Advaita practice

[Guest guest]

Pautranji,

 

Kindly continue and complete the remaining parts.

 

Rakesh

 

 

 

Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha!

Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Games.

 

 

[Guest guest]

> Regarding above, I will post a practice-writeup by

> someone written a few years back. One can spot the

 

Namaskarams, I will post the second part next. A

couple of people responded positively and I would

guess there may be others. Note: this part may appear

drastic but is meant for those in the middle of

battles. Some things I added to correspond with .doc

file.

 

*...*: in italics

**...**: underlined

***...***: italics and bold

 

(QUOTE from author's email regarding part II)

 

Dear all,

 

.... The second goal which

is attempted to fulfill in parts II and III is to give

guidance and direction to individuals who are

struggling to get control of the mind and are lost in

the battle. This is for any who are struggling with

the mind at the deeper levels such as with inner fear,

doubt and desire... However ...It is [also] meant for

anyone who seeks

serious involvement in spiritual life.

 

(UNQUOTE)

 

(QUOTE of part II)

 

Part II

 

1. It is a black-mark if you admit the existence of

mental creations at any level. “The unreal never is;

the Real never ceases to be.” Therefore disregard the

unreal entirely. If you do not think them, they have

no meaning to you. *If the mind counters with other

thoughts, recognize that these also are merely

thoughts and have no real existence.* You are the same

throughout, not varying with the thoughts. This is

simple reason that the mind cannot deny, which will

give you the edge.

 

2. You must unflinchingly convince yourself that you

want **out**. The mind will repeatedly try to make you

doubt, but you must hold on to this intense desire for

freedom.

 

3. Reason as follows: The admittance and assessment of

both my individuality and the world’s reality occur in

the mind from which I decide upon the realities of

life, etc. Without thoughts (as in deep sleep), this

conclusion of reality is non-existent to me. In the

presence of these thoughts, I am bound to these views.

***I am constant Reality***; the other realities

including the ego exist in relation to me only so far

as they occur in the mind. They have nothing to do

with me beyond that I think them. If I thought

differently, then a different set of realities would

be believed in. I am the witness, not the thoughts! I

AM THE SELF!!!

 

4. Meditate intently on the implications of the

following fact: Thoughts come and go; I remain the

same. Thus separate your Identity from the thoughts

and take Its standpoint each time thoughts arise. Then

you will be able to say “I am fooling myself” and

reassert the might of the Self upon the mind and drive

out all foolishness.

 

5.

a. “The thoughts occur in the mind. I am not the mind.

I am the Self!” The statement “I am the Self!” is a

positive identification which is good if it actually

makes you get back to the pure state. See (part I, 7,

8, 9). What is wanted is that you naturally get back

to the state of the witness: the ‘I’, and the thoughts

vanish.

 

b. The point about “Thoughts occur in the mind” is to

emphasize their dissociation from the true Self.

However be very clear about the following. **You are

responsible for your thoughts, experiences and

actions.** The ultimate flaw is that we have

superimposed the Self with limitations; all conflict

and insecurity (in general, all extraneous thoughts)

are due to this. The way to rectify the consequent

problems is to resolve the primary one.

 

c. Do not say: “The thoughts are coming to me” as if

the “me” is somehow forced to oblige to some external

force. You must know and say: “I am thinking all this;

otherwise they do not exist!”, thus take hold of the

reins completely and put an end to them. This **must**

be done in more critical situations.

 

6. How to prevent bad thoughts from arising:

 

a. Get a continual flow of positive thoughts and ideas

moving in the mind. “I am the Self!” “I am perfect!”

“My nature is infinite!”… even longer, more arbitrary

or more specific sequences of thoughts. The idea is to

cut the bad sequence from developing in its primitive

stages. A related method used by Bhakthas is chanting

the name of God (aloud if necessary and silently

otherwise) and immersing the mind in the positive

attributes of the Godhead. Suggestion: Use *Jnana* for

fear and similar; use either *Bhakthi* or Jnana for

Desire and similar.

 

b. If your goal is to break bad mental cycles, then

you must establish such a sequence of good

thoughts/markers and continually impose upon the mind

to go through such sequences. Do this very actively,

roughly, etc. if necessary, especially if in moments

of inadvertence you slip back into the old state and

the thoughts arise. If by using such a sequence you

successfully break the cycle once or twice, then the

mind realizes that freedom is on hand. You should have

the sequences aligned with the spiritual path, so that

the goal is both overcoming the problem and attaining

freedom/realization.

 

c. In the old days, I used the names of [my chosen

Deity] in such an unrelenting manner that the mind

backed out of several hard-established cycles. The

method works; however you must be prepared to overhaul

the whole life and turn it in the corresponding

positive (spiritual) direction.

 

d. The above three points are implicit in Part I, 7.

But do not forget 8 and 9. These are but aids to

relieve us of initial troubles. We should not get

hooked on to them. The mind may start to imagine that

if we let go of them, we will fall back into the old

problems. This again is delusion, which must later be

confronted. Remember: To think ‘external’ weakens the

system. The goal is to get back to the pure state and

not hang on anything particular.

 

7. Often when the mind takes a hit or is in the

process of getting entangled, we need quick methods of

getting out or resolving the hit. I have mentioned

many in the other points. Here are a couple; however

as I said before they are aids only in crucial

situations and are not regular tablets. You must not

keep saying “My nature, condition is this.?” and keep

searching for cheap means to alleviate yourself; you

must learn to say “My nature is not this!”, then the

dreams vanish.

