Fwd: On eka-jiva, subjective idealism and solipsism

[Guest guest]

advaitin , " hersh_b " <hershbhasin@g...> wrote:

 

Namasta All

 

>Yes, both U.G.K and osho were unconventional in their approaches

 

Vivakananda has maintained two important points in accepting in any

teaching or teacher. The first and formost is that the character of

the teacher should be impeccable and unimpeachable. The second that

ones reason should never be forsaken.

 

Character of the teacher very important

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vivakananda in his lecture " Concentration - its Spiritual uses "

describes an " Apta " . The following extract is from his commentory on

PATANJALI'S YOGA APHORISMS ver 7 " .. Direct perception, inference,

and competent evidence are proofs. "

 

I hear it said that the character of the man is not of so much

importance as what he may say; we must first hear what he says. This

may be true in other things. A man may be wicked, and yet make an

astronomical discovery, but in religion it is different, because no

impure man will ever have the power to reach the truths of religion.

Therefore we have first of all to see that the man who declares

himself to be an Âpta is a perfectly unselfish and holy person;

secondly, that he has reached beyond the senses; and thirdly, that

what he says does not contradict the past knowledge of humanity. Any

new discovery of truth does not contradict the past truth, but fits

into it. And fourthly, that truth must have a possibility of

verification. If a man says, " I have seen a vision, " and tells me

that I have no right to see it, I believe him not. Everyone must

have

the power to see it for himself. No one who sells his knowledge is

an

Apta. All these conditions must be fulfilled; you must first see

that

the man is pure, and that he has no selfish motive; that he has no

thirst for gain or fame. Secondly, he must show that he is

superconscious. He must give us something that we cannot get from

our

senses, and which is for the benefit of the world. Thirdly, we must

see that it does not contradict other truths; if it contradicts

other

scientific truths reject it at once. Fourthly, the man should never

be singular; he should only represent what all men can attain. The

three sorts of proof are, then, direct sense-perception, inference,

and the words of an Apta. I cannot translate this word into English.

It is not the word " inspired " , because inspiration is believed to

come from outside, while this knowledge comes from the man himself.

The literal meaning is " attained " .

 

 

All Teachings to be subjected to one's reason

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vivakananda :Complete Works/Vol 2/PRACTICAL VEDANTA III

 

There must be some independent authority, and that cannot be any

book, but something which is universal; and what is more universal

than reason? It has been said that reason is not strong enough; it

does not always help us to get at the Truth; many times it makes

mistakes, and, therefore, the conclusion is that we must believe in

the authority of a church! That was said to me by a Roman Catholic,

but I could not see the logic of it. On the other hand I should say,

if reason be so weak, a body of priests would be weaker, and I am

not

going to accept their verdict, but I will abide by my reason,

because

with all its weakness there is some chance of my getting at truth

through it; while, by the other means, there is no such hope at all.

 

rgds

Hersh

 

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