Fw: [Newsletter] Arunachala; Information and News - May, 2008 - excerpts

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ARUNACHALA GRACE NEWSMAY, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arunachala Grace Network

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arunachala Mythology

 

 

Not Crossing the SummitSince Arunachala itself is the Lord and Shiva Lingam, legend has it that one should not cross over It. Puranic mythology states that once Vali, son of Indra, was flying over the mountain and in spite of noticing that the great Hill was worshipped by all the Gods, Vali choose to ignore it. On venturing to cross over Arunachala, Vali lost all his strength and fell to the ground! On command of Lord Indra, Vali acted to make amends and worshipped the Shiva Lingam, and immediately regained his strength and powers. Once a Gandharva named Pushpaka, tried to cross the mountain and instantly got the face of a tiger. His followers were wonderstruck by the extraordinary phenomenon. Brahmarshi Narada came to his rescue and enlightened him about the sanctity of the mountain. With great repentance, Pushpaka offered puja to the Lord of Arunachala and quickly recovered his looks.

 

 

 

 

Dakshinamurti Strotra

 

 

Verse 6

"He who is in the state of sleep due to dissolution of the mind caused by the veiling power of Maya -- like the sun or the moon eclipsed (by Ketu or Rahu), upon waking recalls self-existence in the manner of 'I have slept till now', to him be this adoration, the one who is the Lord incarnate as the preceptor in physical form."

 

Advaita examines experience as a whole; waking, dreaming and sleep. Sleep is not a state of emptiness. While in waking and dreaming, consciousness is related to a world of objects and images, in sleep it shines as Existence unrelated to anything else. In sleep there is no mind, and yet there is consciousness. Sleep shows that the Self, which is pure consciousness is not realised as such because of the veil of maya. Even during the eclipse the sun shines without change. It is our vision of the sun that is obstructed by the interposition of the moon. The Self does not suffer, by maya. It is our view that is distorted, and it is this distorted vision that is removed by the Preceptor Daksinamurti.

 

Verse 7

"In all states of flux like the childhood (youth and old age) and the waking (sleeping and dreaming) state, with the consciousness within shining as 'I', at all times, that one who also reveals the real nature of the Self to those who seek refuge in him as by means of the symbol that is auspicious, to him be this adoration, the one who is the Lord incarnate as the preceptor in physical form."

 

The Self is to be realised as the same unchanging reality in the states that keep on changing. What dominates one state disappears in the others. But what persists in every state without itself changing is the Self. It neither rises nor sets. It is the eternal, immutable, pure consciousness. The states, which are illusory, inert, and of the nature of misery -- change and pass away. But the Self persists in all of them as the constant imperishable witness. The 'I' is witness of all experiences. It is existence, consciousness, happiness. It is the inmost being, self luminous awareness, the seat and centre of supreme bliss. It shines always as the 'I' within.

 

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[in Cidambaram, Dakshinamurti is the most important initial murti for devotees after Ganesha; and the passageway of his shrine (on the outer wall of the Mulanatha), is often impeded by worshippers prostrating themselves before him. The importance of this aspect is further shown by the placing of another Dakshinamurti shrine in front of the main balipitha -- the first shrine seen on entering through the South Gopura of the Cidambaram Temple].

 

Logic vs. Mysticism

"The greatest mystics of the world were often the greatest logicians too. Shankara (author of Dakshinamurti Strotra) was a great logician and yet illogical. They will go as far as possible with logic, and then suddenly take a quantum leap -- and say, "Up to this point, logic helps, beyond this, logic has to go."

 

Shankara travelled all over India and defeated thousands of scholars. This was his whole life’s work, to go and defeat people. And still he was very illogical. In the morning you would find him arguing so logically that the greatest logicians would look childish. And in the evening you would find him praying and dancing in the Temple and crying and weeping like a child.

 

He had written beautiful prayers, and somebody asked, "How can you write such beautiful prayers? You are such a logician -- how can you be so emotional that you cry and weep and tears fall down?" Shankara said, "My intuition is not against my logic, my intuition is beyond my logic. My logic has some function to fulfil; I go with it. I go with it wholeheartedly, but then there comes a moment when it cannot go beyond . . . and I have to go beyond it too."

