe. After creation of this

Universe at present there is no Advaita and there will not be

Advaita in future. Even in the destruction (Pralaya) there is no

Advaita because the entire world is in subtle state (Avyakta) as a

cinema in the film reel. When this subtle state is exposed, the

situation becomes creation. The creation is just like showing the

cinema on the screen, which is preserved in the film reel. Veda says

the same (Dhataa Yathapurvam). Advaita means absence of both the

show and the film reel. Therefore Advaita existed once upon a time

and it does not exist and will never exist in the future.

 

The producer has created the film after lot of work. When the film

show is stopped the film reel is preserved. Will any fool destroy

his own film reel, just to get the situation of Advaita? When you

are alive there is no Advaita in this world. Even when you leave the

body and go to the upper worlds there is no Advaita. Therefore

Advaita is only an imagination in the present and future. It was

reality only in the past. But Advaita has the practical utility as

an intermediate step in your spiritual effort, the aim of which is

to please the Lord. During your spiritual effort you will be put to

lot of loss and misery, because you have to sacrifice every thing

for the sake of the Lord. You need stamina to withstand the loss and

misery during such sacrifice. The Advaita provides that stamina,

because in Advaita you are leaving the attachment with your body and

you are attached with pure awareness. In such a state you will not

be worried by the external factors and you will be having ever-

lasting peace which gives infinite mental strength. For this purpose

Sankara brought the concept of Advaita into the practical spiritual

effort.

 

at the lotus feet of shri datta swami

surya

www.universal-spirituality.org

[Guest guest]

> Since there is utility, Advaita was brought by Sankara into

> practical spiritual effort (Sadhana). Actually Advaita was the

> situation before creating this universe. After creation of this

> Universe at present there is no Advaita and there will not be

> Advaita in future. Even in the destruction (Pralaya) there is no

> Advaita because the entire world is in subtle state (Avyakta) as a

> cinema in the film reel. When this subtle state is exposed, the

> situation becomes creation. The creation is just like showing the

> cinema on the screen, which is preserved in the film reel. Veda says

> the same (Dhataa Yathapurvam). Advaita means absence of both the

> show and the film reel. Therefore Advaita existed once upon a time

> and it does not exist and will never exist in the future.

 

This statement goes to show how illogical and senseless your line of

thought is (even though this is not even "your" line of thought, since

another "dattaswami" devotee has given me the same arguments a while

ago, pasted from the same source...). First of all, if Sankara taught

about something that happened before creation, he only could have had

experienced it in the event that he himself existed before creation.

Which is exactly what you try to refute. Second, if a timeless reality

is brought into the picture (nevermind utility) "before" is inexistent.

 

If you try to prove duality in the non-dual, how can you refer to the

non-dual and it's foremost teacher as your argument? The past is an

inference, the future is a projection. Only now is. Advaita is only

the now. It is non-sense to state that advaita is in the past, for

this implies duality. Advaita is not in time. Time is in advaita. Just

refer to Sri Nisargadatta or Bhagavan Ramana etc. This is consensual.

 

> The producer has created the film after lot of work. When the film

> show is stopped the film reel is preserved. Will any fool destroy

> his own film reel, just to get the situation of Advaita? When you

> are alive there is no Advaita in this world. Even when you leave the

> body and go to the upper worlds there is no Advaita. Therefore

> Advaita is only an imagination in the present and future. It was

> reality only in the past. But Advaita has the practical utility as

> an intermediate step in your spiritual effort, the aim of which is

> to please the Lord.

 

A god that has created all and "left the building" is the god of the

christians, the god of heaven versus hell. This is duality. How could

the non-dual serve as reference to prove the dual. If anything,

relating the two would be the other way around. 1 is in 2. 2 is not in

1. Anyway you try to relate both, same results will come.

 

> During your spiritual effort you will be put to

> lot of loss and misery, because you have to sacrifice every thing

> for the sake of the Lord. You need stamina to withstand the loss and

> misery during such sacrifice. The Advaita provides that stamina,

> because in Advaita you are leaving the attachment with your body and

> you are attached with pure awareness. In such a state you will not

> be worried by the external factors and you will be having ever-

> lasting peace which gives infinite mental strength. For this purpose

> Sankara brought the concept of Advaita into the practical spiritual

> effort.

 

Given the incongruences in your entire post, how could anyone even

foolishly accept any bit of an unqualified, completely unlearned view

on Sankara? I'd rather read his own words about advaita, instead of a

prepotent fool's interpretation. Acharya Sankara Bhagvadpada, Bhagavan

Ramana, Sri Nisrgadatta never had any purpose. They all just "are"

(notice the inflection).

 

Someone who tries to explain why forces of nature act are the one's

with motives, purposes and hidden agendas. Ones who try to interpret

what is already an interpretation are the ones with motive, and are

the ones who preach in order to enforce a personal view on something

that is impersonal, simply existent.

 

Misquoting the only beams of light that appeared to lead us all away

from suffering is the true work of evil. Is the true work of ignorance

and the rise of the ego.

[Guest guest]

This question borders to self-contradiction and shows a lack of

understanding what advaita really means. ‘Use of advaita’ is a

contradiction in terms. 

 

What does practical spiritual effort means?  Effort involves action.

 

na yogena na saankhyena karmanaa no na vidyayaa

brahmaastmaika bodhena moxas sidhyati na anyathaa.

 

It is the understanding of identity of one self with the total self.

Sarva bhutastam aatmaanam sarva bhuutaanica aatmani says Krishna.

 

All efforts are only for purification of the mind so that one can see

this identity of oneself with the total self. 

 

I am beginning to see that you are not here to learn advaita but

propagate your misunderstood and misguided philosophy. My sympathies for

you. 

 

I have to, however, request the moderators to step in and monitor your

posts, since none of them meet the scope of this list. They show not

only a lock understanding of adviata but delebarate misinterpretation of

advaita.

 

 

Hari OM!

Sadananda

[Guest guest]

List Moderator's Note: Instead of just making a one-liner, it will be greatly beneficial if you explain as completely as possible. The orginal post by Sri Suri should not have been released to the list, that was just a slip. Those who have background in economics may be aware about 'utility theory' which explains human behavior. In the present context, advaita philosophy should be considered as a useful tool for understanding human salvation. Just like the pole-vault example, the philsophy is useful for salvation but it needs to be left out after salvation! The 'tiger' that pounces on during the dream becomes responsible for us to get awakened from the dream, and when we get awakened, the tiger and the entire episode of the dream also disappears! The non-existent 'tiger' was quite essential for the awakening the utility of Advaita philosophy is very subtle!

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Felipe <fcrema .br> wrote:    > Since there is utility, Advaita was brought by Sankara into

> practical spiritual effort (Sadhana). From

          To relate advaita to utility is the philosophical suicide of the highest kind.

 

Sankarraman

  

 

           

 

 

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