Fw: [philist] Fw: Research for a presentation

[Guest guest]

This the reply from Shri. Ramesh Sankaranarayanan from philist to

Christine's question:

 

Hari Om!

 

R. Dinakaran

 

-

Ramesh Sankaranarayanan <s_ramesh1

<philist >

Cc: <SalcidoC_93930

Friday, December 10, 1999 12:23 AM

Re: [philist] Fw: Research for a presentation

 

 

> " Ramesh Sankaranarayanan " <s_ramesh1

>

> I would suggest the complete works of Swami Vivekananda (which is based on

> Vedanta) for an exposition of Hinduism's position on evil.

> Briefly, what I think it says is: good and evil are seen as two sides of the

> same coin. For the individual striving towards God-realization, acts that

> make one feel ignoble, debased, etc. are deemed " evil " and cause impurities

> in the mind which inhibit God-realization. " Good " acts cause the mind to

> become purer. Another distinction is: " evil " is selfish and causes

> attachment to ego and material things; while " good " is selfless and causes

> detachment from feelings of ego and material things. After a stage, the mind

> which is purified by good actions and thoughts gets bound by even these, and

> one has to overcome the binding effects of good actions and to realize the

> ultimate Truth.

> To summarize, Hinduism has a very specific definition of " good " and " evil " -

> " good " actions/thoughts enable realization, while " bad " actions/thoughts

> inhibit realization. (If you think about it, good and bad is always in a

> context and with respect to some goal or end.) What is " good " for the

> individual usually ends up being good for society also, since " good " acts

> are altruistic / selfless.

> (1) Why is there evil in the world? Because people are in various stages of

> self realization.

> (2) So, will good truimph in the end? It has to, since at one stage or other

> everyone will want to realize their own true Self, and to do this one must

> do good and be good.

>

> (The views expressed above are my own interpretation of what I have read of

> Vivekananda, and are not implied to be correct or unique.)

>

> Best wishes

> Ramesh

>

> Visit Philist on the web at http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/2973

>

[Guest guest]

You have givrn the best definitions of good and evil. But, maybe Christine

wanted to know how our mythologies depict the birth of evil and comment on its

presence in the society.

Dinakaran <dynes

Ramakrishna <Ramakrishna >

Saturday, December 11, 1999 10:20 AM

[ramakrishna] Fw: [philist] Fw: Research for a presentation

 

 

This the reply from Shri. Ramesh Sankaranarayanan from philist

to Christine's question:

 

Hari Om!

 

R. Dinakaran

 

-

Ramesh Sankaranarayanan <s_ramesh1

<philist >

Cc: <SalcidoC_93930

Friday, December 10, 1999 12:23 AM

Re: [philist] Fw: Research for a presentation

 

 

> " Ramesh Sankaranarayanan " <s_ramesh1

>

> I would suggest the complete works of Swami Vivekananda (which is based on

> Vedanta) for an exposition of Hinduism's position on evil.

> Briefly, what I think it says is: good and evil are seen as two sides of

the

> same coin. For the individual striving towards God-realization, acts that

> make one feel ignoble, debased, etc. are deemed " evil " and cause

impurities

> in the mind which inhibit God-realization. " Good " acts cause the mind to

> become purer. Another distinction is: " evil " is selfish and causes

> attachment to ego and material things; while " good " is selfless and causes

> detachment from feelings of ego and material things. After a stage, the

mind

> which is purified by good actions and thoughts gets bound by even these,

and

> one has to overcome the binding effects of good actions and to realize the

> ultimate Truth.

> To summarize, Hinduism has a very specific definition of " good " and " evil "

-

> " good " actions/thoughts enable realization, while " bad " actions/thoughts

> inhibit realization. (If you think about it, good and bad is always in a

> context and with respect to some goal or end.) What is " good " for the

> individual usually ends up being good for society also, since " good " acts

> are altruistic / selfless.

> (1) Why is there evil in the world? Because people are in various stages

of

> self realization.

> (2) So, will good truimph in the end? It has to, since at one stage or

other

> everyone will want to realize their own true Self, and to do this one must

> do good and be good.

>

> (The views expressed above are my own interpretation of what I have read

of

> Vivekananda, and are not implied to be correct or unique.)

>

> Best wishes

> Ramesh

>

> Visit Philist on the web at http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/2973

>