[Sri Ramakrishna] what is truth?

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

What finer expression to this question than to quote the

Taittiriya Upanishad 1:1:11 [siksha valli]:

 

1. After having taught the Veda, the teacher instructs the

pupil: 'Say what is true! Do thy duty! Do not neglect the study of

the Veda! After having brought to thy teacher his proper reward, do

not cut off the line of children! Do not swerve from the truth! Do

not swerve from duty! Do not neglect what is useful! Do not neglect

greatness! Do not neglect the learning and teaching of the Veda!

 

2. 'Do not neglect the (sacrificial) works due to the Gods and

Fathers! Let thy mother be to thee like unto a god! Let thy father be

to thee like unto a god! Let thy teacher be to thee like unto a god!

Let thy guest be to thee like unto a god! Whatever actions are

blameless, those should be regarded, not others. Whatever good works

have been performed by us, those should be observed by thee,-

 

3. 'Not others. And there are some Brahmanas better than we. They

should be comforted by thee by giving them a seat. Whatever is given

should be given with faith, not without faith,-with joy, with

modesty, with fear, with kindness. If there should be any doubt in

thy mind with regard to any sacred act or with regard to conduct,-

 

4. 'In that case conduct thyself as Brahmanas who possess good

judgment conduct themselves therein, whether they be appointed or

not, as long as they are not too severe, but devoted to duty. And

with regard to things that have been spoken against, as Brahmanas who

possess good judgment conduct themselves therein, whether they be

appointed or not, as long as they are not too severe, but devoted to

duty,

 

(1-7) Thus conduct thyself. 'This is the rule. This is the teaching.

This is the true purport (Upanishad) of the Veda. This is the

command. Thus should you observe. Thus should this be observed.'

 

The Bhagavadgita, Ch. 18 and many others, has many memorable verses:

 

yaj~na, daana, tapa are the duties to be performed.

All deeds should be of a 'saatvik' nature.

The Golden Rule: see everything as a part of oneself [aatmaupamyena

sarvatra samaM pashyati yaH].

Offer the deeds and the fruits to the Omnipresent Divine.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

Ramakrishna, " Girish S.V. " <girishsv@h...> wrote:

> On a related topic, what is the criteria for a deed to be " right "

and " good "

> ? One thought is that a deed that benefits a majority of people is

a " good "

> deed.

> I'd like your thoughts on this.

>

> Regards,

>

> Girish

>

>

> > " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda@b...>

> >Ramakrishna

> ><Ramakrishna>

> >Re: [sri Ramakrishna] Re: what is truth?

> >Sun, 13 Jan 2002 21:13:42 -0000

> >

> >

> >-

> > " VISHWAJIT BHADRASHETTY " <b_vishwajit>

> ><Ramakrishna>

> >Sunday, January 13, 2002 06:42

> >[sri Ramakrishna] Re: what is truth?

> >

> >

> > > Dear friends,

> > > Dont interepret it too much.The answer is very simple: Truth

is GOD

> > >

> >

> >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~response~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> >

> >Dear Vishwajit

> >

> >Hope things were that simple. : )

> >

> >If Truth and God are identical (as you seem to imply)

> >then what is Love? Is that excluded from God?

> >

> >jay

> >

> >

> >

>

>

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