Guest guest Posted November 2, 2008 Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 Namaste: This mail from Sri Baskaran is forwarded to the list as per his request. ----- Forwarded Message ----Baskaran <baskaran42Ram Chandran <ramvchandranSunday, November 2, 2008 5:37:41 AM Just Some Thoughts Hare Krishna, Namaskarams. Going for a walk as usual the day after Deepavali I saw a small red object ahead of me at a distance of about nine or ten feet which for a fleeting second looked like a small Ganesha vigraham (idol). Taking second look, I recognized it as a burnt out cracker flower pot which set me thinking as to why that experience. Since I daily arrange the flowers I collect everyday in the shape of a Ganesha, Sivalingam or the face of Lord Venkateshwra-it gave me that impression for a fleeting second? How did this super imposition take place? It was a because of a knowledge of a known object that got superimposed on an object that looked like it for a second. Continuing my walk and thinking of it lead me to the famous analogy of nacre and silver. The fact is that only a previous knowledge of silver is possible to super impose on that nacre that looked like a silver piece under certain favorable conditions. Then what about the unreal reality of world (including our BMI) being super imposed on an unknowable reality Brahman? For all of us life starts right from birth being exposed only to the external world. From the first touch of our mother, then growing with the parents and on to the society everything was known only from this external world. The travails of samsara leads us to all kinds of miseries, failures, successes and happiness etc. in various degrees and stages of our life, and in its extreme we look up to god for answers as to why and for us only, thanks to the culture,religeon and traditions we live with. In fact it is invariably the sufferings in life that leads most of us to spirituality to find an answer. We go through all Shruti, Smrithi, Itihasa Puranas and all kinds of yogas that leads us to the search of a guru to know the answers for our problems. At one stage with the help of a guru we come to understand that the world is mithya (unreal) after negating everything. Yet we do not know the Brahman and continue still in vyavaharic state, all the time trying everything that is available to us-taking all the steps to climb step by step towards that reality to be discovered as our own self. Yet we do not know where that landing is since there is always another step ahead. Under this situation who superimposed the unreal reality known to us on that unknown reality Brahman? Right from the beginning of our life. It is god¢s unexplainable maya that prevents us from knowing the reality. Then how to realize the truth that is Brahman? It is possible only by god himself blessing and his grace that happens only when he deems it fit for each individual jiva / being. God only knows and those graced by god know god. That led me further to the question what is happiness or for that matter love, pain etc. that varies with each individual. Can one define happiness in words? It is only possible to grade it in as many ways like less happy, happy, more happy or happiest, yet one cannot describe the state one is and that is beyond words. Then what to talk of the bliss -enlightenment that is being one with Brahman. Bless those who are enlightened. May lord Krishna bless us all and his grace be on all of us to know that we are all Brahman. thanking you baskaran Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Invite them now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 2, 2008 Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 > Baskaran <baskaran42 > Ram Chandran <ramvchandran > Sunday, November 2, 2008 5:37:41 AM > > > Just Some Thoughts > Hare Krishna, Namaskarams. > > We go through all Shruti, Smrithi, Itihasa Puranas and all kinds of yogas that leads us to the search of a guru to know the answers for our problems. At one stage with the help of a guru we come to understand that the world is mithya (unreal) after negating everything. Yet we do not know the Brahman and continue still in vyavaharic state, all the time trying everything that is available to us-taking all the steps to climb step by step towards that reality to be discovered as our own self. Yet we do not know where that landing is since there is always another step ahead. Under this situation who superimposed the unreal reality known to us on that unknown reality Brahman? Right from the beginning of our life. It is god¢s unexplainable maya that prevents us from knowing the reality. Then how to realize the truth that is Brahman? It is possible only by god himself blessing and his grace that happens only when he deems it fit for each individual jiva / > being. God only knows and those graced by god know god. > > That led me further to the question what is happiness or for that matter love, pain etc. that varies with each individual. Can one define happiness in words? It is only possible to grade it in as many ways like less happy, happy, more happy or happiest, yet one cannot describe the state one is and that is beyond words. Then what to talk of the bliss -enlightenment that is being one with Brahman. Bless those who are enlightened. > > May lord Krishna bless us all and his grace be on all of us to know that we are all Brahman. > > > thanking you > > > baskaran Dear Shri Baskaran You have expressed certain thoughts in a rather rambling manner. From these I believe you have the following questions in mind (I am not sure whether I am right):-- 1. We can superimpose only an object which we know and which is real How can we superimpose right from the beginning of our life the world which is not real and which we do not know when we are born. 2. How can we know Brahman? 3. How can we superimpose the world on Brahman which we do not know? 4. What is happiness? Answer to Qn. 1—It is true that we can superimpose only an object that we know exists. But we need not have known the real object. Superimposition is not a deliberate act by any one. It is only mistaking one thing for another. Even if a person has never seen a real snake, but has seen a picture of a snake and knows what a snake looks like, he may mistake a rope for a snake in dim light and if other circumstances are favourable for such a mistake being committed. We have had innumerable births before and have experienced the world and that knowledge is with us in the form of vasanas. Because of this we look upon the world as real. Superimposition of the world on Brahman only means looking upon the world as the only reality, because of ignorance of the truth that brahman alone is real and the world is only an appearance. Those who have not studied Vedanta do not know that there is such a thing as brahman. But they also look upon the world as real, that means they also superimpose the world on brahman. So it is not necessary to know what brahman is for this superimposition. The word `superimposition' gives the wrong notion that it is some act performed by us. Answer to No.2- We need not and cannot know Brahman because it is not an object apart from us. We are ourselves Brahman. But we are thinking of ourselves as the BMI. We have only to get rid of this wrong notion. That is what called realization of our real nature. Answer to No. 3—Superimposition of the not-self on the self means only looking upon ourselves as a combination of the atma which is pure consciousness and the BMI. This is what is described as combining the real and the unreal. This identification is beginningless, but it can be ended by self-knowledge. Because we think of ourselves as the body, we consequently look upon the world also as real. Ans to No.4-- Happiness is that for the sake of which everything else is desired, but which is itself desired for its own sake. Best wishes, S.N.Sastri > > > > ________________________________ > Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Invite them now. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 4, 2008 Report Share Posted November 4, 2008 Namasthe, LIFE- is the reality. Depending upon one's understanding it differs. Swami Chinmayanandaji cites the example of a villager's awe while seeing the city lights at night, whereas an engineer trained in Electrical engineering will have a different take. Simply put as one progresses, like in the Maslow's 'need heirarchy', LIFE blossoms out. In the case of 'atma vichar' more rthan the conventional technical knowledge it is one's ability to stand up to the challenges LIFE throws at one matters. Depth of that ability comes out of a larger than LIFE cosmic view. This generally develops over the intensity with which one lives one's LIFE. 'Satsang' and study of scriptures done alongwith will hasten the process of 'realising the reality'. Mere study of scriptures and 'satsang' will be a roller coaster ride since the person is missing the knowledge/ wisdom his own LIFE is providing him. Keeping one's LIFE apart and seeking 'the 'REAL' reality is like turning the 'chakki' without the 'copra'. One will gain experience without 'oil' being extracted. Regards Balagopal Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Invite them now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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