 

a. Negate the very existence, potential or occurrence

of the thoughts as if they never occurred. “I never

thought such a thing. It is not my nature, etc.” and

get your mind into the mode where such a possibility

could not even have existed. This method however

should not be used in a naïve manner since if they

never could occur, why negate them? This negation

technique has proper basis only when there is implicit

side-by-side positive affirmation. The Self does not

admit of manifestation or appearance. It is in the

mind of ignorance that this superimposition is

presumed. Since I am the Self and not defined by the

mind, therefore … Always negate the mind only from the

standpoint of the Self; the background to fall upon

must be Reality (may be implicit) although initially

positive identifiers may be used as per the need.

 

b. If on the other hand, you take a hit from which you

are unable to recover to normalcy without first

getting it out of the system somehow, then strike back

with all force at the very mind that brought out this

insecurity, etc. Do this with a series of positive

identifiers meant to reassert with no uncertainty that

your real nature is strength, purity, love, freedom,

etc. and that the thoughts of the mind are humbug.

Send forth thoughts of strength that crush the

thoughts of weakness. Jump up and down if need be but

be determined to get the mind into your hands and not

vise-versa. Thus end up with convincing that unruly

mind into the mode where no such thought could even

have occurred. **Consecutive repeated victories with

iron determination is the way to break mental

cycles.** It is a mistake if you justify the hit by

clearing the system through external means (anger,

lust, etc.) aimed at things outside of yourself. Then

the mind may calm down for the moment but with the

psychological assurance that you have submitted to its

weakening direction. VERY bad indeed!!! This leads to

vasanas (mental impressions) and establishes cycles

from which we imagine that we can never get out. Self

realization is the way out, no doubt, but it may first

require hard work of confrontation on your part.

 

8. Don’t get caught dealing with the thoughts

[observing/arguing with or about them] and if you do,

get out quickly through reason or fight it out at the

moment but quickly back to the Self (Part I, See 7, 8,

9). If you start dealing with the unreal, then you are

admitting its reality and hence defining yourself

through it. This is a bad move because once caught you

may be dragged in without your knowing. The movie

screen is not affected by the pictures that run over

it; so also with you. Don’t be a fool and start

jumping every time a new picture arises; rather

relegate them to practical non-existence and remain in

and as the Self. The bad pictures then fade away; most

movies have a good ending if we can persist to the

end! (This does not mean that you act as if nothing is

there even after you are dragged in; you must know

when and where to strike the punch and yet not make it

a business of fighting in imaginary worlds. Experience

is necessary to know the subtler details.)

 

9. Never think that you are not capable of resolving

an issue with the mind. If you do, the grave is

already dug: see Part I, 6. Give up such habits of

self-deprecation and resolve that you will get out of

the pits that you have dug. A thousand falls and you

must and can get back up each time.

 

10. Confrontation.

 

a. Good type: When life ‘brings’ forth situations

where negative identifications may arise in the mind,

do not back away and attempt to avoid/escape as is the

general tendency, but rather confront the situation

with the higher ideal and assert the Reality. The

negation of the delusion may or may not be explicit.

 

b. When this is appropriate: when it is very clear to

you that the delusion is indeed ‘harmful’ to you and

your mental well being, and you really want to

overcome it. It is also good to practice this in

smaller daily struggles such as abiding in truth in

difficult situations. Situations involving inner

fear/doubt often fall in this category. The clarity of

vision and desire for freedom are important since the

process of confrontation essentially amounts to

breaking down psychological barriers and may involve

great effort. The tendency of the mind to collapse

must be checked with unfaltering determination.

 

c. When it is not appropriate: when there is doubt

with regard to truth and desire for freedom. Desire

often comes in this category. If freedom is considered

as preferable but not absolutely necessary, then the

person may not be ready to deal with direct approaches

and should work at the periphery. Fight out smaller

battles, gain in conviction and strength.

 

d. One technique: Keep a clear idea of the Self

without the present superimpositions due to the mind,

and fix the mind in that mode. Stay in that mode and

walk through situations where thoughts may flare up

due to past superimpositions. Stay in that mode, not

allowing the negative impulses to rise up and if

needed, assert positive identifiers onto things

normally associated as negative identifiers. The

process retrains the mind. Vasanas are all unreal;

nullify them or turn them positive, then you may drop

them if you wish, or keep them without harm.

 

e. Bad type: Do not create dreamlands of fear, doubt

or desire within your own mind and fight with them.

The tendency to imagine should be directed in positive

ways.

 

11. The trick is to convince the mind at the deeper

levels of your true nature: that of the Self, free,

pure and beyond the humbug. Moreover you must

rationally realize the statement of Part I, 2.

(Thoughts come and …) and find settlement in simple

abidance in the Self. If you successfully accomplish

this, then the mind will lose fear and doubt much

before it regains its original strength. Often that

original state can be re-attained not in the same way

but will happen when you realize your true being as

the Self. But that in fact is the ultimate goal and

you must guide all the struggles towards that. We are

not seeking to escape bad dreams and return to less

bad dreams. Don’t think that this realization is

something in la-la land either: it is right here and

now. Can you deny your Self? Get out of the idea that

you are this and that, that you are not realized, and

you are realized.

 

12. The commitment must be of the nature “for all

eternity, if necessary.” The necessity to uphold Truth

is not accompanied with assurance of worldly security.

We guarantee nothing but believe that this is the only

way to inner peace. Getting rid of past vasanas is

fundamental work in spiritual life; this can be done

though as I said the way may be different. The process

may be long in the sense that inner turmoil may arise

again and again. Then you must again and again nullify

them through reason (identify them as thoughts and get

back to Self) and assertion of your true nature, etc.

Slowly and surely the unreal will dissolve into

non-existence.

 

13. Learn about this secret of your eternal and true

Being, and then bring it into practice. The great

opportunity of life is that there is a continual flow

of opportunities to confront delusion and fear, and

the great mistake is that we let practically every one

of them slip by. Fear must be faced and negated as

untruth; Truth must be realized. This is our job. We

must learn how to do it, and then do it! Test

yourself, test the theory, and be daring. Only if you

fall ten times and remain undaunted will you realize

that you cannot be injured; if you fear the first fall

and never take the chances, you will never get insight

as to how this game works.

