Kunju Swami/Nirvikalpa Samadhi/srvana, manana, nididhyasana

[Guest guest]

Kunju Swami, after he had glimpses of the Self in Ramana Maharshi's

presence, went home to his village. But after a while he came back

unsatisfied. Later he remembered.

 

" I, however, asked Bhagavan why I could not get the experience when I

meditated in my house. Bhagavan said: " You have read Kaivalya Navaneeta,

have you not? Don't you remember what it says ? " And he took up the book and

read the relevant verses. "

 

" Sri Bhagavan then explained to me at great length the purport of these

verses. They relate to the doubt raised by the disciple about the need to

continue spiritual practices even after one has had the supreme experience.

The disciple wonders whether the spiritual experience once gained could be

lost. The Guru says that it would be until he took care to practice sravana,

manana and nididhyasana, that is hearing from the Guru the Truth, reflecting

over it and assimilating it. The experience would occur in the presence of

the Guru, but it would not last. Doubts would arise again and again and in

order to clear them the disciple should continue to study, think and

practice. These would be done until the distinction of the knower, the

object of knowledge and the act of knowing no longer arise. In the view of

Sri Bhagavan's explanation I decided to stay always by Bhagavan's side and

practise sravana, manana and nididhyasana. "

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

advaitin , " Harsha " wrote:

>

> Kunju Swami, after he had glimpses of the Self in Ramana Maharshi's

> presence, went home to his village. But after a while he came back

> unsatisfied. Later he remembered.

 

> The experience would occur in the presence of

> the Guru, but it would not last. Doubts would arise again and

again and in

> order to clear them the disciple should continue to study, think

and

> practice. These would be done until the distinction of the knower,

the

> object of knowledge and the act of knowing no longer arise. In the

view of

> Sri Bhagavan's explanation I decided to stay always by Bhagavan's

side and

> practise sravana, manana and nididhyasana. "

 

Dear Harsha-ji,

Thanks very much for the extract. I always held this view and I am

glad to see that it has been confirmed as correct by Bhagavan Ramana.

Best wishes,

S.N.Sastri

[Guest guest]

Dear Sastri-ji,

 

Thank you for your many gifts of knowledge. There have been many discussions

on Nirvikalpa Samadhi on the list in the past. What Ramesh-ji posted from

Sri Abhinav Vidyatirtha on Nirvikalpa Samadhi has the support of scriptures

and is also the practical knowledge of great sages, including the Sage of

Aruanchala, Sri Bhagavan Ramana.

 

Namaste and love to all

Harsha

 

 

 

 

advaitin [advaitin ] On Behalf

Of snsastri

Sunday, May 18, 2008 1:31 AM

advaitin

Re: Kunju Swami/Nirvikalpa Samadhi/srvana, manana,

nididhyasana

 

-

 

Dear Harsha-ji,

Thanks very much for the extract. I always held this view and I am

glad to see that it has been confirmed as correct by Bhagavan Ramana.

Best wishes,

S.N.Sastri

[Guest guest]

From : H.N.Sreenivasa Murthy

Pranams to all.

 

advaitin , " Harsha " wrote:

 

 

>

> Dear Sastri-ji,

>

> Thank you for your many gifts of knowledge. There have been many

discussions

> on Nirvikalpa Samadhi on the list in the past. What Ramesh-ji posted

from

> Sri Abhinav Vidyatirtha on Nirvikalpa Samadhi has the support of

scriptures

> and is also the practical knowledge of great sages, including the

Sage of

> Aruanchala, Sri Bhagavan Ramana.

 

Dear Sri HarshaJi,

As per my knowledge the word " Nirvikalpa Samadhi " does not appear

in any of the ten principal Upanishads for which Sri Shankara has

written commentaries. Then how can Nirvikalpa Samadhi has the support

of Scriptures?

very very few seekers or mumukshus are endowed with the capacity

of experiencing Nirvikalpa Samadhi,not every seeker/mumukshu whereas

everyone is Self according to Sri Bhagavan . He says " You must get

rid of the idea that you are an ajnani and have still to realise the

Self. YOU ARE THE SELF. " ( TALKS: 2nd January,1937 Talk 313]. That is

everyone is having AtmAnubhava Here and Now. Where is the question of

having glimpses of The Self which is Self-evident and Self-luminous?.

