Introduction to Vedanta-9- Transformation or Conversion ?

[Guest guest]

Ananda wood ji writes :

(It brought to mind Shri Atmananda's insistence that

no transformation of the world -- nor even of personality in

world -- is essential to realization. A change of perspective alone

is truly needed.)

 

Thank you for penning that wonderful verse specially for the

following powerpacked lines

 

" Where that true knowing has been found,

all personality and world

are found expressing perfectly

what is quite perfect in itself.

 

Attaining that perspective there,

all need for change is at an end."

 

Yes! Many of my friends often ask me in social gatherings Does

hinduism allow converts ? My response to that question has always

been "Hindus do not go about asking people to convert to their

religion in the same way in which muslim fundamentalists or extremist

christian missionaries do but if you observe and closely watch a

hindu and feel drawn towards his/her way of life then certainly you

are welcome to embrace the hindu religion for hinduism is more a

way of life than just A religion." In fact , if any westerner reads

Sunderji's definition of Dharma , he will know why Hinduism is

called Sanatana DHARMA .. ( AN ETERNAL SET OF TRUTHS AND ETHICAL

STANDARDS THAT HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME) !

 

YES !Real Transformation is the transformation of the 'perspective'

not outward wearing of clothes ( dhoti or sari - the Indian

outfits) or wearing of Tilak ( vaishnavite symbol on the forehead)

or Vibhuti on the forehead ( shaivite symbol on the forehead) !

 

yes - Transformation is MEANINGFUL ONLY WHEN THERE IS A REAL CHANGE

IN CONSCIOUSNESS ! i would even add one more qualification -

transformation of the Heart - in Sri Ramana's parlance - not the

physical heart but the spiritual heart where the 'Amrita nadi flows -

Such a person is transformed in every way ... He is *the* true Human

being - He is no longer a a hindu, a muslim, a jew , a jain, a

buddhist , a christian BUT SIMPLY A LOVING, TENDER, CARING,

*SOULFUL* HUMAN BEING!

 

WHEN THERE IS CHANGE IN CONSCIOUSNESS , THERE IS REAL 'CONVERSION' -

otherwise it is merely 'perversion' - what is the use of chaging

religions, if one continues to be an extremist, a fanatic or a

fundamentalist?

 

i would like to narrate a story in this context ....

 

There is a story that comes out of Asia about a farmer

who saw a tiger's tail swishing between two large rocks. In a

moment of haste, he grabbed the tail and pulled. All of a

sudden he realized he had an angry tiger by the tail and only two

rocks stood between him and the tiger's teeth and claws! So there

he remained, afraid to loosen his grip on the enraged animal's

tail lest he surely be killed.

 

A monk happened by and the farmer called out in

desperation, "Come over here and help me kill this tiger!"

 

The holy man said, "On, no. I cannot do that. I cannot

take the life of another." Then he went on to deliver a homily

against killing. All the while, the farmer was holding tightly to

the tail of an angry tiger.

 

When the monk finally finished his sermon, the farmer

pleaded, "If you won't kill the tiger, then at least come hold

its tail while I kill it."

 

The monk thought that perhaps it would be all right to

simply hold the tiger's tail, so he grabbed hold and pulled. The

farmer, however, turned and walked away down the road.

 

The monk shouted after him, "Come back here and kill the

tiger!"

 

"Oh, no," the farmer replied. "You have converted me!"

 

( Shyamji - thanks for that wonderful post on Dharma ! are you

reading this story ? see how dharma can be interpreted so literally

that in practicing dharma , adharma also takes palce)

 

Yes ! Transformation is....

 

"O God, I ain't what I ought to be

and I ain't what I'm a-goin' to be.

But thanks to you, I ain't what I used to be!"

 

Anandaji's poem reminded me of an interview that the famous

psychiatrist Carl Jung gave on the BBC television series "Face to

Face." right before his death ... When asked whether he believed

in God, Jung replied with great intensity, "I know. I don't need to

believe. I know."

 

Thanks once again Anandaji ...

 

 

( Shyamji - i am sure you have heard the story of Sibi

chakravarthy , the king who gave up a portion of his own flesh to

save a wounded bird! here , the king was practicing

kshatriya 'dharma' which is to gove protection to all his subjects

who come to him for help ! but in doing so , king sibi was denying

the 'other' bird ( Eagle) its daily 'food' which was an adharmic

act ! also , you know about the 'vali vadham' in Ramayana

that 'ashwatama kunjaro hatha' incident in Mahabharata where Lord

Krishna himself indulges in deception to make Yuddhistra 'lie' in

the battlefield! all is fair in love and war ! dharma is not

someting etched in stone! one man's dharma is another man's adharma)