 

We must come to the conclusion that there is no

reality to make at the non-eternal level and with a

heart of steel affirm the unchanging Self (or if you

wish, Existence/Being/Consciousness without the

superimposition of identifiers and qualifiers) as the

only Reality.

 

(UNQUOTE)

 

 

 

 

 

 

______________________________\

____

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today's economy) at Games.

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[Guest guest]

Namaskarams,

 

I will post the last part next.

 

(QUOTE from author's email)

 

Part III is written more casually and is a short

address of certain basic points. There is also a

slight concession to expectation in the last

paragraph; this is meant for those for whom a more

rigorous approach may be dangerous and not for the

" normal " folk.

 

(UNQUOTE)

 

 

Part III

 

The logic is very simple: Who is saying “I am caught?” You are. Who is

thinking: “I can’t get out.” You are. What must be the solution then? Stop

saying and thinking in this manner. Wait! Again you are saying “I can’t”! The

problem is you have been defining yourself with this “can’t” all the way down to

the point it is really “I won’t get out” or “I don’t want to get out.” The mind

is well convinced that it must behave in this cranky manner, and a hundred

psychological barriers are posted between you and “getting out.” Whether it is

the “conforming with society” or the suicidal surrender: “Oh, it is a physical

condition!”, it is the same. “Getting out” seems impossible, because you think

that it means having to break down all these barriers. Others tell you the same

because they have confined themselves to another set of barriers which they call

normal. The secret way out is to realize that the barriers are all placed on the

false ground of the mind whereas you are

eternal Ground. Stand as the Self; then the castles will crumble.

 

The mind will raise the question: “What if these thoughts have true basis in

relative existence?” This gospel of the Self is unequivocal in its reply: what

is relative is delusion and unreal. If things come and go, they are no better

than a dream. Then why pursue Self-Realization? The intended meaning can then be

explained as follows. At the level of the play, every character is real, and

there is the truth and falsehood in the play. Know however that you are the

Player, the Self; don’t get lost in the characters that you are playing and

forget your true Self. Do you see? The play has all these details, but the

entire thing will end. Then you the Player will walk off the stage. Even in

between you take time off when you sleep, which shows that the play has no

continual relationship with you. But at the moment, you have forgotten your Self

and are convinced that you are this character, hence come forth with arguments

about the truth of this play. These thoughts are to be

negated because they are sure indication that you have become ignorant of your

Self. First discriminate the non-eternal as total falsity and then merge the

outgoing mind into the Self, the ‘I’. Once this is done, you will attain the

state of both perfect awareness and perfect stillness. Then such questions

seeking to justify the non-eternal will not arise, for you have found the true

Peace in your own Self. This is the truth: You are Reality, the play is not.

 

Let me reassert this amazing assertion above: If person A claims a stupendous

story which is totally true and person B claims one totally false, the answer to

both is: Know thy Self! There is no discrimination here. The unreal never is;

the Real never ceases to be. Stick to the Real at all cost.

 

You are not asked to break down in one swoop the structures to which you

presently hold. This may not work except in ideal situations. Keep to the

positive identifiers, and even the dose of coffee, the hour of television or the

medicine tablet. Intertwine with these the ideal of the Self and work towards

It. Go step by step, gain in inner strength and confidence; know that the goal

is complete freedom and do not get lazy. Be aware that unless and until you

confront the issues, in one-on-one battle or rising above them through

Self-knowledge, they will not get resolved. Self-Realization is not an escape

route however; your mental resolve will be tested relentlessly by the mind and

yet you must not back down. To begin with, attack at the periphery; strike down

the negative identifiers, the bad impulses even before they arise. Be daring and

be prepared at all times. Know how you can prevent the problems from arising,

and know how you will overcome them if they do arise. Like

a child learning to walk, you must constantly test your potential and stamina,

so that you can eventually let go off the crutches and stand as the free Self.

After all, it is you who are thinking all this and you who must stop doing so.

Nothing more to it!

 

 

 

 

Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha!

Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Games.

 

 

[Guest guest]

After reading this wonderfully inspiring as well as instructional

post from Sadananda-ji, I has made a request to our beloved Subbu-ji

to give us his thoughts from a practical standpoint on what kind of

sadhana a seeker can and should aspire to. For the benefit of the

group I am reproducing his response below.

My humble pranams to Subbu-ji for taking the time to pen his

thoughts and for sharing this with all of us so freely.

 

Hari OM

Shri Gurubhyoh namah

Shyam

_______

SrIgurubhyo namaH

Dear Shyam ji,

Humble Pranams. Many thanks for copying this excellent post of Sri

Sada ji. I liked it very much and could see the kind of seriousness

and involvement that Sri Sada ji has invested in Advaita Sadhana.

 

The words of Sri Vidyashankar quoted by Sada ji are born of great

understanding and maturity. It is true that portraying Advaita as a

system of thought with all the nuances of dialectics with a view to

defend and establish Advaita is one thing. Our Purvacharyas like

Sri Madhusudana Saraswati of Advaita siddhi fame and others have

done this admirably. But the other side of Advaita, the very

purpose for which the Upanishads and our great Bhashyakara Sri

Shankara stood for, is purely sadhana-oriented. While reading the

Acharya's Bhashyam with this in mind, one is wonderstruck by the

immense care and concern the Upanishads and the Bhashyam bestow upon

the sadhaka.

After reading Sadaji's day-to-day living of Advaita sadhana, i get a

pleasant feeling that that is my ideal and that is the broad way in

which i try to spend my day.

