Guest guest Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 , " Richard Clarke " <richard wrote: > > Dear Yosy, > > Yes, Please sit. > > Om Arunachala, > Richard > thank you for your kind permission... yosy ps. this is the only verbal upadesa i received from my guru, in 1978. he told me: " sit. wait. " so i do mothing, and rest... and all is perfect. nnb > , " yosyx " <yosyflug@> wrote: > > > > , " Richard Clarke " <richard@> > > wrote: > > > > > > Dear Josy, > > > > > > I want to comment on your post. You say: > > > > > > advaita cannot be taught. it is a whole and complete way of life. it > > > can be learned, though. it can be realized by following consistently > > > the teachings of non-duality, and eventually adopting fully the > > > non-dual attitude. but this, too, is an act of grace. > > > > > > > > > > > > As I read this, it seems like a criticism of teachers. > > > > > > > > > > > > hehehe " true virue fears no critique " > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Maybe I am just > > > reading something into it that is not there. For myself, I have > > found > > > that, though the seeker must look within, having a teacher, in a > > body, > > > who instructs in where and how to look can be wonderful. It may be > > > that you have not had the grace of a teacher in a body in this life. > > > Maybe you did not need one. For most people, I think, a teacher is > > of > > > great importance. Certainly Ramana is that teacher for many of us. > > > There have been many teachers for thousands of years in many > > different > > > places, who taught with both words and silence (depending I suspect > > on > > > whom he was `instructing'). Some of these `teachings' have been > > > recorded. Many, I think, have not been. > > > > > > > > > > > > > the real, living teaching is delivered according > > to the time, place and people, and by various (and > > often unpercivable) means. the 'recorded teachings' > > are precisely that, and nothing more. > > > > > > > > > > > > > I have benefited greatly from having a teacher who seemed to be in > > the > > > body. Before this I had read eastern books (mainly Zen, especially > > > Chan Buddhist), and tried to approach what I thought was the > > teaching > > > by myself, within myself. Now I see that I had `ego' as a teacher, > > and > > > so was not able to reach beyond ego, was not able to reach beyond > > the > > > same concepts that were in fact the limitation. > > > > > > Finding a teacher changed this. When I first heard him talk I knew > > it > > > was the truth. I did not know what much of it meant, but I knew it > > was > > > the truth. Listening to the teacher talk again and again, meditating > > > with him, having depth of meditation with the teacher that then > > > extended to practice and life, etc. was my experience. For this I am > > > more grateful than I can say. > > > > > > The teacher reveals the Self as your very own nature, the only > > nature > > > that you have. The teacher `invites' you to look within to see > > > directly the truth that you are. Ramana said that the teacher pushes > > > from without and pulls from within. > > > > > > It is said in this group and many other places that there are > > > `so-called teachers' that take advantage of unwary seekers. I am > > sure > > > this is so. There are also those teachers who stand directly as > > That, > > > exemplified by Sri Ramana, and show the seeker who they, themselves, > > > actually are. I think each of us knows what is true, and can use > > this > > > knowledge to discern and discriminate what we hear from a teacher. > > (I > > > would say that if a teacher makes any appeal to the ego, then one > > > should be cautious.) I have also heard things like, " When you are > > > ready, your guru will come. " and " You find the teacher that you need > > > at the time. " Maybe these are true, I don't know. > > > > > > I do know that for me, finding a teacher was great grace, and that I > > > was able to take the teachings and the example presented by the > > > teacher, and look deeply within myself to see what is true. This > > > seemed to change my thoughts, activities, and how I choose to live. > > I > > > feel it is changing my own knowledge of who I am. > > > > > > So I say, " Thank you to all the teachers, wherever and whenever you > > > are. Thank you for showing us the truth about our own existence. > > This > > > is the highest grace, the highest blessing. Thank you. " > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > the real and only teacher is the self/truth. > > it is always present everywhere, regardless > > of names and forms. the teaching is revealed > > when the student approaches it with the right > > attitude and capacity. when the student is ready, > > it can be delivered by a tree or a cat; but if > > s/he is not, even god in person addressing the > > seeker directly will accomplish nothing... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > One other comment, you talk about, `adopting fully the non-dual > > > attitude' as if this were some kind of action or thought. This > > > happens, but as a natural result of atma vidya - Self knowledge. > > > > > > > > > > > > atma vidya is the result. adopting the attitude > > is the means. no shortcuts. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Until > > > then it is `just' a mental product, a thought – but I think an > > > important one for a seeker since it can help direct the focus > > within. > > > The Gita says that action does not lead to liberation, only > > knowledge > > > – Self knowledge. > > > > > > Yes, nonduality is something that the seeker must find for himself > > > within himself. This is the atma vidya, Self-knowledge, that is > > spoken > > > of the by sages. What the seeker finds is that he or she IS that > > which > > > was sought. This way nonduality is more than a mere `way of life,' > > it > > > is existence as Existence itself. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > 'you' and your 'way of life' are one and > > inseparable, my friend. you are the way; it > > is the existence itself. understanding that > > is the basis of " nonduality " . tat twam asi. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Maybe we are not talking about anything different. Certainly, at the > > > deepest, we cannot be. Maybe it is just language getting in the way > > of > > > what is deeper than words or thoughts. > > > > > > May you stand in That as That itself. > > > > > > > > > > do you mind if i sit? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Om Arunachala, > > > Richard > > > > > > > > > BOOM! > > > > yosy > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > , " yosyx " <yosyflug@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Tim > > > > > > > > > " those who know, do not speak; > > > > those who speak - do not know " > > > > (tao te ching) > > > > > > > > the above applies without doubt to > > > > all supposed neo + advaita teachers. > > > > > > > > they simply follow the law of demand and > > > > supply - one has to make a living, no? > > > > > > > > advaita cannot be taught. it is a whole and > > > > complete way of life. it can be learned, though. > > > > it can be realized by following consistently > > > > the teachings of non-duality, and eventually > > > > adopting fully the non-dual attitude. > > > > but this, too, is an act of grace. > > > > > > > > beloved ramana taught directly by his presence alone. > > > > his " teachings " were just byproducts, spontaneous > > > > acts of boundless compassion. > > > > > > > > yosy > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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