[by Rajneesh]

 

 

 

 

Buddhabrot

 

 

In honour of the Buddha's birthday, a beautiful link to a website featuring fractuals** Of particular interest is Buddhabrot, a special rendering of the Mandelbrot set which, when traditionally oriented, resembles certain depictions of the Buddha. **geometric objects with both aesthetic and scientific uses

Fractual Buddha

 

 

 

Animal Lovers

 

 

Henry Beston

". . . the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted with the extension of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings: they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth."

 

Black Elk

"We should understand well that all things are the work of the Great Spirit. We should know the Great Spirit is within all things: the trees, the grasses, the rivers, the mountains, and the four-legged and winged peoples; and even more important, we should understand that the Great Spirit is also above all these things and peoples. When we do understand all this deeply in our hearts, then we will fear, and love, and know the Great Spirit, and then we will be and act and live as the Spirit intends."

 

Thomas a Kempis

"And if thy heart be straight with God, then every creature shall be to thee a mirror of life and a book of holy doctrine, for there is no creature so little or so vile, but that sheweth and representeth the goodness of God."

 

St. Francis of Assisi

"Not to hurt our humble brethren [the animals] is our first duty to them, but to stop there -- that is not enough. We have a higher mission: to be of service to them whenever they require it."

 

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

"Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better everyday. And you will come to love the whole world with an all-embracing love."

 

"Love animals: God has given them the rudiments of thought and joy untroubled. Do not trouble their joy, don't harrass them, don't deprive them of their happiness, don't work against God's intent. Man, do not pride yourself on superiority to animals; they are without sin, and you, with your greatness, defile the earth by your apppearance on it, and leave the traces of your foulness after you -- alas, it is true of almost every one of us!"

 

"Love all God's creatures, the animals, the plants. Love everything to perceive the divine mystery in all."

 

Anatole France

"Until one loves an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."

 

Albert Schweitzer

"Affirmation of life is the spiritual act by which man ceases to live unreflectively and begins to devote himself to his life with reverence in order to raise it to its true value. To affirm life is to deepen, to make more inward, and to exalt the will to live. At the same time the man who has become a thinking being feels a compulsion to give to every will-to-live the same reverence for life that he gives to his own. He experiences that other life in his own. He accepts as being good: to preserve life, to promote life, to raise to its highest value life which is capable of development; and as being evil: to destroy life, to injure life, to repress life which is capable of development. This is the absolute, fundamental principle of the moral, and it is a necessity of thought."

 

"Anyone who has accustomed himself to regard the life of any living creature as worthless is in danger of arriving also at the idea of worthless human lives."

 

"We must never permit the voice of humanity within us to be silenced. It is man's sympathy with all creatures that first makes him truly a man."

 

"The human spirit is not dead. It lives on in secret . . . It has come to believe that compassion, in which all ethics must take root, can only attain its full breadth and depth if it embraces all living creatures and does not limit itself to mankind."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arunachala Tidbits

 

 

 

 

This IssueWelcome to the May, 2008 Arunachala Grace News. In dedication to the upcoming Buddha Poornima on May 20, we have included an article on the Wesak Festival and information and link to Buddha Fractuals. The Lord Buddha was renowned for his love and compassion towards animals, so it is a fitting time to include an article on the history of the Arunachala Sanctuary (animal shelter) at Tiruvannamalai. Also in tribute to the Buddha, we have included a fun narrative on Smokey the Bear and some beautiful, inspirational quotes on animals.

WebsiteSri Lakshmana Swamy and Sri Sarada now have an website with photographs, teachings and several videos.

 

Website

 

 

 

 

Caged Birds

 

 

 

Wesak is the holiest day in Buddhism and a season of special significance to all Buddhists around the world. On this day; the birth, Enlightenment, and death of the Buddha are celebrated. The day is observed in diverse ways throughout the world. One such observation is that caged birds are freed to symbolize humanity and compassion. If you decide to do this, please remember do not release birds in a town or area that will make it difficult for them to chart a course to freedom. The countryside or open area is preferred. Also please be aware of appropriate climate for bird release.

Celebrate Wesak Day

 

 

 

 

Smokey the Bear

 

 

 

 

[in good nature frivolity dedicated to our American Readers, who will immediately recognise the character of Smokey].