 

As i wake up to the alarm of the clock at 5.30 AM, the

Acharya's 'PrAtaH smarana stotram' [prAtaH smarAmi hridi...] comes

to mind and i mentally recite it by delving into the meaning of the

three verses. These verses bring out the essence of the Upanishads

in a very loveable manner. The last verse is on the Brahman being

the adhishthanam of the illusory world like the rope being the

substratum for the illusory serpent.

Soon after this i enter the kitchen where the pUja shrine is present

and look with devotion at the portraits of all the Acharyas and

Mother Sharada. I will have to rush thru with the brushing so as to

be ready for a 30 minute study session on Skype with two other

friends located far away/other city. We keep a book of the

Bhashyam, currently the Kathopanishad, and while one reads out each

sentence, another would explain the meaning and a discussion

ensues.

After this session i go for bath and invoking the Mother Holy Ganga,

praying Her to cleanse my body and soul, i start the sandhya

vandanam consisting of Gayatri japam and meditation on the Vedantic

teaching. It is here in this part the just concluded study comes

very useful. The divinely magic words of the Bhashyam and the

Upanishad, the words of the Guru Yama and the aspirant Nachiketas

provide the source for deep contemplation of the Truth. The great

advantage of Upanishadic study is that while giving out the teaching

of the Goal, the Truth, the Atman/Brahman, there is the laying out

of the path: the do's and dont's. It is this part that is most

practical that ensures the attaining of the Goal. For the

conviction of 'I am the akartA-abhoktA, Ananda Atma' to percolate

and take deep roots, the adherence, with great care, to the do's and

dont's is of vital importance.

As raga and dvesha are the sole culprits for the rest of the

problems, it is tackling these that takes the major part of one's

daily sadhana. Raga and dvesha have very deep ramifications and

their manifestations are immensely mind-boggling. Personal

preferences like a liking for a particular dish/vegetable, fruit,

flavour, etc. are all to be watched and their dominating power

requires to be kept in check. Then, the people that we come across

daily. There are some people who can invoke love or hatred even by

just thinking of them. These are to be tackled. The ways i adopt

to do this are quite varied and depend upon the intensity of the

situation, mood, etc. A verse like: tvayi mayi anyatra eko vishnuH

vyartham kupyasi mayi asahishnuH, helps a lot: In me, you and

everywhere is the One Vishnu present. Why are you angry with me

for nothing at all? The thought of the One Consciousness that I am

being present in all beings where the mind-body apparatus alone

differs, brings in the supply of wisdom gained from the study and

contemplation of the bashyam.

After the sandhya/meditation, the Shiva Puja comes next where a

worship of the Shiva Lingam with abhishekam preceded by Ganesha

puja, is undertaken for about 45 minutes. This helps in relating to

the Lord on a one-to-one basis where the offering of bath, clothes,

flowers, sandal paste, and neivedyam from my side and His accepting

these from me gives the feeling of 'Oh Lord, You the All-pervading

One, the Creator of the entire cosmos, have, out of immense

compassion, come to my place to accept what little, defective,

offerings i make. All this i offer you are Your's Own. Yet, you

accept it as though it is my offering. Bless me O Lord, protect me

from pitfalls. Help me realize your presence in me and everywhere

in the cosmos. Keep me impelled always.'

 

After this is the listening to Swami Paramarthanandaji's lecture for

one hour. I go about doing my chores while listening to those

excellent ideas. This gives a very great impetus for the daily

mananam and nididhyasanam. The power of his words make a deep

impact on the hearer and i enjoy this session thoroughly.

 

Later i settle to do some work on the internet like composing some

articles, mainly as part of putting down my understanding of the

bhashyam, the lectures of Swamiji and other studies. I do read

other journals like the Tamil 'Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam' and some

nice articles from the Reader's digest. These help me in gaining

newer perspectives on handling daily situations, tackling habitual

thinking, habitual reacting, etc. For example, just yesterday i read

a fine article: 'The Best Advice I Ever Had' by Smt Vijayalaxmi

Pandit. The article is a great lesson, involving the words of

Mahatma Gandhi. It appeared in the RD of Nov.2006.

 

The MAdhyahnikam/Brahma yajna precede the noon meal.

 

Evening i spend 30 minutes exercising while listening to bhakti

discourses by Sri Balakrisna Sastrigal, Haridasa songs, or

Shivanandalahari discourse by Swami Paramarthananda, Sri

Lalitha /Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam, etc. After this i go for a walk

to the Sri Ramakrishna Mutt or the Shankar Mutt or any other nice

park. Looking at nature and appreciating the presence of Lord in

all forms of flora and fauna gives a feeling that we are one and not

many different individuals. The expanse of the sky is always a

source of awe and a simile to the akhanda Atma that is me. The

VishwarUpa Ishwara upAsana is a sadhana involving the entire cosmos

that we interact with, wherever we are.

 

Subsequent to the walk is the evening sandhya/japam/meditation.

Again, the content of the sadhana centres on internalizing the

Upanishadic teaching of the Atma/Brahman identity. Just before

retiring to bed i read some stotrams, books containing the upadesham

of the Acharyas of the Guru parampara. You have asked about the

do's and don't's. While this is a very extensive topic by itself,

let us look at some points, to be kept as ideal:

 

Do's:

Try to offer, with a deep feeling of devotion, each and every act,

verbal, bodily and mental, to the Lord/Guru.

Think of the ephemerality of the body. And the defects associated

therewith. The VivekachUDamani says: jahi mala-maya koshe aham-

dhiyotthitAsham..[discard, give up, renounce, the desire/affection

that arises for the filth that is the body owing to the idea 'i am

the body'.] This message could be brought up while we defecate.

The verse goes on to say: and do that in the case of the attachment

to the mind/intellect. This is because, we strongly identify with

our pet ideas, thinking patterns, etc. We want to be heard/

approved, applauded, praised, etc. For all this the capital that we

have invested is in the form of our intellect/mind. This is another

form of attachment that brings great pain when we are dishonoured,

rejected, etc. The verse advises: While giving up these

attachments, fill your mind with the realization of your identity

with the ever blissful Atma whose glory the Veda proclaims.

