Big Doubt - kindly help

[Guest guest]

Dear Shankarramanji,

 

I am sorry to sound like a broken record, but I think this is a very

important topic.

 

" My approach is only by

way of pointing out that one should abandon all seeking,

the seeking being a detour from the present, the now, which contains

all time,

which is the only pointer towards truth. "

 

" Abandoning seeking " is somewhat of a problem because it is something

you do. Vedanta is not purusha-tantra so it is not a matter of

" abandoning " or " letting go " or " giving up. " It is vastu tantra, which

means that it is a matter of knowledge. Knowledge does not arrise

randomly or mysteriously, but arrises only when the correct causes are

present.

 

The correct causes for the arrising of knowledge are proper

preparation, and the presence of the teachings of the Vedanta as

taught by a qualified teacher.

 

This position is reasonable and it is the traditional position. If an

Advaitin disagrees with it, some proper reason to disagree is needed.

I would be curious to know what that would be, other than simply

authoritatively stating otherwise. The nice thing about discussing

traditional Advaita is that people cannot just cite their experiences

or cite exclusive knowledge, but rather, the discussion is based on

logic and scripture, which is accessible to everyone.

 

" I am not being troubled, except that my

approach is not one of repeating the scriptures, which even though

good in the

beginning, is fit to be eschewed at some point of time, as it were, as

the word

is not the thing. "

 

What the " beginning " means is very important here. If there is no

ignorance, there is no need for knowledge and there is no need for the

scriptures. In fact, if there is no ignorance, there are no scriptures

and there is no jiva who can study the scriptures.

 

However, whenever there is ignorance, ignorance has to be negated. To

negate ignorance means to acquire knowledge and knolwedge does not

arrise randomly, it only arrises from appropriate conditions.

 

This means that the scriptures are needed for everyone except a

jivanmukta. If that is what you mean by " in the beginning " that is

very much an agreeable statement.

 

Also, the scriptures are not " to be eschewed, " this again implies

some kind of action, like throwing away the thread. The teachings

themselves remove all existing ignorance and by their very content,

they dissolve themselves as well. This is not a matter of effort, it

is purely a matter of knowledge. The knowledge that the teachings are

not neccesary is acquired through the teachings alone.

 

Once again, I am sorry if this message sounds aggresive, it is not

supposed to. Hopefully we can have some good discussion on this topic.

 

Regards,

 

Rishi.