Guest guest Posted January 8, 2001 Report Share Posted January 8, 2001 - <VedWestCom <vivekananda Cc: <VedWestCom Monday, January 08, 2001 01:56 Re: Miracles > Jay, > > I think you did just the right thing. First stating that we don't want to > disturb anyone's faith, and then quoting Swamiji as you did. Excellent! > > Are you familiar with the exposure of Sai Baba's " miracles " as fraudulent by > the Indian Rationalist Association? Photographs were taken which, when played > back slowly, revealed sleight of hand. > > Best regards, > > John S > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 10, 2001 Report Share Posted January 10, 2001 Hi, The Lord has given different ways for different people. It is not the tradition of the followers of Takur to condemn the beliefs and practices of other systems. If a person comes comes to accept Takur as his all-in-all, then to him, we can say going after miracles is bad. It is not right to give free advice and public proclamations against anyone's faith. I have a few friends who are ardent devotees of Sai Baba. But they donot care a straw about his miracles. They see in him something more profound and deep. I know that they go to him for real spirituality and they get it too. Basically the devotee gets what he is seeking for. If you plainly reject any saint who performs miracles, you will have to reject Sri Krishna first. Then you have to reject the great Adi Sankara (remember the Kanakadhara incident, Padmapada crossing the river, etc). Even Swami Vivekananda showed extraordinary memory, mind reading, clairvoyance (eg. Steel Plant in Bihar) and the like, which can be classified as miracles. I agree that it should be made clear that the objective of sadhana is not miracles and in fact miracles are obstructions to sadhana. But it is not right to reject everyone who displays miracles as second or third grade saints. In the first place, who are we to judge them ? Are we so great that we can pronounce judgement about people who are acknowledged by thousands of people as holy men ? It is sheer madness. If you think Sri Ramakrishna is great, Sri Sarada is great, sing their glories. Do not sling mud on someone else. It will not take you anywhere. With love, Gomu. -- ----------------------------- Email: gomu Phone(Off): +91 44 4466448, 4466449 Phone(Res): +91 44 8270104 Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/gokulmuthu/ ----------------------------- It is better to wear out than to rust out. - Swami Vivekananda ----------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 10, 2001 Report Share Posted January 10, 2001 This email deserves a detailed reply. " Gokulmuthu N. " <gokulmuthu Re: miracles > Hi, >The Lord has given different ways for different people. It is not >the tradition of the followers of Takur to condemn the beliefs and practices >of other systems. If a person comes comes to accept Takur as his >all-in-all, then to him, we can say going after miracles is bad. True - Thakur has said don't disturb anyone's faith however misplaced (you feel) it may be. " Going after miracles " - Thakur has always condemned 'use of siddhis' Many times people who came to Thakur with 'Siddhis' were deprived of their powers so that they could make spiritual progress. Thakur was very pleased with Narendra when he refused 'siddhis'. Thakur or devotees of Thakur have played down 'miraculous happenings' precisely for the reason that they are a major distraction in spiritual progress. > It is not right togive free advice and public proclamations >against anyone's faith. True - but if someone asks me for a frank opinion - it will be hypocritical to say something that I do not agree with. > If you plainly reject >any saint who performs miracles, you will have to reject Sri Krishna >first. Then you have to reject the great Adi Sankara (remember the Kanakadhara > incident, Padmapada crossing the river, etc). Even Swami Vivekananda > showed extraordinary memory, mind reading, clairvoyance (eg. Steel Plant in > Bihar) and the like, which can be classified as miracles. Neither Shankara nor Sri Ramakrishna nor Swami Vivekananda paid emphasis to miracles. In fact they went to great lengths to play down anything that appeared as a miracle. Swami Vivekananda clearly said all this is possible (like extraordinary memory) by training the mind - being celibate etc. All that we call as miracles is just the manifestations of powers of our own mind etc.. No magic is involved. Nothing happens that requires you to suspend your sense of rationality. " Once you switch off rationality you are then open to all sorts of hobgoblins. " Shankara would say ' sruti, yukti and anubhuti are the three tools required for verification - yukti meaning use of rationality. > I agree that it should be made clear that the objective of sadhana > is > not miracles and in fact miracles are obstructions to sadhana. But it is > not right to reject everyone who displays miracles as second or third > grade saints. I had said right at the start I am not here to demote any movement, but neither am I here to promote something that I do not agree with. > In the first place, who are we to judge them ? Are we so > great that we can pronounce judgement about people who are acknowledged > by thousands of people as holy men ? It is sheer madness. I have no right to judge anyone but I also have a right to use my rational faculties to decide what is best for me. There are a great many 'spiritual movements' in the world, with not thousands but millions of followers. I find many of their teachings distasteful - does that mean that I am mad? >If you think > Sri Ramakrishna is great, Sri Sarada is great, sing their glories. That is what I do. > Do not sling mud on someone else. It will not take you anywhere. If expressing my true opinion (when asked) is slinging mud - then I stand condemned. > With love, > Gomu. regards jay > ----------------------------- > Email: gomu > Phone(Off): +91 44 4466448, 4466449 > Phone(Res): +91 44 8270104 > Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/gokulmuthu/ > ----------------------------- > It is better to wear out than to rust out. - Swami Vivekananda > ----------------------------- > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 11, 2009 Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 Dear Devotees and Satsang Coordinators, JGD Couple of devotees called asking for guidlines to write their experiences. Please send the article as early as you can although we have set the deadline as Dec. 1, 2009. It will help us to edit the articles, if necessary, without too delay. Please include the following: How and when did you hear about Swamiji? How and when did you meet or see Swamiji for the first time? What was your first reaction then (both positive and/or negative impressions about Swamiji). Narrate as many experience/s as you can. Make your description concise and clear enough so that a new person not familiar with His Holiness gets a glimpse of His Uniqueness. Thank you. Nandini Rao Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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