Guest guest Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 Dear All,namaste Recently I looked some excerpts of a DVD from Arnaud Desjardins, french cinematographer that turned Advaita Teacher some decades ago and is quite known in Europe. Still alive. For those interested in watching this short excerpt (only 6 or so minutes) it can be viewed here: http://www.arnauddesjardinsteachings.com/index.php?page=04 & lg=e Specially the first excerpt where he describes the meeting with whom was going to be his guru, Swami Prajnanpad. Quite refreshing view on realization and its simplicity. Yours in Bhagavan, Mouna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 advaitin , " Mouna " <maunna wrote: > > Dear All,namaste > > Recently I looked some excerpts of a DVD from Arnaud Desjardins, > french cinematographer that turned Advaita Teacher some decades ago > and is quite known in Europe. Still alive. > For those interested in watching this short excerpt (only 6 or so > minutes) it can be viewed here: > > http://www.arnauddesjardinsteachings.com/index.php?page=04 & lg=e > > Specially the first excerpt where he describes the meeting with whom > was going to be his guru, Swami Prajnanpad. > Quite refreshing view on realization and its simplicity. > > Yours in Bhagavan, > Mouna Namaste Mounaji, I watched the video clip and found it interesting. If I had not been studying Vedanta for several years, my assumption is that I would not have understood what was said. One thing which I found interesting is that although Arnaud Desjardin seemed to explain the 'neti neti' aspect of the teachings of Vedanta, he did not mention, what is called in Vedanta 'the tat pada,' or the positive assertion, the pointing to 'tat' to 'that' which 'I' am. What I basically heard M. Desjardin say is that when one successfully negates false notions, the truth will reveal itself. I have heard such statements often from various teachers. It was only from my own teacher (a disciple of Swami Dayananda Saraswati), that I first heard of the 'tat pada,' the positive assertion, without which we were informed, the teachings are not complete and do not work. Thus Vedanta, while pointing out what one is not, (the changing body/mind), also at the same time, points out what one is, the changeless being, present to all experience. Because 'I' am changelessly present to all experience, this changeless 'I' often goes unrecognized amidst the world of change, and thus needs to be pointed out in various ways. So that's just a quick observation. I am ever grateful to my teacher and the sampradaya for the 'tat pada,' aspect of the teachings. Often, I have heard it said by others that the truth cannot be pointed to, and IMO this is not the case. Pranams, Durga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 "Durga" <durgaji108 wrote:> If I had not been studying Vedanta for several> years, my assumption is that I would not> have understood what was said.Dear DurgaJi, Namaste This little excerpt was just intended to show the freshness of a different approach (but not so different after all if we hear carefully what it's being said). Your observation, though quite nicely exposed, maybe came a little hastily.Arnaud Desjardins Teachings are far more wider than a 6:37 minutes of an excerpt.Personally I don't agree with you (in terms of understanding of what has been said if not enough Vedanta studies), because someone that studies, relatively seriously Vedanta for several years (I suppose you meant more than two) and cannot grasp what is said in this little excerpt better study something else or change teachers!!There is a saying in my old hometown about trying to find the fifth leg of a cat.I can assure you that Mr Desjardins also teaches the "positive assertion" side of things, since I read some of his books and heard many of his talks. (Well, yes. maybe put into a different language, french, not sanskrit!)There are many many teachers out there that carry the embodiment of the Truth also, DurgaJi."My" GuruJi, that I have no problem in saying his name, Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi, was always very open to other Gurus, maybe because his Realization was given directly by Grace, and he wasn't part of any Sampradaya. A free-lance Jnani! I think I inherited, fortunately, his view.And sometimes the language can be very subtle and nice, but behind the words there is a whole world of judgement and non-acceptance of another's "angle of view" about reality, other's Gurus in relation to "mine", etc.. this List and the world we live in are the living proof of that. Again, this could be very very subtle that even ourselves we don't know we are falling into this egoic trap, building a Guru/Sampradaya/Religious (and in some far-out cases even, proud national!) identity.> Often, I have heard it said by others that> the truth cannot be pointed to, and IMO > this is not the case.Last but not least, I never heard this from any mouth of any renowned Teacher, being Traditional Advaita or Advaita as taught in the West (what some of us redefined quite mischievously and arbitrarily as Neo-Advaita, although there's nothing new in what they say). It's very clear that everybody is telling us that the Truth cannot be described, can only be pointed at (by different methods, Neti Neti, Tat Tvam Asi, etc..), since the eyes cannot see themselves. But you might have examples that I don't know, granted, would be nice to know who those "others" are, those who say ONLY that the Truth cannot be pointed at.Anyhow, thanks for your observation.Yours in Bhagavan,Mouna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 advaitin , " Mouna " <maunna wrote: > Dear DurgaJi, Namaste > > This little excerpt was just intended to show the freshness of a > different approach (but not so different after all if we hear carefully > what it's being said). Your observation, though quite nicely exposed, > maybe came a little hastily. > > > Anyhow, thanks for your observation. > > Yours in Bhagavan, > Mouna Dear Mounaji, I'm sure you are right. I'm sorry if anything I said was offensive to you. It was not intended. All the best, Durga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 "Durga" <durgaji108 wrote:> > I'm sure you are right. I'm sorry if anything I said> was offensive to you. It was not intended. Dear DurgaJi, NamasteAfter a little while, with some months (or years of Vedanta as you said, we learn to not take things personal most of the time, because... well, too long to explain.Hope on your side was the same.By the way, I, myself, am not so sure I'm right! I always keep a bunch of my neurons free of space for the contrary view. That keeps my synapses functioning smoothly!We can only be sure (and not right) about ONLY one thing (that is not even a thing!), the rest, we or someone will always find an opposite view.There is a saying: "The world is divided between those who think they are right".Yours in Bhagavan,Mouna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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