Sri Shankara says : " Atman is sarvagataH,

AvirBAvatirOBAVAvarjitaH, nityavartamAnasvaBAvaH " . It is my firm

understanding in the light of the above that Nirvikalpa Samadhi is not

at all necessary for Atmaj~JAna .

Finally I conclude with these Gems from Sri Bhagavan:

The SElf is bodiless.

Even NOW it is so. (Talks; talk 283)

You ARE THE SELF. (Talks; talk 313)

The Self is pure and Self-Luminous

and thus Self-evident ( Talks ; talk 391)

I hope I am not carrying coal to Newcastle.

Finally let us not commit the collosal blunder of limiting Atman

to a state however great it may be.

 

With warm and respectful regards,

Sreenivasa Murthy.

[Guest guest]

Dear Sreenivasa-ji:

 

Of course, I completely agree with you. It is simply a matter of

terminology. The Self It Self is Nirvikalpa. You can find references in all

the Upanishads on every page.

 

I just now opened Katha Upanishad and looked at a page at random. It says,

" When all the senses are stilled and the mind is at rest, when the intellect

wavers not, then, say the wise, the highest state is reached. " Translation

by Swami Prabhavananda and Frederick Manchester.

 

The Nirvikalpa Samadhi that is obtained by the force of spiritual practice

is a profound experience. However, it cannot be maintained unless the

vasanas have been thinned out and the mind has lost the tendency to see the

distinction between outer and inner. So truly, the sages tell us to reflect

on the nature of perception and existence. Self-Inquiry is what we do. The

rest we need not worry about. Samadhi comes or may not come. It does not

matter. Self always abides in It Self and that we have to recognize through

what scriptures and Bhagavan Ramana and others have said. Indeed, the Self

is always Nirvikalpa. Self is Samadhi. Those are just different ways of

saying the same thing. Nothing can be added or subtracted from the Self as

Self is One without a second.

 

We are in complete harmony on this.

 

Namaste and love to all

Harsha

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

advaitin [advaitin ] On Behalf

Of narayana145

Monday, May 19, 2008 11:57 AM

advaitin

Re: Kunju Swami/Nirvikalpa Samadhi/srvana, manana,

nididhyasana

 

From : H.N.Sreenivasa Murthy

Pranams to all.

 

advaitin , " Harsha " wrote:

 

 

Dear Sri HarshaJi,

As per my knowledge the word " Nirvikalpa Samadhi " does not appear

in any of the ten principal Upanishads for which Sri Shankara has

written commentaries. Then how can Nirvikalpa Samadhi has the support

of Scriptures?

very very few seekers or mumukshus are endowed with the capacity

of experiencing Nirvikalpa Samadhi,not every seeker/mumukshu whereas

everyone is Self according to Sri Bhagavan . He says " You must get

rid of the idea that you are an ajnani and have still to realise the

Self. YOU ARE THE SELF. " ( TALKS: 2nd January,1937 Talk 313]. That is

everyone is having AtmAnubhava Here and Now. Where is the question of

having glimpses of The Self which is Self-evident and Self-luminous?.

Sri Shankara says : " Atman is sarvagataH,

AvirBAvatirOBAVAvarjitaH, nityavartamAnasvaBAvaH " . It is my firm

understanding in the light of the above that Nirvikalpa Samadhi is not

at all necessary for Atmaj~JAna .

Finally I conclude with these Gems from Sri Bhagavan:

The SElf is bodiless.

Even NOW it is so. (Talks; talk 283)

You ARE THE SELF. (Talks; talk 313)

The Self is pure and Self-Luminous

and thus Self-evident ( Talks ; talk 391)

I hope I am not carrying coal to Newcastle.

Finally let us not commit the collosal blunder of limiting Atman

to a state however great it may be.

 

With warm and respectful regards,

Sreenivasa Murthy.