Guest guest Posted November 6, 2009 Report Share Posted November 6, 2009 Dear Sadanandaji, Thank you for your very interesting and informative post. I had a question about the horse analogy. In Vedanta, a distinction is drawn between a madhyama-adhikAri and an uttama-adhikAri. It is said that in the case of an uttama-adhikAri, very little exposure to jnAna-yoga is needed to gain moksha. Just by listening a little bit, with minimal need for nidhidhyAsana, such an aspirant gets moksha. On the other hand, for a madhyama-adhikAri, there is need for a prolonged period of sravanam, mananam and nidhidhyAsanam. The difference between the two adhikAris is in the level of prepartion - the uttama adhikAri has extraordinary vairAgya and jijnAsa whereas the madhyama adhikAri has vairAgya and jijnAsa but not in such a thorough manner. I was basically thinking - how does a madhyama adhikAri become an uttama adhikAri? Presumably, the madhyama-adhikAri is already well-mounted on the horse, so in that case there seems to be a lot to be gained from keeping on riding. Or perhaps it is through dhyAna-yoga or upAsanA that a madhyama adhikAri becomes an uttama adhikAri? Perhaps this is the sense in which dhyAna yoga or saguNa bhakti are seen as independent means to liberation by some sages (both ancient and modern) - they are *technically* not independent but since they turn the sAdhaka into an uttama adhikAri, there is basically no additional effort required (as long as the sAdhaka retains the desire to know). I would be interested in hearing Sadanandaji's and other member's opinions on this matter. Regards, Rishi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2009 Report Share Posted November 7, 2009 Rishiji - PraNAms Thanks for your comments. I will be addressing some of the questions you raised along with those Shree Bhaskarji raised earlier, from my perspective. Hari Om! Sadananda --- On Fri, 11/6/09, risrajlam <rishi.lamichhane wrote: Thank you for your very interesting and informative post. I had a question about the horse analogy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 2009/11/7 risrajlam <rishi.lamichhane <<Or perhaps it is through dhyAna-yoga or upAsanA that a madhyama adhikAri becomes an uttama adhikAri?>> Yes, plus the factor of prArabdha. <<Perhaps this is the sense in which dhyAna yoga or saguNa bhakti are seen as independent means to liberation by some sages (both ancient and modern) - they are *technically* not independent but since they turn the sAdhaka into an uttama adhikAri, there is basically no additional effort required (as long as the sAdhaka retains the desire to know).>> If you are referring to advaitins then I would agree broadly. Non-advaitins would of course have different positions. maNDana miSra (author of the brahmasiddhi) is said to have been an advaitin who nevertheless espoused jnAna-karma-samuccaya. It might be interesting to study his views. Ramesh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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