vivekachudamani/Shyam

[Guest guest]

advaitin, Shyam <shyam_md wrote:

 

....

 

> Hence, to ascribe subdivisions to a jnani (to my

> ignorant mind) seem as ridiculous as assigning

> subdivisions to Brahman!

>

> My humble pranams

> Shyam

 

Hello Shyam,

i cannot say i agree or disagree with you, the relevance of any

discourse is in how it helps enquiry into the details of individuality

to expose its falsity, and this may vary from a person to another,

from a stage to another; from that point of view it is often a help

and relief to situate one's progression in a frame, for the simple

reason that:

1) many seekers stall at some point and find hope and strength in

envisonning the next immediate step.

2) while others are satisfied with a stage where relative relief is

felt and invariably see their stage as the highest achievement, they

need to be reminded of what work and reward waits ahead.

A quote from "Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi" p.92

http://www.ramana-maharshi.org/downloads/downloads.htm

QUOTE

"The seekers fall into two classes; kritopasaka and akritopasaka.

The former having already overcome his predisposition by

steady devotion, his mind thus made pure, has had some kind of

experience but does not comprehend it; as soon as he is instructed

by a competent master, permanent experience results.

The other class of seeker needs great effort to achieve this end.

How will the hearing of the Truth, reflection and concentration

help him?

They comprise upasana (the nearest approach to Truth) and will

end in his Self-Realization.

The fourth stage is the final one of liberation. Even there some

distinction is made according to the degree, as

(1) the knower of the Brahman (Brahmavid)

(2) Brahmavid-vara

(3) Brahmavid-varya

(4) Brahmavid-varishta

But all of them are in fact liberated even while alive."

UNQUOTE

and the complete seven stages quoted from the same book p.223

"There is no need to discuss similar points. Jivanmukti and Videhamukti

are differently described by different authorities; Videhamukti is

sometimes said to occur even when the man is seen with a body.

The fact is that mukti is another name for Aham (`I').

The Seven Jnana bhumikas (stages of knowledge) are: (1) Subhechcha

(desire for enlightenment); (2) Vicharana (hearing and reflection);

(3) Tanumanasi (tenuous mind); (4) Sattvapatti (Self-Realisation);

(5) Asamsakti (non-attachment); (6) Padarthabhavani (absolute

non-perception of objects); (7) Turyaga (beyond words).

Those who have attained the last four Bhumikas are respectively

called Brahmavit, Brahmavidvara, Brahmavidvarya and

Brahmavidvarishtha."

 

But apart from this, sadhana is made only of the certainty of the

exact effort of the coming moment, the simplest possible effort, and

in this there is no possible distinctions.

 

May all dwell in Peace.

 

Eric