Guest guest Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 --- On Fri, 14/8/09, Swami Sadasivananda <sadasivananda wrote: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LIVING AND THE DEAD Question: “What is the meaning of the verse in the Bhagavad Gita where Sri Krishna declares a difference between the “livingâ€and the “deadâ€? "O Arjuna, you have mourned those that should not be mourned, and you speak words as if with wisdom; The wise do not mourn for the dead or for the living." Gita II:11 You have asked a wonderful question, which lies right at the very heart of a proper understanding needed to achieve real spiritual progress. It is not a coincidence, therefore, that this secret is revealed in the very first teaching of Sri Krishna within the Bhagavad Gita. Immediately prior to the Lord declaring that there was never a time when “we†ceased to be: “Truly, there was never a time when I was not, nor you, nor these lords of men; and neither will there be a time when we shall cease to be, form this time onward.†Gita II:12 He says: “gatasun agatasums cananusocanti panditahâ€, “The wise mourn neither for the dead or for the living.†The word used for “dead†is “gatasunâ€, the gone. The word used for “living†is “agatasunâ€, the not gone. So, what has gone, and where has it gone? The answer is found by looking within the meanings of the root words in Sanskrit that formed the two words in question. In both cases they are the same, coming from “gata†and “asuâ€. “Gata†means gone, “asu†means breath! Now we should begin to see the reason why many scriptures of various religions refer to what we nonchalantly call “respiration†to, in reality, be the “Breath of Lifeâ€. Bhagavan Ramana says, in his famous eksloke, engraved above his marble statue in the Ashrams new hall of the temple dedicated to the Divine Mother: “If you follow the “I†thought to it’s source, or the breath to it’s source, you will arrive at the same origin - the Selfâ€. The Buddha, and his descendants declare: “The breath will lead you all the way to Nirvana.†Thus, within many correct forms of meditation, watching the breath (awareness of its length and movement) is an essential aspect of a practice that leads to the most advanced attainment, to the purpose of life. The breath is therefore a means for ending the cycle of successive lives, if only we use it skillfully. The Self never waivers, neither from increase nor diminishment, It is! We are sometimes given the gift of “breathâ€, and with it we progress towards higher life in God. Sometimes we move, without the need for breath to sustain us, through “other worldsâ€, “other mansions†within creation to approach and serve our Creator. It all depends on the lessons we need to learn, the appointments we need to keep, and the habits we need to break or acquire! Our meditation brings us, eventually through skillful practice, to complete awareness and realization of being truly “awake†in God. Sri Krishna, therefore, ends this most important second chapter of the Gita by explaining this state as “stita prajna – steady in wisdomâ€. It is synonymous with “liberation†in life; the extinction of pain, infinite bliss, and steady (poised with dignity) throughout all of life’s joys and sorrows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 15, 2009 Report Share Posted August 15, 2009 ---- Original message ---- >Date:  Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:04:42 +0000 (GMT) >  Alan Jacobs <alanadamsjacobs >Subject:  Re: The Difference Between the Living and the Dead >To:  > > > > --- On Fri, 14/8/09, Swami Sadasivananda > <sadasivananda wrote: > > THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LIVING AND THE DEAD > > Question: “What is the meaning of the verse in > the Bhagavad Gita where Sri Krishna declares a > difference between the “livingâ€and the > “deadâ€? > > " O Arjuna, you have mourned those that should > not be mourned, and you speak words as if with > wisdom; The wise do not mourn for the dead or > for the living. " Gita II:11 Breath Breath Is the bridge Between being And being not, Called by people " Life " and " Death " . The timeless, All containing life, One without a second Has nothing to oppose. The opposite of death Is birth. Inhaling – I am born. Exhaling – I die. In the meantime My life Flows, Unaffected. Praise be! shabbat shalom all, yosy nnb > > You have asked a wonderful question, which lies > right at the very heart of a proper understanding > needed to achieve real spiritual progress. It is not > a coincidence, therefore, that this secret is > revealed in the very first teaching of Sri Krishna > within the Bhagavad Gita. > > Immediately prior to the Lord declaring that > there was never a time when “we†ceased to be: > > “Truly, there was never a time when I was not, > nor you, nor these lords of men; and neither will > there be a time when we shall cease to be, form > this time onward.†Gita II:12 > > He says: “gatasun agatasums cananusocanti > panditahâ€, “The wise mourn neither for the dead > or for the living.†The word used for “dead†> is “gatasunâ€, the gone. The word used for > “living†is “agatasunâ€, the not gone. > > > > So, what has gone, and where has it gone? The > answer is found by looking within the meanings of > the root words in Sanskrit that formed the two words > in question. In both cases they are the same, coming > from “gata†and “asuâ€. “Gata†means > gone, “asu†means breath! Now we should begin to > see the reason why many scriptures of various > religions refer to what we nonchalantly call > “respiration†to, in reality, be the “Breath > of Lifeâ€. > > > > Bhagavan Ramana says, in his famous eksloke, > engraved above his marble statue in the Ashrams new > hall of the temple dedicated to the Divine Mother: > “If you follow the “I†thought to it’s > source, or the breath to it’s source, you will > arrive at the same origin - the Selfâ€. The Buddha, > and his descendants declare: “The breath will lead > you all the way to Nirvana.†Thus, within many > correct forms of meditation, watching the breath > (awareness of its length and movement) is an > essential aspect of a practice that leads to the > most advanced attainment, to the purpose of life. > The breath is therefore a means for ending the cycle > of successive lives, if only we use it skillfully. > > > > The Self never waivers, neither from increase > nor diminishment, It is! We are sometimes given the > gift of “breathâ€, and with it we progress > towards higher life in God. Sometimes we move, > without the need for breath to sustain us, through > “other worldsâ€, “other mansions†within > creation to approach and serve our Creator. It all > depends on the lessons we need to learn, the > appointments we need to keep, and the habits we need > to break or acquire! Our meditation brings us, > eventually through skillful practice, to complete > awareness and realization of being truly “awake†> in God. Sri Krishna, therefore, ends this most > important second chapter of the Gita by explaining > this state as “stita prajna – steady in > wisdomâ€. It is synonymous with “liberation†in > life; the extinction of pain, infinite bliss, and > steady (poised with dignity) throughout all of > life’s joys and sorrows. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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