 

Once in the Jurassic Era, about 150 million years ago, the Great Sun Buddha in this corner of the Infinite Void gave a discourse to all the assembled elements and energies: to the standing beings, the walking beings, the flying beings, and the sitting beings -- even the grasses, to the number of thirteen billion, each one born from a seed, assembled there: a Discourse concerning Enlightenment on the planet Earth.

 

"In some future time, there will be a continent called America. It will have great centres of power called such as Pyramid Lake, Walden Pond, Mt. Rainier, Big Sur, Everglades, and so forth; and powerful nerves and channels such as Columbia River, Mississippi River, and Grand Canyon. The human race in that era will get into troubles all over its head, and practically wreck everything in spite of its own strong intelligent Buddha-nature. The twisting strata of the great mountains and the pulsings of volcanoes are my love burning deep in the earth. My obstinate compassion is schist and basalt and granite, to be mountains, to bring down the rain. In that future American Era I shall enter a new form; to cure the world of loveless knowledge that seeks with blind hunger: and mindless rage eating food that will not fill it."

 

And he showed himself in his true form of -- SMOKEY THE BEAR

 

A handsome smokey-coloured brown bear standing on his hind legs, showing that he is aroused and watchful. Bearing in his right paw the Shovel that digs to the truth beneath appearances; cuts the roots of useless attachments, and flings damp sand on the fires of greed and war; His left paw in the mudra of Comradely Display -- indicating that all creatures have the full right to live to their limits and that of deer, rabbits, chipmunks, snakes, dandelions, and lizards all grow in the realm of Dharma; Wearing the blue work overalls symbolic of slaves and labourers, the countless men oppressed by a civilization that claims to save but often destroys; Wearing the broad-brimmed hat of the west, symbolic of the forces that guard the wilderness, which is the Natural State of the Dharma and the true path of man on Earth: all true paths lead through mountains.

 

With a halo of smoke and flame behind, the forest fires of the kali-yuga, fires caused by the stupidity of those who think things can be gained and lost whereas in truth all is contained vast and free in the Blue Sky and Green Earth of One Mind; Round-bellied to show his kind nature and that the great earth has food enough for everyone who loves her and trusts her; Trampling underfoot wasteful freeways and needless suburbs, smashing the worms of capitalism and totalitarianism; Indicating the task: his followers, becoming free of cars, houses, canned foods, universities, and shoes, master the Three Mysteries of their own Body, Speech, and Mind; and fearlessly chop down the rotten trees and prune out the sick limbs of this country America and then burn the leftover trash. Wrathful but calm. Austere but Comic. Smokey the Bear will Illuminate those who would help him; but for those who would hinder or slander him . . . HE WILL PUT THEM OUT.

 

Thus his great Mantra: Namah samanta vajranam chanda maharoshana Sphataya hum traka ham mam: "I dedicate myself to the Universal Diamond be this raging fury be destroyed". And he will protect those who love the woods and rivers, Gods and animals, hobos and madmen, prisoners and sick people, musicians, playful women, and hopeful children: And if anyone is threatened by advertising, air pollution, television, or the police, they should chant Smokey the Bear’s War Spell: "Drown Them, Crush Them, Drown Them, Crush Them".

 

And Smokey the Bear will surely appear to put the enemy out with his vajra-shovel. Now those who recite this Sutra and then try to put it in practice will accumulate merit as countless as the sands of Arizona and Nevada. Will help save the planet Earth from total oil slick. Will enter the age of harmony of man and nature. Will win the tender love and caresses of men, women, and beasts. Will always have ripened blackberries to eat and a sunny spot under a pine tree to sit at. AND IN THE END WILL WIN HIGHEST PERFECT ENLIGHTENMENT ... thus we have heard...

[by Gary Synder]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wesak

 

 

 

 

Full moon during Karthigai Deepam is regarded as the most powerful Arunachala poornima of the year. However the upcoming Wesak Festival (Taurus full moon) is globally considered to be the most powerful full moon of the yearly cycle. It is the time of the Buddha's Blessings. In this respect it is also considered to be a particularly auspicious time to perform Arunachala giripradakshina. In the year 2008 we actually have two dates for Wesak; Sunday, April 20 10:27 GMT, the Theosophical Wesak and Tuesday, May 20 02:13 GMT the Buddhist Wesak which celebrates the true sideral or cosmic date. An ancient legend says it is during Wesak, i.e., the Taurus Full Moon that the Buddha leaves the High place where He works and dwells to return to the earth and BLESS the WORLD. This festival is not only celebrated at Wesak, North India, but also at spiritual centres throughout the world. To read more about Wesak>>>

 

Wesak Legend and Videos

 

 

 

 

Indian Treepie

 

 

 

 

The Indian Treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda) is a member of the Corvidae (crow) family. Its a long-tailed chestnut-brown bird with sooty head and neck. Black-tipped grey tail and greyish white wing patches, conspicuous in flight. The bill, legs and feet are black.