Try to see every person/being as a manifestation of the Divine.

There is a verse quoted in the Jivanmukti viveka:

Ishwaro jIva-kalayA pravishto bhagavaan iti

danDavat praNamed bhUmau ashva-chandAla-go-kharam

[ It is Ishwara who has entered as the jIva in all beings. With

this conviction strong in mind, prostrate on the ground like a stick

upon seeing a horse, a chandala, a cow or an ass.] I was reminded of

this verse upon reading similar sentiments expressed by Sri Sada ji

in his post. This feeling is a great antidote to the disease of ego.

Prostrate every day once in front of the parents. If they are not

alive or not present with you, prostrate before their photograph.

If they are departed ones, place a fresh flower on their photo.

This was taught by my Guru. He used to put it in practice every day

without fail with regard to his aged mother, in her nineties. He

Himself, a BrahmaJnani, pre-deceased her. I have heard him instruct

many others too on this point.

 

Think intensely on the ephemerality of this life itself. Any moment

our fortunes, our near and dear ones, our job, all that we depend

for security, could be taken away. The only truly Dependable

Wealth, the Lord, the Atman, alone is to be truly, deeply, adored.

 

Stick to speaking the truth always. Consciously avoid uttering

untruth, even in jest. This is a very good sadhana having great

effect.

 

Moderation in food, observing even partial fasting on Ekadasi,

Amavasya, days.

Observing silence, orally, to the extent possible.

 

Donts:

Avoid all sorts of sense contacts with people/objects that can be

avoided. Especially regulating the seeing of that which need

not/should not be seen.

 

Not interfereing in others' affairs as far as possible.

Regulating speech, avoiding gossip.

Avoiding casual eating/drinking.

Avoiding unnecessary movements of fingers/limbs. These, when

observed, leave a great effect on the contemplation/meditation.

They all amount to dama/shama/uparati.

 

Dear Shyam ji, the above have been penned not to give the impression

that i practice all of them, fully. They are the ideals that i like

to work for.

 

Advaita is anubhava shastra. The Upanishad warns: This Atman is not

attainable thru tarka. It is not primarily meant for debating with

other schools. Actually, upon deep thought one would come to the

conclusion: All schools teach the thinning/eradicating the ego as

the sadhana for liberation. As to the ontological status of

Brahman/Atman/Ishwara/jiva/jagat, let there be debates. The true

sadhaka, upon understanding the path chalked out for him by his Guru

should ideally keep off such discussions and concern himself with

the tackling/cultivating the mind/ego.

 

SrIsadgurucharanAravindArpanamastu

 

 

With humble pranams,

subbu

Om Tat Sat

 

advaitin , kuntimaddi sadananda

<kuntimaddisada wrote:

>

> Adviata Practice.

>

> Well, it is acknowledged that advaita is an

> understanding rather than practice - for that firm

> understanding, what is needed and accepted is firm

> abidance in the knowledge - through shravanam, mananam

> and nidhidhyaasanam.

>

> Shree Vidyashankar rightly pointed out that scriptural

> understanding and defending advaita doctrine is one

> thing, but firm abidance in that knowledge 'I am

> that'- is different. It requires purity of the mind

> that can overcome the pressure of vasanaas.

>

> Karma yoga is the best approach to cleanse the mind

> from the pressure of vasanaas. For which Isvaraarpita

> buddhi and prasaada buddhi are the essential

> ingredients - yagnyaartham karma kuru - is the

> essential instruction in the 3rd Ch.

[Guest guest]

Dear Shyam,

 

Thank you for this posting on daily practice.

 

I also deeply appreciate Subbu-Ji taking the time and effort to write

this out.

 

While intellectual understanding of Advaita helps, it is practice

that is is most important.

 

Not two,

Richard

 

advaitin , " shyam_md " <shyam_md wrote:

>

>

> After reading this wonderfully inspiring as well as instructional

> post from Sadananda-ji, I has made a request to our beloved Subbu-

ji

> to give us his thoughts from a practical standpoint on what kind of

> sadhana a seeker can and should aspire to. For the benefit of the

> group I am reproducing his response below.

> My humble pranams to Subbu-ji for taking the time to pen his

> thoughts and for sharing this with all of us so freely.

>

> Hari OM

> Shri Gurubhyoh namah

> Shyam

> _______

> SrIgurubhyo namaH

> Dear Shyam ji,

> Humble Pranams. Many thanks for copying this excellent post of Sri

> Sada ji. I liked it very much and could see the kind of

seriousness

> and involvement that Sri Sada ji has invested in Advaita Sadhana.

>

> The words of Sri Vidyashankar quoted by Sada ji are born of great

> understanding and maturity. It is true that portraying Advaita as

a

> system of thought with all the nuances of dialectics with a view to

> defend and establish Advaita is one thing. Our Purvacharyas like

> Sri Madhusudana Saraswati of Advaita siddhi fame and others have

> done this admirably. But the other side of Advaita, the very

> purpose for which the Upanishads and our great Bhashyakara Sri

> Shankara stood for, is purely sadhana-oriented. While reading the

> Acharya's Bhashyam with this in mind, one is wonderstruck by the

> immense care and concern the Upanishads and the Bhashyam bestow

upon

> the sadhaka.

> After reading Sadaji's day-to-day living of Advaita sadhana, i get

a

> pleasant feeling that that is my ideal and that is the broad way in

> which i try to spend my day.

