Guest guest Posted August 20, 1999 Report Share Posted August 20, 1999 Hello Friends, Because the Reality is partially manifest in us, we see incomplete manifestation of the Same all around. This is the cause of perception of difference between man and man, and man and nature. Some appear evil, others saint; some we call friends, others foes. This dynamic process which we call evolution is an attempt to express more and more glory of Infinite Divinity of Atman. No one can stop in the road. From ameba to highly evolved human being, all are irresistibly drawn towards infiniteness, blessedness and wisdom. Infinite power, Knowledge, and Beatitude are ours, and we have not to acquire them. THAT IS OUR REAL NATURE. We have only to manifest it. This is the central idea of Advaita Vedanta. Dispassion really means giving up the appearance and to seek the essence, the essence of God in every being. In the ignorance of seeing multiple images in multiple mirrors we have forgotten how we originally looked like! We look like God. Our reality or nature is Divinity; not good or bad human beings. As one of the Upanishads maintains 'whatever exists is to be covered with Lord Himself', not by false optimism or by binding our eyes to the evil, but by really seeing God in everything. In this way we have to give up shadowy world of images and appearances. We have to accept the world as it is, and then to penetrate through both good and evil to reach the essence of Unity in both of them. We have to realize transcendental Oneness in apparent duality of this world. Vedanta does not denounce the world. The idea of renunciation is to be understood from this angle. It is not dry suicidal attitude, nor escapism or skepticism; nor cynicism or defeatism. One may take his/her own time to straighten the curly tail of this dog-world, but sooner one realizes the futility of attempt the better for him/her! For then, he or she can utilize the same energy to cross the deluding Maya to get the vision of Reality beyond. Will this not make the heart hard like a stone? No. The non-attachment in fact will bring vision of 'sameness', the feeling of 'oneness' towards both love and terror, pain and pleasure, life and death. It will help the person perform the actions to alleviate sufferings of masses as if one is helping oneself. Much the same way you will enjoy good food, clothes, comfort and care etc. through millions other bodies without actually owning anything! You need not possess objects of enjoyment nor do you need to suffer to understand misery and sorrow. Both are equally true but do not affect you. Your action would lose narrow sectarian limitations and shall become universal. Eradication of evil and establishment of good would become a natural, calm and eternal endeavor. It would be as gentle as, and as natural as Buddha offering his life to save the life of a lamb on sacrificial altar!!! dr c s shah -- ==================================== E-magazine on science and spirituality. Visit: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Styx/1704/index.html http://members.xoom.com/drcsshah/neovedanta/index.html ==================================== Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 21, 1999 Report Share Posted August 21, 1999 Thank you Dr. S for such a beautiful and inspiring summation of the Perennial Philosophy! --Karen Dr C S Shah wrote: > Dr C S Shah <drcssha > > Hello Friends, > > Because the Reality is partially manifest in us, we see incomplete > manifestation of the Same all around. This is the cause of perception of > difference between man and man, and man and nature. Some appear evil, > others saint; some we call friends, others foes. This dynamic process > which we call evolution is an attempt to express more and more glory of > Infinite Divinity of Atman. > > No one can stop in the road. From ameba to highly evolved human being, > all are irresistibly drawn towards infiniteness, blessedness and wisdom. > Infinite power, Knowledge, and Beatitude are ours, and we have not to > acquire them. THAT IS OUR REAL NATURE. We have only to manifest it. This > is the central idea of Advaita Vedanta. > > Dispassion really means giving up the appearance and to seek the > essence, the essence of God in every being. In the ignorance of seeing > multiple images in multiple mirrors we have forgotten how we originally > looked like! We look like God. Our reality or nature is Divinity; not > good or bad human beings. > > As one of the Upanishads maintains 'whatever exists is to be covered > with Lord Himself', not by false optimism or by binding our eyes to the > evil, but by really seeing God in everything. > > In this way we have to give up shadowy world of images and appearances. > We have to accept the world as it is, and then to penetrate through both > good and evil to reach the essence of Unity in both of them. We have to > realize transcendental Oneness in apparent duality of this world. > > Vedanta does not denounce the world. The idea of renunciation is to be > understood from this angle. It is not dry suicidal attitude, nor > escapism or skepticism; nor cynicism or defeatism. > > One may take his/her own time to straighten the curly tail of this > dog-world, but sooner one realizes the futility of attempt the better > for him/her! For then, he or she can utilize the same energy to cross > the deluding Maya to get the vision of Reality beyond. > > Will this not make the heart hard like a stone? No. The non-attachment > in fact will bring vision of 'sameness', the feeling of 'oneness' > towards both love and terror, pain and pleasure, life and death. > > It will help the person perform the actions to alleviate sufferings of > masses as if one is helping oneself. Much the same way you will enjoy > good food, clothes, comfort and care etc. through millions other bodies > without actually owning anything! You need not possess objects of > enjoyment nor do you need to suffer to understand misery and sorrow. > > Both are equally true but do not affect you. > > Your action would lose narrow sectarian limitations and shall become > universal. Eradication of evil and establishment of good would become a > natural, calm and eternal endeavor. It would be as gentle as, and as > natural as Buddha offering his life to save the life of a lamb on > sacrificial altar!!! > > dr c s shah > -- > ==================================== > E-magazine on science and spirituality. Visit: > http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Styx/1704/index.html > http://members.xoom.com/drcsshah/neovedanta/index.html > ==================================== > > --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- > > ONElist: the best place to EXPLORE topics, SHARE ideas, and > CONNECT to people with the same interests. > > ------ > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah > Vivekananda Centre London > http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 23, 1999 Report Share Posted August 23, 1999 Namaste The quote below from Dr Shah reminds me of what Gandhi-ji said. It goes something like this: " The moment you renounce what you posess, the whole world belongs to you " . Om Shanti > Dr C S Shah <drcssha > > > Will this not make the heart hard like a stone? No. The non-attachment > in fact will bring vision of 'sameness', the feeling of 'oneness' > towards both love and terror, pain and pleasure, life and death. > > It will help the person perform the actions to alleviate sufferings of > masses as if one is helping oneself. Much the same way you will enjoy > good food, clothes, comfort and care etc. through millions other bodies > without actually owning anything! You need not possess objects of > enjoyment nor do you need to suffer to understand misery and sorrow. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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