This bird is common throughout Tiruvannamalai District and equally happy in open forest, scrub, plantations and gardens. It is an arboreal species and omnivore. It lives on fruits, invertebrates, small reptiles and the eggs and young of birds; it has also been known to take carrion. It is extremely agile while searching for food, clinging and clambering through branches and will sometimes travel in small mixed hunting parties with unrelated species such as drongos and babblers.

 

This birds' nesting season runs from February to July, and prefers a shallow nest is built in trees and bushes. It usually lays 3-5 eggs of pale salmon-white colour, streaked with bright reddish brown.

 

This species has a variety of calls, some loud, harsh and guttural and others pleasing and melodious. One of its commonest calls is kokila and a bob-o-link.

 

Photographs of the Indian Treepie

 

 

 

 

Erythrina Indica

 

 

 

 

Erythrina Indica (Indian Coral Tree; Tamil=Kalyana Murungai) is a species of the genus Erythrina which contains approximately a hundred trees and shrubs. Erythrina is from the Greek word erythros, meaning red in allusion to the colour of the bloom and Indica to its country of origin. This tree which is commonly found throughout Tiruvannamalai District, is cultivated as a support for various climbing plants (particularly the betel leaf). As it is also an excellent nitrogen fixer, the Erythrina Indica is often planted in fields to improve yield.

 

This highly valued ornamental tree has been described as one of the gems of the floral world. It grows along the coastal and inland districts in deciduous forests. The Indian Coral Tree can reach sixty feet height and spread twenty feet. It has stout branches armed with black tiger's claw spine and curved prickles on its long leaf stalks. The leaves of this tree fall once a year, followed by the blooming of beautiful scarlet blossoms. When in flower, the tree's scarlet red flowers attracts; crows, mynas, babblers and green parrots to feed upon the nectar inside the flower and thereby pollinate the tree.

 

All Erythrina species contain 'Erythrina alkaloids', which include erythrane, erythroidine and coralline. These alkaloids are found in the whole plant, but especially in the seeds. In small doses the seeds cause sedation, relaxation (especially of the muscles) and if taken before bedtime a long and deep sleep. In higher doses (more than a quarter seed) the effects become exponentially stronger and unpredictable. The seeds are usually too potent for accurate dosing, but dried flowers or dried leaves are suitable for teas or smoking mixes. The trifoliate leaves are laxative, diuretic, anthelmintic, galactagogue (agent inducing milk secretion) and emmenagogue (promoting menstrual discharge). The leaves are also employed in the treatment of venereal buboes, inflammatory swellings of lymph nodes, especially in the groins and armpits. The bark of the Erythrina Indica is used for fever, hepatosis, malaria, rheumatism, toothache, the treatment of epilepsy, and boils and fractures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mind -- the problem

 

 

 

 

Meditation is cutting the very roots of problems – the mind is the only problem, and unless you go beyond the mind, you will never go beyond problems. It is strange that even today, Western psychologists have not even pondered over the fact that the East has created so many enlightened people, and none of them have bothered about the analysis of the mind.

Just as in Western literature – religious, philosophical, theological – there is no idea of going beyond the mind. In the same way, in Eastern philosophical literature there is no where any mention that psychoanalysis or psychology are of any importance. The West has lived with the mind and the East has lived beyond the mind, so their problems don’t seem to be the same. In the East that has been the only, single search. The whole genius if the East has been working for one thing no other problems -- how to go beyond the mind.

