Guest guest Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 > Dear Michael -- and list, I have been reading " Hindiusm and Westerners " discussions with interest. First, to respond to Michael about whether or not U.S. citizens are religious (Michael finds them not so) would be to judge them from outside their purview. Look at the giant steps the Fundamentalist Christians have made in our politics. These are ardent Christians, friends, whether or not Jesus would agree with them. So the question might be framed, how many of ANY country are truly religious, and we get the answer from Krishna that of a million, 10 are so ( I do not have the correct figures in hand right now, but it is extraordinarily low). Which brings us to Michael's second point concerning the effort that it takes. Only a few will make that extraordinary effort -- but the rest nevertheless carry on their rituals and observances and philosophical thoughtfulness. Michael mentions Thakur, Vivekananda, and great figures of Hindu spirituality -- but there have been Christian and Sufi and Buddhistic, Black Elk -- individuals in all traditions -- who have reached the Supreme Goal. There is a huge amount of literature (diaries, etc.) on the Christian saints and their efforts. Hinduism is not the only path to the Supreme. The final point I wished to make concerning Hinduism and Westerners is that in the U.S. there are Christian Vedantists and Jewish Vedantists and Buddhist Vedantists and Sufi Vedantists, etc. etc. etc. They have continued the path of their individual Ideal while allowing the breadth of the Upanishads, the Gita, Shankara, Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, etc. to expand and invigorate their practice. Of course there are some who " convert " to Hinduism, but that has never been a necessity for Vedantic spirituality in this country. As Swami Prabhavananda used to say, his wish was to convert people into men and women of God, and there is no " ism " attached to it. edtipple I believe that most persons in the U.S. are not really religious at all. I am not judging them. Frankly, I don't care whether a person of any country is religious or not. I myself am not religious. > But look at the extreme EFFORT that Thakur made during his > sadhanas. Look at the extreme spiritual efforts that Swami > Vivekananda made in his lifetime. It is well known that many of the > greatest figures of Hindu spirituality made superhuman efforts to > achieve God realization. This is all that I meant. > > Warmest regards, > > michael > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 24, 2004 Report Share Posted July 24, 2004 > Dear Jagannath, Our prayers are with you. Yes, yes, yes, every being is hurtling towards the godhead, whether he/she/it knows it or not. Remember Vivekananda's remark that the worm that crawls under your feet is the brother of the Nazarene. The statement you mentioned from the journal of MLBD Pub. is absolute nonsense. We have the Christians believing only they are the appointed ones, and Muslims believing only they are. Now we have a Hindu making such an absurd, vain statement. Get well soon, Jagannath, edtipple > > > A word on the debate on westerners and hinduism, it is wrong to say that only the devotees of God are marching towards him. Every being is hurtling towards the godhead whether he/she/it knows it or not. One becomes a known devotee only when one comes to realise this fact. The Lord mentions this in the Gita. > > I recently came across the statement of a scholar of the Vedas and Puranas, in a journal of MLBD Publishers, where he says that only Bharatvarsha (undivided India) is the karmabhumi where one can do sat karma. The rest of the world are places where beings reincarnate merely to enjoy the fruits of their actions. I think this is a very short sighted statement. What do the revered list members think? > > Warm regards, > Jagannath. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 Such oppinions do only confirm the truth,that the level of individual development is the way of deep understanding.They oppose themselves,saying that " god could be reached only doing so or so. " If we accept this diversity,we'll miss the complete onness of god,his total universality.But,to reach this state of " knowledge " ,you'll have to pass thr.philosophies like that in the journal.Unfortunatelly,missunderstood they could be used for rather unhumanic purposes.We should not forget that religion means mostly UNITY. Edith Tipple <edtipple wrote:> Dear Jagannath, Our prayers are with you. Yes, yes, yes, every being is hurtling towards the godhead, whether he/she/it knows it or not. Remember Vivekananda's remark that the worm that crawls under your feet is the brother of the Nazarene. The statement you mentioned from the journal of MLBD Pub. is absolute nonsense. We have the Christians believing only they are the appointed ones, and Muslims believing only they are. Now we have a Hindu making such an absurd, vain statement. Get well soon, Jagannath, edtipple > > > A word on the debate on westerners and hinduism, it is wrong to say that only the devotees of God are marching towards him. Every being is hurtling towards the godhead whether he/she/it knows it or not. One becomes a known devotee only when one comes to realise this fact. The Lord mentions this in the Gita. > > I recently came across the statement of a scholar of the Vedas and Puranas, in a journal of MLBD Publishers, where he says that only Bharatvarsha (undivided India) is the karmabhumi where one can do sat karma. The rest of the world are places where beings reincarnate merely to enjoy the fruits of their actions. I think this is a very short sighted statement. What do the revered list members think? > > Warm regards, > Jagannath. > Sri Ramakrishnaya Namah Vivekananda Centre London http://www.vivekananda.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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