Guest guest Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 Question from Steve : Pranams Swamiji ... one more question ... this is again, about suffering. When Thakur, or Ramana, Nisargadatta, or Jesus, or other evolved person, suffered in the physical body ... what does this mean? Perhaps I can phrase this to make more sense. That word "suffering" when used in spiritual talk ... as in, "attachment alone is the cause of suffering" [baba Hari Das] ... is this use of the term "suffering" limited to emotional, attachment, and mental issues? and does not include pain from neurological events, calamities, etc? The core of the question is, is any incarnated being ever completely free of suffering? When we observe Maharshi and others in great pain with cancer, etc. Is their consciousness capable of resting in a center of peaceful awareness EVEN WHEN the most terrible of physical pains is being endured. Swamiji's response : Suffering is mental affliction. If the body is in pain, but the mind is in bliss, who suffers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 hm, interesting swamiji. is our goal then, to keep mind in bliss as much as possible ... or, to intuit our identity with that which is other than body/mind? ... does the mind in bliss lead to that god/self identity? is it possible for the mind to be in bliss if other aspects of the sadhu's life are not set straight, for example: moral issues or residue from what appear as negative [non-ahimsa] actions? or, is it an acceptable course of sadhana to focus exclusively on the mind-in-bliss, without developing virtue, etc.? by mind in bliss i am understanding, a mind that is suffused with a devotional state of unity or identity with god/goddess, and the coincidental [at times extreme] reduction of thought. is that what you are intending by mind in bliss? and that, in this state, the body and its pains can appear remote no matter how extreme? as the sadhu's identity is not of the body, and that this is a real matter for him, not philosophy or words only? suffering as mental affliction -- i see the conflict in ego that generates minor pains and aggravations, i am having difficulty grasping the capacity to have a bliss that is more overwhelming than the pain of, say, the loss of a limb, something of a very extremem nature. how does a sadhu keep the mind and heart out of the world when the world/body experience can be so intense? is it possible? steve c. , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > Question from Steve : > Pranams Swamiji ... one more question ... this is again, about > suffering. > When Thakur, or Ramana, Nisargadatta, or Jesus, or other evolved > person, suffered in the physical body ... what does this mean? > Perhaps I can phrase this to make more sense. That word "suffering" > when used in spiritual talk ... as in, "attachment alone is the > cause of suffering" [baba Hari Das] ... is this use of the > term "suffering" limited to emotional, attachment, and mental > issues? and does not include pain from neurological events, > calamities, etc? > The core of the question is, is any incarnated being ever completely > free of suffering? When we observe Maharshi and others in great pain > with cancer, etc. > Is their consciousness capable of resting in a center of peaceful > awareness EVEN WHEN the most terrible of physical pains is being > endured. > > > Swamiji's response : > > > Suffering is mental affliction. If the body is in pain, but the mind > is in bliss, who suffers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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