 

In the East, meditation is something that you can float in. The whole energy around you is just like a river – it is already going towards the ocean. You don’t have to swim, you have just to float. In the West you have to fight against the current, because for centuries the extrovert mind has created a totally different kind of energy, not just different but contrary to the East – the outgoing the extrovert. [by Rajneesh]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arunachala Animal Sanctuary

 

 

 

 

The Arunachala Animal Sanctuary and Rescue Shelter (operating as its own Trust since 2007), is located South of the Hill, off Chengam Road and a kilometre west of Ramana Ashram. The Sanctuary was started by Leslie Robinson and Gina Suritsch. Leslie, who hails from Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S, worked as an Actuary in the States until 1975 when he met his guru, Swami Muktananda. After years of travelling and living in various ashrams in the U.S. and India, Leslie now lives at Tiruvannamalai. The Sanctuary's co-founder is Gina Suritsch; born in Vienna, Austria, who started visiting India in 1985 and who now spends much of her time at Tiruvannamalai.

 

Leslie Robinson's close involvement in animal welfare has led him getting involved with many animals throughout India, even an aging male lion performing with a travelling circus in Kerala. In February, 2006 while Leslie Robinson was visiting Tiruvannamalai, he heard that the local Municipality was preparing a street-by-street cull of an estimated 2,500 homeless dogs in the area. In an attempt to stop the cull, Leslie telephoned to mobilize animal activists around the country. With the support of the animal activist, Maneka Gandhi in Delhi (of the Gandhi family) and Prema of People for Animals, Chennai (PFA) -- the proposed killing was halted; with the stipulation that an effective birth control program be put in place.

 

In late June, 2006 the Municipality offered 12,000 square feet of land at the foot of Arunachala. On that empty piece of land, there is now the Animal Shelter, which comprises two main buildings. One houses a sterile operating theatre, a modern clinic examination/treatment room, a small isolation ward, a small dispensary, a reception verandah, and a large retaining cage. The other building has three large retaining cages -- and a fully equipped kitchen. A painting of Mahatma Gandhi on the outside wall of the Animal Sanctuary, bears his famous humanitarian words: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress is judged by the way its animals are treated."

 

In utilising an ABC and Anti-Rabies Program, the Animal Shelter aims to control population and eliminate rabies. Homeless street dogs are captured, brought in, sterilized, given anti-rabies injections, allowed to remain at the Shelter for up to six days to recuperate and then are returned to their original territory. Since the opening of the Shelter well over a 1,000 dogs have been sterilized and been given anti-rabies injections. In addition to ABC sterilization programmes for homeless dogs, many locals bring in dogs and small animals to the Shelter’s Clinic for veterinary attention. The Arunachala Sanctuary is open seven days a week and provides emergency services 24 hours a day. The Shelter also provides hospital facilities especially in the case of animals that need isolation or have to be kept in retaining areas. For animals that cannot survive on their own, the Shelter offers then sanctuary for the rest of their lives. Dying animals are given intensive loving care at the Shelter, including IV's, pain killers, antibiotics and good food.

 

In the creation of Arunachala Animal Sanctuary and Rescue, a start has been made. And as to the future, in the words of Leslie Robinson:

"We're very grateful that our shelter came together as it did. And we feel deeply blessed that it has been able to lift so much of the suffering. But there's a lot more to do. There are still many new injuries, and many new illnesses. There are also the often overloaded bullock carts. There are the monkeys. The goats. The cats, cows, birds, and other animals. And there are the difficult conditions of surviving the hot season and the monsoon. There are the dogs and other animals in nearby Municipalities. There is helping lift national awareness. And clearly, we could use your help."

 

Arunachala Animal Shelter

 

 

 

 

3 Yojanas

 

 

 

 

"There is in the Southern Region, O ascetic, in the land of Dravidas, a great sacred place named Aruna associated with the Lord with the crescent-moon for his crest-jewel.

 

It extends to three Yojanas. It is worthy of being adored by Sivayogins. Know it to be the heart of the earth, attractive and thrilling to Siva.

 

There the Lord Sambhu himself has assumed the form of a mountain. He has the name Arunachala. He is conducive to the welfare of the worlds."

 

[Chapter 4, The Greatness of Arunachala

Skanda Purana -- I.iii(U).4.12-23]

 

As land has become prohibitively expensive at Arunachala, here are two beautiful Estates for sale located 10 kms and 25 kms respectively from the base of the Hill (3 Yojanas = 27 kms). The land is pristine, silent, and very affordable. To find out more about the Best Distance from Arunachala, and for information, lots of photographs and prices of the two beautiful Estates, go to this link here.