>

> As i wake up to the alarm of the clock at 5.30 AM, the

> Acharya's 'PrAtaH smarana stotram' [prAtaH smarAmi hridi...] comes

> to mind and i mentally recite it by delving into the meaning of the

> three verses. These verses bring out the essence of the Upanishads

> in a very loveable manner. The last verse is on the Brahman being

> the adhishthanam of the illusory world like the rope being the

> substratum for the illusory serpent.

> Soon after this i enter the kitchen where the pUja shrine is

present

> and look with devotion at the portraits of all the Acharyas and

> Mother Sharada. I will have to rush thru with the brushing so as

to

> be ready for a 30 minute study session on Skype with two other

> friends located far away/other city. We keep a book of the

> Bhashyam, currently the Kathopanishad, and while one reads out each

> sentence, another would explain the meaning and a discussion

> ensues.

> After this session i go for bath and invoking the Mother Holy

Ganga,

> praying Her to cleanse my body and soul, i start the sandhya

> vandanam consisting of Gayatri japam and meditation on the Vedantic

> teaching. It is here in this part the just concluded study comes

> very useful. The divinely magic words of the Bhashyam and the

> Upanishad, the words of the Guru Yama and the aspirant Nachiketas

> provide the source for deep contemplation of the Truth. The great

> advantage of Upanishadic study is that while giving out the

teaching

> of the Goal, the Truth, the Atman/Brahman, there is the laying out

> of the path: the do's and dont's. It is this part that is most

> practical that ensures the attaining of the Goal. For the

> conviction of 'I am the akartA-abhoktA, Ananda Atma' to percolate

> and take deep roots, the adherence, with great care, to the do's

and

> dont's is of vital importance.

> As raga and dvesha are the sole culprits for the rest of the

> problems, it is tackling these that takes the major part of one's

> daily sadhana. Raga and dvesha have very deep ramifications and

> their manifestations are immensely mind-boggling. Personal

> preferences like a liking for a particular dish/vegetable, fruit,

> flavour, etc. are all to be watched and their dominating power

> requires to be kept in check. Then, the people that we come across

> daily. There are some people who can invoke love or hatred even by

> just thinking of them. These are to be tackled. The ways i adopt

> to do this are quite varied and depend upon the intensity of the

> situation, mood, etc. A verse like: tvayi mayi anyatra eko vishnuH

> vyartham kupyasi mayi asahishnuH, helps a lot: In me, you and

> everywhere is the One Vishnu present. Why are you angry with me

> for nothing at all? The thought of the One Consciousness that I am

> being present in all beings where the mind-body apparatus alone

> differs, brings in the supply of wisdom gained from the study and

> contemplation of the bashyam.

> After the sandhya/meditation, the Shiva Puja comes next where a

> worship of the Shiva Lingam with abhishekam preceded by Ganesha

> puja, is undertaken for about 45 minutes. This helps in relating

to

> the Lord on a one-to-one basis where the offering of bath, clothes,

> flowers, sandal paste, and neivedyam from my side and His accepting

> these from me gives the feeling of 'Oh Lord, You the All-pervading

> One, the Creator of the entire cosmos, have, out of immense

> compassion, come to my place to accept what little, defective,

> offerings i make. All this i offer you are Your's Own. Yet, you

> accept it as though it is my offering. Bless me O Lord, protect me

> from pitfalls. Help me realize your presence in me and everywhere

> in the cosmos. Keep me impelled always.'

>

> After this is the listening to Swami Paramarthanandaji's lecture

for

> one hour. I go about doing my chores while listening to those

> excellent ideas. This gives a very great impetus for the daily

> mananam and nididhyasanam. The power of his words make a deep

> impact on the hearer and i enjoy this session thoroughly.

>

> Later i settle to do some work on the internet like composing some

> articles, mainly as part of putting down my understanding of the

> bhashyam, the lectures of Swamiji and other studies. I do read

> other journals like the Tamil 'Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam' and some

> nice articles from the Reader's digest. These help me in gaining

> newer perspectives on handling daily situations, tackling habitual

> thinking, habitual reacting, etc. For example, just yesterday i

read

> a fine article: 'The Best Advice I Ever Had' by Smt Vijayalaxmi

> Pandit. The article is a great lesson, involving the words of

> Mahatma Gandhi. It appeared in the RD of Nov.2006.

>

> The MAdhyahnikam/Brahma yajna precede the noon meal.

>

> Evening i spend 30 minutes exercising while listening to bhakti

> discourses by Sri Balakrisna Sastrigal, Haridasa songs, or

> Shivanandalahari discourse by Swami Paramarthananda, Sri

> Lalitha /Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam, etc. After this i go for a walk

> to the Sri Ramakrishna Mutt or the Shankar Mutt or any other nice

> park. Looking at nature and appreciating the presence of Lord in

> all forms of flora and fauna gives a feeling that we are one and

not

> many different individuals. The expanse of the sky is always a

> source of awe and a simile to the akhanda Atma that is me. The

> VishwarUpa Ishwara upAsana is a sadhana involving the entire cosmos

> that we interact with, wherever we are.

>

> Subsequent to the walk is the evening sandhya/japam/meditation.

> Again, the content of the sadhana centres on internalizing the

> Upanishadic teaching of the Atma/Brahman identity. Just before

> retiring to bed i read some stotrams, books containing the

upadesham

> of the Acharyas of the Guru parampara. You have asked about the

> do's and don't's. While this is a very extensive topic by itself,

> let us look at some points, to be kept as ideal:

>

> Do's:

> Try to offer, with a deep feeling of devotion, each and every act,

> verbal, bodily and mental, to the Lord/Guru.

> Think of the ephemerality of the body. And the defects associated

> therewith. The VivekachUDamani says: jahi mala-maya koshe aham-

> dhiyotthitAsham..[discard, give up, renounce, the desire/affection

> that arises for the filth that is the body owing to the idea 'i am

> the body'.] This message could be brought up while we defecate.

