Ellam Ondre - All is One

August 22, 1999

Dear friends

I shall post the 6 chapters of a small Tamil advaitic text called " Ellam

Ondre " meaning " All is one " . It is a book that was recommended by Sri Ramana

Maharshi as shown from the text below.

On another occasion, when I asked Bhagavan to select some reading material

for me, he gave me a short-list of six books: Kaivalya Navanitam, Ribhu

Gita, Ashtavakra Gita, Ellam Ondre, Swarupa Saram and Yoga Vasishtam.

He laid particular stress on Ellam Ondre, telling me, " If you want moksha

write, read and practise the instructions in Ellam Ondre. "

-From " Living by the Words of Bhagavan "

Ellam Ondre - 'All is One'

--------------------------

PREFACE

MEN court happiness and shun misery. It is the same with other beings also.

This holds good for the common run of mankind. But the higher order is bent

upon right conduct, enduring patiently the good or evil that it may bring.

Fellowship with these will be lasting, whereas fellowship with ordinary

people will not be. Good will result to the world through fellowship with

the higher order only.

The question then arises: " What is right?'' The point is important, but the

answer has not been found. Why? Because what is right is determined by

circumstances. However comprehensive a work may be written on the subject,

there will always be circumstances not envisaged by the author. Therefore it

becomes necessary to realize that state which will enable us to assess the

various conditions and determine what is right.

That state is one only. There are no states like it. Although it is single,

it is extraordinary that the worldly wise consider it exceedingly rare.

Nothing can be more extraordinary than this. That unique state is very

clearly taught in the Upanishads. In this book I have put down the same

truth according to my understanding. I have considered it my duty. I do not

claim originality. The six chapters of this book are so closely interrelated

that some point which may be expected in one chapter may be found in

another. Again a few points which may not be clear on a superficial reading

will become clear upon closer study. More may be gathered from major works

or Sages. Universal Mother, Master true, save us!

- The Author

The Text

Chapter I - UNITY

1. All including the world seen by you and yourself, the seer of the world,

is one only.

2. All that you consider as I, you, he, she and it, is one only.

3. What you consider to be sentient beings and what you consider to be

insentient, such as earth, air, fire and water is all one.

4. The good which is derived by your considering all as one cannot be had by

considering each as separate from the other. Therefore all is one.

5. The knowledge of the unity of all, is good for you and good for others as

well. Therefore all is one.

6. He who sees " I am separate, " " you are separate, " " he is separate " and so

on, acts one way to himself and another way to others. He cannot help doing

so. The thought " I am separate, others are separate " is the seed from which

grows the tree of differing actions in relation to different persons. How

can there be any lapse from righteousness for a person who knows the unity

of himself with others? As long as the germ of differentiation is there, the

tree of differing actions will flourish, even unawares. Therefore give up

differentiation. All is one only.

7. Ask: " If in the world all things appear different, how can I consider all

as one? Is there any way of gaining this knowledge? " The reply is: " In the

same tree we see leaves, flowers, berries and branches, different from one

another, yet they are all one because they are all included in the word

'tree'. Their root is the same; their sap is the same. Similarly, all

things, all bodies, all organisms are from the same source and activated by

a single life principle. " Therefore all is one.

8. 0h good man! Is the statement that " All is one, " good or evil? Think for

yourself. Just as the person will always be righteous who regards himself

like others and others like himself, how can any evil attach itself to him

who knows himself to be others and the others to be himself? Tell me if

there is any better way for obtaining good than the knowledge of unity?

Certainly other methods cannot be as good as this one. How can anyone love

others more than when knowing them to be himself, to know them in unity-love

as unity, for they are truly one.

9. Who can share the mental peace and freshness of the knower of unity? He

has no cares. The Good of all is his own good. A mother considers her

children's well-being to be her own well-being. Still, her love is not

perfect because she thinks she is separate and her children are separate.

The love of a Sage, who has realized the unity of all, far excels even the

love of a mother. There is no other means of gaining such love than the

knowledge of unity. Therefore all is one.

10. Know that the world as a whole is your undecaying body and that you are

the everlasting life of the whole world. Tell me if there is any harm in

doing so? Who fears to go the harmless way? Be courageous. The Vedas teach

this very truth. There is nothing but yourself. All good will be yours. Yea,

you become the good itself. All that others gain from you will be good only.

Who will work evil to his own body and soul? A remedy is applied if there is

an abscess in the body. Even if the remedy is painful, it is meant to do

good only. Such will be some of your actions; they will also be for the good

of the world. For that reason, you will not be involved in differentiation.

I put it briefly: The knower of unity will act as one should. In fact, the

knowledge of unity makes him act. He cannot err. In the world, he is God

made visible. All is one.

-------------

Swami

August 23, 1999

Thank you very much for this 'Ellaam Ondre'! I am eagerly awaiting the rest of

the pieces of the same!

I am immensely grateful to you for having narrated the short list of 6 books

recommended by Sri Bhagawan!

Swaminathan Venkataraman <nachiketas

philist <philist >; ramakrishna

<ramakrishna >; vedanta <vedanta >

Sunday, August 22, 1999 5:44 PM

[ramakrishna] Ellam Ondre - All is One

> " Swaminathan Venkataraman " <nachiketas

>

>Dear friends

>

>I shall post the 6 chapters of a small Tamil advaitic text called " Ellam

>Ondre " meaning " All is one " . It is a book that was recommended by Sri Ramana

>Maharshi as shown from the text below.

