Guest guest Posted April 21, 2001 Report Share Posted April 21, 2001 Greetings: Good point on the jnana vs. the bhakti. The question of " principles " vs. " personality " also deals with the question Ramakrishna so eagerly put to many of his guests, " Do you believe in God with form or without? " Ramakrishna <Ramakrishna > Ramakrishna <Ramakrishna > Saturday, April 21, 2001 4:17 AM [ramakrishna] Digest Number 762 >Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah >Vivekananda Centre London >http://www.vivekananda.co.uk >------ > >There are 4 messages in this issue. > >Topics in this digest: > > 1. VML-4/20/01 > ananta <sarada > 2. Fw: Meditation/Krsna > " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda > 3. " In search of God " An article in New Scientist magazine > " Manish Solanki " <yam65 > 4. Re: Fw: Meditation/Krsna > R D <jaguarxox > > >______________________ >______________________ > >Message: 1 > Fri, 20 Apr 2001 08:48:17 -0400 > ananta <sarada >VML-4/20/01 > >The business of the Pariah is to clean the streets of the cities and >to keep houses clean. He cannot enter the house by the front door; by >the back door he enters; and as soon as he has gone, the whole place >over which he has passed is sprinkled with and made holy by a little >Ganga water. By birth the Brahman stands for holiness, and the Pariah >for the very reverse. And this Brahmin asked to be allowed to do the >menial services in the house of the Pariah. The Pariah of course >could not allow that, for they all think that if they allow a Brahmin >to do such menial work it will be an awful sin, and they will become >extinct. The Pariah would not permit it; so in the dead of night, >when all were sleeping, Ramakrishna would enter the house. He had >long hair, and with his hair he would wipe the place, saying, " Oh, my >Mother, make me the servant of the Pariah, make me feel that I am >even lower than the Pariah. " " They worship Me best who worship My >worshippers. These are all My children and your privilege is to serve >them " --is the teaching of Hindu scriptures. > > > >______________________ >______________________ > >Message: 2 > Fri, 20 Apr 2001 14:15:15 +0100 > " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda >Fw: Meditation/Krsna > >Interesting questions sent to our website. >(I have responded as best as I could but other list members may like >to add their own comments.........jay ) >- > >hindu >Friday, April 20, 2001 02:34 >Meditation/Krsna > > >>Hello, > >I picked up Bhagavad-Gita from my mother - and I was wondering if you can tell me the easiest >way for me to understand this text, I'm finding difficulty understanding and piecing everything together, >but it intrigues me and I long for a solid understanding, if you could help me in some way I'd be truly >grateful. (I have a few questions) > >If you visit our Gita site http://www.vivekananda.btinternet.co.uk/gita.htm >you will get an idea of the 'pluralistic teachings' of the Bhagavad Gita. >The central idea is that 'spirituality' is something that can be conceived >and approached in many different ways. This sometimes causes >difficulties as different pathways must necessarily have 'differences' > >>What does one focus on in Meditation, they say not to really focus on a thing, perhaps a sheet of >paper yet your thinking of paper, it is difficult to get to that meditative state, do you have any advice >on how to do this? > >If you are really serious about meditation then I suggest you get a small book >called Raja yoga by Swami Vivekananda. I have not come across anything more >detailed and comprehensive on this topic. If you have difficulty in getting this book >let me know -- I will give you names of bookshops in your area where you can get >this book. > >>Sri Krsna, is really G-d yes? Just another form of G-d returning to earth, so when Krsna was seen in >an applicable form (for humanity to become more in common with to form a bond) did G-d " really " >appear, did anyone really see Krsna or is it just a story with morals and guidance on how to believe? >What is the purpose of G-d returning to earth in this manner, and how is this different from Jesus >>(which I do not believe in), since they say he came to earth. > >If you believe in Historic Krishna or not, it does not matter that much. >Serious spirituality will focus on principles rather than personality. > >At the same time let me share my personal thoughts on this matter. >Books, scriptures and principles are all fine but 'real spirituality' remains >dry without a personality who lives those principles and >make them come alive. > >One such grand personality is called ' Sri Ramakrishna' (1836-1886) >You may read about his life and teachings at >http://www.vivekananda.btinternet.co.uk/why.htm >or at http://www.hinduism.fsnet.co.uk/namoma/ > > >Hope this helped. >jay >Vivekananda Centre London > >Thank you for your help I appreciate this >Heidi Cohen >please write in return to: >fleuredumal > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2001 Report Share Posted April 22, 2001 One of the best commentaries on Gita and so very easy to understand is the one by Vinoba. The title is Talks on Gita published by Oxford. You could also get a copy from Pavnar Asram in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, India. I have not read any thing as lucid and so simple as this book by