> The verse goes on to say: and do that in the case of the attachment

> to the mind/intellect. This is because, we strongly identify with

> our pet ideas, thinking patterns, etc. We want to be heard/

> approved, applauded, praised, etc. For all this the capital that

we

> have invested is in the form of our intellect/mind. This is

another

> form of attachment that brings great pain when we are dishonoured,

> rejected, etc. The verse advises: While giving up these

> attachments, fill your mind with the realization of your identity

> with the ever blissful Atma whose glory the Veda proclaims.

> Try to see every person/being as a manifestation of the Divine.

> There is a verse quoted in the Jivanmukti viveka:

> Ishwaro jIva-kalayA pravishto bhagavaan iti

> danDavat praNamed bhUmau ashva-chandAla-go-kharam

> [ It is Ishwara who has entered as the jIva in all beings. With

> this conviction strong in mind, prostrate on the ground like a

stick

> upon seeing a horse, a chandala, a cow or an ass.] I was reminded

of

> this verse upon reading similar sentiments expressed by Sri Sada ji

> in his post. This feeling is a great antidote to the disease of

ego.

> Prostrate every day once in front of the parents. If they are not

> alive or not present with you, prostrate before their photograph.

> If they are departed ones, place a fresh flower on their photo.

> This was taught by my Guru. He used to put it in practice every

day

> without fail with regard to his aged mother, in her nineties. He

> Himself, a BrahmaJnani, pre-deceased her. I have heard him

instruct

> many others too on this point.

>

> Think intensely on the ephemerality of this life itself. Any

moment

> our fortunes, our near and dear ones, our job, all that we depend

> for security, could be taken away. The only truly Dependable

> Wealth, the Lord, the Atman, alone is to be truly, deeply, adored.

>

> Stick to speaking the truth always. Consciously avoid uttering

> untruth, even in jest. This is a very good sadhana having great

> effect.

>

> Moderation in food, observing even partial fasting on Ekadasi,

> Amavasya, days.

> Observing silence, orally, to the extent possible.

>

> Donts:

> Avoid all sorts of sense contacts with people/objects that can be

> avoided. Especially regulating the seeing of that which need

> not/should not be seen.

>

> Not interfereing in others' affairs as far as possible.

> Regulating speech, avoiding gossip.

> Avoiding casual eating/drinking.

> Avoiding unnecessary movements of fingers/limbs. These, when

> observed, leave a great effect on the contemplation/meditation.

> They all amount to dama/shama/uparati.

>

> Dear Shyam ji, the above have been penned not to give the

impression

> that i practice all of them, fully. They are the ideals that i

like

> to work for.

>

> Advaita is anubhava shastra. The Upanishad warns: This Atman is not

> attainable thru tarka. It is not primarily meant for debating with

> other schools. Actually, upon deep thought one would come to the

> conclusion: All schools teach the thinning/eradicating the ego as

> the sadhana for liberation. As to the ontological status of

> Brahman/Atman/Ishwara/jiva/jagat, let there be debates. The true

> sadhaka, upon understanding the path chalked out for him by his

Guru

> should ideally keep off such discussions and concern himself with

> the tackling/cultivating the mind/ego.

>

> SrIsadgurucharanAravindArpanamastu

>

>

> With humble pranams,

> subbu

> Om Tat Sat

>

[Guest guest]

H.N.Sreenivasamurthy

Pranams to all.

 

Dear readers,

 

Here is an excerpt from Sri Shankara's commentary to mantra

2-2 of Kena Upanishad :

QUOTE:

 

Evam AcAryOktaH SiShyaH EkAntE upaviShTaH samAhitaH san

 

yathOktamAcAryENa Agamam arthatO vicArya, tarkataSca

 

nirdhArya svAnuBavaM kRutvA AcAryasakASamupagamyOvAca

 

manyE ahamathEdAnIM viditam brahmEti ||

 

Translation: The disciple having been told so by the teacher,

sat in solitude with his mind concentrated (a tranquil mind),

deliberated on the traditional teaching as imparted by the teacher

together with its purport, ascertained it by a process of

reasoning,made it a matter of personal experience, approached the

teacher, and said " now I think, (Brahman) is known. "

[Tranaslated by Swami Gambhirananda]

UNQUOTE.

 

The above quoted Sri Shankara's commentary , in a very lucid

way, shows what True Advaita practice is, in other words Advaitic

sadhana that is required to realize The Advaitic Sadhya.

As beautifully put by Sri Subbu 'Advaita is anubhava shastra.'

 

Any sadhana should culminate in svanuBava of sAdhya.

Advaithic sAdhana is vastutantra only and will culminate

in svAnuBava of sAdhya.

 

With warm and respectful regards,

Sreenivasa Murthy

[Guest guest]

Think intensely on the ephemerality of this life itself. Any moment our

fortunes, our near and dear ones, our job, all that we depend for security,

could be taken away. The only truly Dependable Wealth, the Lord, the Atman,

alone is to be truly, deeply, adored.

 

praNAms Sri Shyam prabhuji & Sri Subbu prabhuji

Hare Krishna

 

How true these statements are!!! We know very well that these enjoyments,

pleasure, fun, attachment, affection in our life is purely temporary in

its nature & may blown out any time like a bubble on the water....But,

despite the naked truth of this mundane life, I am, knowingly (my

consciousness would not permit me to say *unknowingly* here) succumbing to

the temptations/attachments of this life in the form of my wife, my

children, my status/reputation/recognition in society/friends & relatives

circle. Though I know this attachment is a sort of disease I wanted to be

always surrounded by it...

