RE: Poem/for James

[Guest guest]

Dear James,

 

Thanks for your comments. We have in London a Ramana Maharshi Satsang which

meets twice monthly. For full details see our web site Ramana Maharshi

Foundation UK . There are two sites on google -one is ours and up to date and is

official, the other is an out of date pirate one put up by someone. We meet this

coming Saturday when the Satsang will be led by Sri Jayjayraman an authorative

speaker from Ramanasramam who is visiting London.Ask for me if you come, please.

 

RE. directing you to a Jnani there is a new book shortly to be published called

'Blue Prints for Awakening' which has interviews with several modern spiritual

Indian Masters. I have seen the book. I will let you know when it is published,

and if we meet make some comments, as not everyone in the book would be

considered to be a Jnani by everybody. There is also going to be a DVD of the

interviews.

 

The best general introduction, in my opinion, would be 'Be As You Are' by David

Godman. I believe it can be downloaded- Check on Google. Of course there are

Ramana Maharshi's Collected Works and Talks with Ramana Maharshi. Many books in

the extensive Ramana Literature can now be downloaded from the Ramanasramam main

website.

 

All best wishes and warm regards,

 

Alan

 

 

--- On Mon, 6/10/08, james cogdell <cogdelljames wrote:

 

james cogdell <cogdelljames

RE: POEM

 

Monday, 6 October, 2008, 8:35 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Alan and eeryone else who has replied to my questions,

 

Thankyou Alan for your last response. Can you direct me to a Jnani? Is that as

naiave a question as it sounds?!

Also, can you recommend a book for someone at my beginning level? This question

is for everyone as well as Alan. Also, I live in central London and wondered if

there are any teachers here or groups that could direct me and with whom I can

explore this fascinating area. 

 

Thanks 

James

 

 

 

 

 

alanadamsjacobs@ .co. uk

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 16:34:31 +0000

RE: POEM

 

 

 

 

 

Dear James,

 

Because the Jnani is no longer living from stepped down reflected consciousness,

because of the obscuration of vasanas etc. as we are;

he is living from the full power of Absolute Pure Consciousness which

implicitely has the ability to evoke or transmit an experience of the Self in

another through his gaze and presence, providing they are open to the

transmission. Absolute Pure Consciousness contains many qualities such as

intelligence, unconditional love, deep silence etc.

 

No Devotee ever suspends their rationality in this quest. We are taught by

Bhagavan to maintain our fullest intellectual discrimination. When you really

investigate Advaita Metaphysics you will find it transcends the best Western

Philosphy. Probably the closest Western Philosopher to this teaching is Arthur

Schopenhauer, rather than logical positivism etc.- a great rationalist who loved

the Upanishads!

 

All best wishes and warm regards,

 

Alan

 

--- On Mon, 6/10/08, james cogdell <cogdelljames@ hotmail.com> wrote:

 

james cogdell <cogdelljames@ hotmail.com>

RE: POEM

 

Monday, 6 October, 2008, 4:01 PM

 

Dear Alan,

Thankyou very much for your response. As you can tell, I am a respectful skeptic

but a skeptic who comes from a place of love.

 

I would like to ask you how you think the process of the 'silent gaze' transmits

non-dual truths. I understand that it is perhaps impossible to describe in

words, but I would like to know your response to that impossibility and how you

and other devotees suspend your rationality. Ofcourse I understand that the

concept of 'rationality' has come under some scrutiny since the linguistic turn

and post modern theory, and that it is no longer considered a unique product of

western philosophy; but even so, your response to this would be gratefully

received.

 

James

 

 

alana

 damsjacobs (AT) (DOT) co.uk

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 13:18:35 +0000

RE: POEM

 

Dear james,

 

You asked

 

1. How is it possible to communicate the non-dual truth without the use of

language?

 

Great Jnanis, like Ramana Maharshi were able to transmit the non-dual truth to

mature sadhaks by the power of their silent gaze. This capacity is rare even

amongst Jnanis and those who possess such a power are often called Supreme

Gurus. Such a one was Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi.

 

2. Is this experience of non-duality sui generis? If it is and absolute truth

occurs 'outside' of a structural language signification, what is it's function

when an attempt is made to signify the unsignifiable?

 

As contact with a Supreme Guru is very rare, great sages endeavour to teach the

Non Dual Truth verbally. It is only an approximation of Truth, but a very great

deal better than nothing!

 

3. Words like 'non-duality' and 'absolute truth' refer not to one single

individual or group experience but rely for their meaning by reference to other

words like 'relative truth' and 'binary opposition'. 

 

Yes.

 

All regards and best wishes,

 

Alan

 

SURRENDER*

 

Without any conditions,

Irreversibly,

Absolutely,

Offer our poor petty mind,

And arrogant ego,

To that Great Power that knows the way

Our own Divine Source!

And happily merge in Her bliss.

 

To attain flourishing immortal life

In which Death is no more,

The non-dual Truth,

The state of Great Silence,

There is no other means

Than making the ultimate sacrifice

Of total, complete, self surrender!

Thus, to be absorbed

Through surrender of the self to the Self,

Is to attain the Supreme Truth.

 

Whatever happens let it happen,

Whatever does not happen,

Let it not happen,

A sadakh with this attitude

Will be well established in the Self.

 

*A free versification of the opening verses in Muruganar's

Padamalai from the Chapter on Surrender, Love and Devotion.

 

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