Guest guest Posted November 21, 2007 Report Share Posted November 21, 2007 Hello Leela, I deeply appreciated what you shared below - about Intentional Duality. I remember reading that before, but I forgot exactly where. I don't have the Abridged Gospel of Shri Ramakrishna, but perhaps if you tell me the chapter, I will be able to find the whole discourse. It addresses such an important topic! Thank you! Jai Maa. Kalika > > Intentional Duality: > An interesting quote from the Abridged Gospel Of Shri Ramakrishna, > Shri Ramakrishna is discussing the ego and the " I " feeling with the > devotees and says: " Further, you see, people speak of the waves as > belonging to the Ganges; but no one says that the Ganges belongs to > the waves. " > There is no " Purusha/Prakriti dualism " here. The waves and the > Ganges are not two, it is one river of consciousness flowing. The > Ahamkara, or the feeling of " I " is one aspect of the nature of that > flow, as are the other aspects of mind. Shri Ramakrishna is well > aware that it is the human condition to be identified with the waves, > the individual ego and the body, and so he tells us: " However you may > reason and argue, the feeling that the body is identical with the > soul will somehow crop up from an unexpected quarter. " Therefore he > says, " The feeling,'I am He' is not wholesome. A man who entertains > such an idea, while looking on his body as the Self, causes himself > great harm...He deceives himself as well as others. He cannot > understand his own state of mind. " > His precription for this, to avoid this pitfall is to keep up an > intentional duality of the ego as the servant of God or the devotee > of God. To be in constant rememberance that we " belong to the > Ganges " . He often tells the story of " Hanuman Consiousness " - When > Lord Rama asked Hanuman, " How do you look upon me? " Hanuman > replies, " O Rama, as long as I have the feeling of " I " , I see that > thou art the whole and I am a part; Thou art the Master and I am thy > servant. But when, O Rama, I have the knowledge of Truth, then I > realize that Thou art I, and I am Thou. " So, in the deepest part of > the water, the waves disappear, the " I " , the wave is no longer > percieved and only the water exists, the wave of Hanuman dissappears > into Rama, undifferentiated consciousness. > So here is Hanuman, knowing the Truth of non-duality in his heart, > but fully aware that as long as he is incarnated as Hanuman, this " I " > crops up and he knows how to deal with it appropriately. Again, Shri > Ramakrishna says: " Since this " I " must remain, let the rascal be > God's servant. " !!!!! > Love to all and thank you for this wonderful community! > Leela > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 Namaste Kalika and all, thanks for the responses! Sorry to respond so late,I was away from the computer for a while.... Most of the quotes came from Chapter 5 in the Abridged Version of The Gospel, titled, " The Master And Vijay Goswami " beginning on page 219. This teaching is repeated many times in " The Gospel " , and I am glad it is so, I cannot hear it too many times! Victory to Divine Mother in Her Many Glorious Forms! Victory to Paramahamsa Shri Ramakrishna! Victory to his disciples and the followers of his teachings! Victory to Shree Maa and Swamiji, the Living Tradition! Victory to the brave Yoginis and Yogins who tread this path of Grace, Beauty and Delight! Glory, Glory, Glory! Love, Leela , " cedartrees108 " <joanna wrote: > > Hello Leela, > I deeply appreciated what you shared below - about Intentional > Duality. I remember reading that before, but I forgot exactly where. > I don't have the Abridged Gospel of Shri Ramakrishna, but perhaps if > you tell me the chapter, I will be able to find the whole discourse. > It addresses such an important topic! > Thank you! > Jai Maa. > > Kalika > > > > > Intentional Duality: > > An interesting quote from the Abridged Gospel Of Shri Ramakrishna, > > Shri Ramakrishna is discussing the ego and the " I " feeling with the > > devotees and says: " Further, you see, people speak of the waves as > > belonging to the Ganges; but no one says that the Ganges belongs to > > the waves. " > > There is no " Purusha/Prakriti dualism " here. The waves and the > > Ganges are not two, it is one river of consciousness flowing. The > > Ahamkara, or the feeling of " I " is one aspect of the nature of that > > flow, as are the other aspects of mind. Shri Ramakrishna is well > > aware that it is the human condition to be identified with the waves, > > the individual ego and the body, and so he tells us: " However you may > > reason and argue, the feeling that the body is identical with the > > soul will somehow crop up from an unexpected quarter. " Therefore he > > says, " The feeling,'I am He' is not wholesome. A man who entertains > > such an idea, while looking on his body as the Self, causes himself > > great harm...He deceives himself as well as others. He cannot > > understand his own state of mind. " > > His precription for this, to avoid this pitfall is to keep up an > > intentional duality of the ego as the servant of God or the devotee > > of God. To be in constant rememberance that we " belong to the > > Ganges " . He often tells the story of " Hanuman Consiousness " - When > > Lord Rama asked Hanuman, " How do you look upon me? " Hanuman > > replies, " O Rama, as long as I have the feeling of " I " , I see that > > thou art the whole and I am a part; Thou art the Master and I am thy > > servant. But when, O Rama, I have the knowledge of Truth, then I > > realize that Thou art I, and I am Thou. " So, in the deepest part of > > the water, the waves disappear, the " I " , the wave is no longer > > percieved and only the water exists, the wave of Hanuman dissappears > > into Rama, undifferentiated consciousness. > > So here is Hanuman, knowing the Truth of non-duality in his heart, > > but fully aware that as long as he is incarnated as Hanuman, this " I " > > crops up and he knows how to deal with it appropriately. Again, Shri > > Ramakrishna says: " Since this " I " must remain, let the rascal be > > God's servant. " !!!!! > > Love to all and thank you for this wonderful community! > > Leela > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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