>

>On another occasion, when I asked Bhagavan to select some reading material

>for me, he gave me a short-list of six books: Kaivalya Navanitam, Ribhu

>Gita, Ashtavakra Gita, Ellam Ondre, Swarupa Saram and Yoga Vasishtam.

>

>He laid particular stress on Ellam Ondre, telling me, " If you want moksha

>write, read and practise the instructions in Ellam Ondre. "

>

>-From " Living by the Words of Bhagavan "

>

>Ellam Ondre - 'All is One'

>--------------------------

>

>PREFACE

>

>MEN court happiness and shun misery. It is the same with other beings also.

>This holds good for the common run of mankind. But the higher order is bent

>upon right conduct, enduring patiently the good or evil that it may bring.

>Fellowship with these will be lasting, whereas fellowship with ordinary

>people will not be. Good will result to the world through fellowship with

>the higher order only.

>

>The question then arises: " What is right?'' The point is important, but the

>answer has not been found. Why? Because what is right is determined by

>circumstances. However comprehensive a work may be written on the subject,

>there will always be circumstances not envisaged by the author. Therefore it

>becomes necessary to realize that state which will enable us to assess the

>various conditions and determine what is right.

>

>That state is one only. There are no states like it. Although it is single,

>it is extraordinary that the worldly wise consider it exceedingly rare.

>Nothing can be more extraordinary than this. That unique state is very

>clearly taught in the Upanishads. In this book I have put down the same

>truth according to my understanding. I have considered it my duty. I do not

>claim originality. The six chapters of this book are so closely interrelated

>that some point which may be expected in one chapter may be found in

>another. Again a few points which may not be clear on a superficial reading

>will become clear upon closer study. More may be gathered from major works

>or Sages. Universal Mother, Master true, save us!

>

>- The Author

>

>The Text

>Chapter I - UNITY

>

>1. All including the world seen by you and yourself, the seer of the world,

>is one only.

>

>2. All that you consider as I, you, he, she and it, is one only.

>

>3. What you consider to be sentient beings and what you consider to be

>insentient, such as earth, air, fire and water is all one.

>

>4. The good which is derived by your considering all as one cannot be had by

>considering each as separate from the other. Therefore all is one.

>

>5. The knowledge of the unity of all, is good for you and good for others as

>well. Therefore all is one.

>

>6. He who sees " I am separate, " " you are separate, " " he is separate " and so

>on, acts one way to himself and another way to others. He cannot help doing

>so. The thought " I am separate, others are separate " is the seed from which

>grows the tree of differing actions in relation to different persons. How

>can there be any lapse from righteousness for a person who knows the unity

>of himself with others? As long as the germ of differentiation is there, the

>tree of differing actions will flourish, even unawares. Therefore give up

>differentiation. All is one only.

>

>7. Ask: " If in the world all things appear different, how can I consider all

>as one? Is there any way of gaining this knowledge? " The reply is: " In the

>same tree we see leaves, flowers, berries and branches, different from one

>another, yet they are all one because they are all included in the word

>'tree'. Their root is the same; their sap is the same. Similarly, all

>things, all bodies, all organisms are from the same source and activated by

>a single life principle. " Therefore all is one.

>

>8. 0h good man! Is the statement that " All is one, " good or evil? Think for

>yourself. Just as the person will always be righteous who regards himself

>like others and others like himself, how can any evil attach itself to him

>who knows himself to be others and the others to be himself? Tell me if

>there is any better way for obtaining good than the knowledge of unity?

>Certainly other methods cannot be as good as this one. How can anyone love

>others more than when knowing them to be himself, to know them in unity-love

>as unity, for they are truly one.

>

>9. Who can share the mental peace and freshness of the knower of unity? He

>has no cares. The Good of all is his own good. A mother considers her

>children's well-being to be her own well-being. Still, her love is not

>perfect because she thinks she is separate and her children are separate.

>The love of a Sage, who has realized the unity of all, far excels even the

>love of a mother. There is no other means of gaining such love than the

>knowledge of unity. Therefore all is one.

>

>10. Know that the world as a whole is your undecaying body and that you are

>the everlasting life of the whole world. Tell me if there is any harm in

>doing so? Who fears to go the harmless way? Be courageous. The Vedas teach

>this very truth. There is nothing but yourself. All good will be yours. Yea,

>you become the good itself. All that others gain from you will be good only.

>Who will work evil to his own body and soul? A remedy is applied if there is

>an abscess in the body. Even if the remedy is painful, it is meant to do

>good only. Such will be some of your actions; they will also be for the good

>of the world. For that reason, you will not be involved in differentiation.

>I put it briefly: The knower of unity will act as one should. In fact, the

>knowledge of unity makes him act. He cannot err. In the world, he is God

>made visible. All is one.

>

>-------------

>

>Swami

>

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>

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>

>------

>Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

>Vivekananda Centre London

>http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda/

>

September 3, 1999

Dear Shankar,

It's been long since you posted the stories of the Sivanadiars from the

Periapuranam. I am one who has been reading it with interest and have been on

the lookout for the remaining stories. You left off after four or five stories.

I hope you will continue. If you think this is not the right forum, could you

e-mail those stories to me on a personal level. I look forward to your postings

on the subject. Thanks, Shankar.

Purush.

-

Shankar

Ramakrishna

Monday, August 23, 1999 1:03 PM

Re: [ramakrishna] Ellam Ondre - All is One