 

I've seen my first son's mediocre performance in his 3rd standard first

term exams & lost one whole night sleep worrying about his future !!!! ,

I've painfully & restlessly spent almost three days & nights with tearful

eyes sitting next to the bed of my second son who suffered severely from

cough & cold...BUT when my neighbour lady suffered from severe chest pain

& I myself had to drive her immediately in my car to the city hospital,

while driving though physically I myself seeing her suffering, her crying,

her daughter's continuous weeping, her husbands anxious moments, it hardly

mattered me....Though I felt sorry for that whole family, though I helped

them to the maximum extent, the intensity of feeling, the intensity of that

attachment was not there!!! ... what a shame it really is !!! what do

you call this type of attitude/partiality ?? whether my affection towards

my children is bandha/attachment or *natural* love ?? I cannot call

this *love*, because love, in its very nature, is universal and has no

restricted boundaries...so it is my trifle attachment to my kith & kin made

me to act like that ....And what about my attitude in my neighbour's case??

whether my apathetic approach towards them is witnessing conscious

attitude?? I dont know whether I am the only person facing these problems

or encountering these questions...Dont you prabhuji-s get these type of

questions?? what would you do in the similar circumstances?? kindly let

me know......I dont know, when I am going to get that real

vairAgya...perhaps, I may have to wait few more janma-s :-((

 

Anyway, Sri Shyam prabhuji, thanks a lot for sharing Sri Subbuji's

adhyAtmika sAdhana with all of us. I've met him personally just couple of

months back here in Bangalore ...He is literally living a life of saNyAsi,

so I found no exaggeration in his daily routine.. My humble praNAms to him

once again.

 

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!

bhaskar

[Guest guest]

dear shri bhaskarji,

 

there are inumerous such things happenning in our life but we don't get affected

that seriously. but when it comes to something that we hold close and dear to us

it is a great sorrow because we are attached to it and own it as ours only.

born in this world to exhaust all karma palas good and bad it is what we

asked for in our earliar janmas. when we realise that all these are our own

making we seek the way out through vedanta vichara and find the answers there.

mental renounciation of all claims and ownership as Swami Paramarthananda said

in his discussion on sanyasa is the approach to these problems. with best

wishes

 

BASKARAN.C.S

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

H.N.Sreenivasa Murthy

Pranams to all.

 

Respected members,

 

Please permit me to share with you a very beautiful excerpt from

the writings of Prof. D.T.Suzuki of Japan.During my early sadhana

period this gave me great help . I have a feeling that many of the

points detailed in the excerpt will be helpful to sincere seekers and

mumukshus of this group. Hence this posting.

 

QUOTE:

 

Excerpts from Essays on Zen Buddhism Volume-I;

 

If you wish to seek the Buddha, you ought to see into your own

nature; for this Nature is the Buddha himself. If you have not seen

into your own Nature, what is the use of thinking of the Buddha,

reciting the sutras, observing a fast, or keeping the precepts? By

thinking of the Buddha, your cause [i.e. meritorious deed] may bear

fruit; by reciting the sutras your intelligence may grow brighter; by

keeping the precepts you may be born in the heavens; by practicing

charity you may be rewarded abundantly; but as to seeking the Buddha,

you are far away from him. If your Self is not clearly comprehended,

you ought to see a wise teacher and get a thorough understanding as to

the root of birth-and-death. One who has not seen into one's own

Nature is not to be called a wise teacher.

 

When this [seeing into one's own Nature] is not attained one

cannot escape from the transmigration of birth-and-death, however well

one may be versed in the study of the sacred scriptures in twelve

divisions. No time will ever come to one to get out of the sufferings

of the triple world. Anciently there was a Bhikshu Zensho who was

capable of reciting all the twelve divisions of scriptures, yet he

could not save himself from trans migration, because he had no insight

into his own Nature. If this was the case with Zensho, how about those

moderners who, being able to discourse only on a few sutras and

shastras, regard themselves as exponents of Buddhism? They are truly

simple-minded ones. When Mind is not understood it is absolutely of no

avail to recite and discourse on idle literature.

If you want to seek the Buddha,

you ought to see into your own Nature,

which is the Buddha himself.

The Buddha is a free man-a man who neither works nor achieves. If,

instead of seeing into your own Nature, you turn away and seek the

Buddha in external things, you will never get at him.

 

The Buddha is your own Mind, make no mistake to bow [to

external objects]. " Buddha " is a Western word, and in this country it

means `enlightened nature'; and by `enlightened' is meant

`spiritually enlightened'. It is one's own spiritual Nature in

enlightenment that responds to the external world, comes in contact

with objects, raises the eyebrows, winks the eyelids, and moves the

hands and legs. This nature is the Mind, and the Mind is Buddha, and

the Buddha is the way, and the Way is Zen.

This simple word, Zen, is beyond the comprehension both of the wise

and the ignorant.

TO SEE DIRECTLY INTO ONE'S

ORIGINAL NATURE IS ZEN.

Even if you are well learned in hundreds of the sutras and shastras,

you still remain an ignoramus in Buddhism when you have not yet seen

into your original Nature. BUDDHISM IS NOT THERE IN MERE LEARNING. The

highest truth is unfathomably deep, is not an object of talk or

discussion, and even the canonical texts have no way to bring it

within our reach.

Let us oonce see into our own original Nature and we have the truth,

even when we are quite illeterate, not knowing a word….

 

Those who have not seen into their own Nature may reach the

sutras, think of the Buddha, study long, work hard, practise religion

throughout the six periods of the day, sit for a long time and never

lie down for sleep and may be wide learning and well informed in all

things; and they may believe that all this is Buddhism. All the

Buddhas in successive ages only talk of seeing in to one's Nature.

Ananda, one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha, was known for

his wide information, but did not have any insight into Buddhahood,

because he was so bent on GAINING INFORMATION ONLY….

Extract from the book " Six essays by Shoshitsu "

And quoted by D.T. Suzuki.

UNQUOTE.

I may please be pardoned if I have violated the rules and regulations

of this august group.

 

With warm and respectful regards,

Sreenivasa Murthy.