Vinoba on Gita. IT may help list members Regards Yours sincerely Milind Sathye Department of Finance and Banking University of Southern Queensland Toowoomba, Queensland 4350 Australia Phone 61 +7 + 4631 5509 Fax 61+ 7 + 4631 2625 web page: http://www.usq.edu.au/users/sathye Brad Stephan [brad] Saturday, 21 April 2001 22:55 Ramakrishna Re: [ramakrishna] Digest Number 762 Greetings: Good point on the jnana vs. the bhakti. The question of " principles " vs. " personality " also deals with the question Ramakrishna so eagerly put to many of his guests, " Do you believe in God with form or without? " Ramakrishna <Ramakrishna > Ramakrishna <Ramakrishna > Saturday, April 21, 2001 4:17 AM [ramakrishna] Digest Number 762 >Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah >Vivekananda Centre London >http://www.vivekananda.co.uk >------ > >There are 4 messages in this issue. > >Topics in this digest: > > 1. VML-4/20/01 > ananta <sarada > 2. Fw: Meditation/Krsna > " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda > 3. " In search of God " An article in New Scientist magazine > " Manish Solanki " <yam65 > 4. Re: Fw: Meditation/Krsna > R D <jaguarxox > > >______________________ >______________________ > >Message: 1 > Fri, 20 Apr 2001 08:48:17 -0400 > ananta <sarada >VML-4/20/01 > >The business of the Pariah is to clean the streets of the cities and >to keep houses clean. He cannot enter the house by the front door; by >the back door he enters; and as soon as he has gone, the whole place >over which he has passed is sprinkled with and made holy by a little >Ganga water. By birth the Brahman stands for holiness, and the Pariah >for the very reverse. And this Brahmin asked to be allowed to do the >menial services in the house of the Pariah. The Pariah of course >could not allow that, for they all think that if they allow a Brahmin >to do such menial work it will be an awful sin, and they will become >extinct. The Pariah would not permit it; so in the dead of night, >when all were sleeping, Ramakrishna would enter the house. He had >long hair, and with his hair he would wipe the place, saying, " Oh, my >Mother, make me the servant of the Pariah, make me feel that I am >even lower than the Pariah. " " They worship Me best who worship My >worshippers. These are all My children and your privilege is to serve >them " --is the teaching of Hindu scriptures. > > > >______________________ >______________________ > >Message: 2 > Fri, 20 Apr 2001 14:15:15 +0100 > " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda >Fw: Meditation/Krsna > >Interesting questions sent to our website. >(I have responded as best as I could but other list members may like >to add their own comments.........jay ) >- > >hindu >Friday, April 20, 2001 02:34 >Meditation/Krsna > > >>Hello, > >I picked up Bhagavad-Gita from my mother - and I was wondering if you can tell me the easiest >way for me to understand this text, I'm finding difficulty understanding and piecing everything together, >but it intrigues me and I long for a solid understanding, if you could help me in some way I'd be truly >grateful. (I have a few questions) > >If you visit our Gita site http://www.vivekananda.btinternet.co.uk/gita.htm >you will get an idea of the 'pluralistic teachings' of the Bhagavad Gita. >The central idea is that 'spirituality' is something that can be conceived >and approached in many different ways. This sometimes causes >difficulties as different pathways must necessarily have 'differences' > >>What does one focus on in Meditation, they say not to really focus on a thing, perhaps a sheet of >paper yet your thinking of paper, it is difficult to get to that meditative state, do you have any advice >on how to do this? > >If you are really serious about meditation then I suggest you get a small book >called Raja yoga by Swami Vivekananda. I have not come across anything more >detailed and comprehensive on this topic. If you have difficulty in getting this book >let me know -- I will give you names of bookshops in your area where you can get >this book. > >>Sri Krsna, is really G-d yes? Just another form of G-d returning to earth, so when Krsna was seen in >an applicable form (for humanity to become more in common with to form a bond) did G-d " really " >appear, did anyone really see Krsna or is it just a story with morals and guidance on how to believe? >What is the purpose of G-d returning to earth in this manner, and how is this different from Jesus >>(which I do not believe in), since they say he came to earth. > >If you believe in Historic Krishna or not, it does not matter that much. >Serious spirituality will focus on principles rather than personality. > >At the same time let me share my personal thoughts on this matter. >Books, scriptures and principles are all fine but 'real spirituality' remains >dry without a personality who lives those principles and >make them come alive. > >One such grand personality is called ' Sri Ramakrishna' (1836-1886) >You may read about his life and teachings at >http://www.vivekananda.btinternet.co.uk/why.htm >or at http://www.hinduism.fsnet.co.uk/namoma/ > > >Hope this helped. >jay >Vivekananda Centre London > >Thank you for your help I appreciate this >Heidi Cohen >please write in return to: >fleuredumal > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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