SV CW Vol2 The Absolute and Manifestation - Summary

The ABSOLUTE and MANIFESTATION

Sw V Complete works Vol 2. London 1896.     

                                                                                                         

Q1.                 How was the INFINITE, the ABSOLUTE become FINITE?

a.       DEFINITIONS

                                                               i.      Universe is

1.       The material world

2.       The mental world

3.       The spiritual world

4.       The heavens and earths

5.       Everything

6.       Everything that changes ( body, mind).

                                                             ii.      Time:

1.       Is thought associated with Mind

2.       Change between 2 events

                                                           iii.      Space:

1.       External change

2.       With respect to 3 objects, associated with Mind

                                                           iv.      Causation:

1.       Motion (cause n effect), associated with Time and Space

2.       Answer to “why?”

3.       Precedence and succession == Law of causation

4.       Interdependence

b.      STATEMENT:

                                                               i.      Absolute becomes Universe by coming through Time+Space+Causation

                                                             ii.      Absolute is:

1.       Unknowable, Infinte

a.       Knowledge/objectification ϵ Mind. Therefore, Absolute ϵ/ Mind

2.       Free

a.       If Absolute is caused by something then Absolute ϵ Universe ≠ Free, ≠ changeless

3.       Independent

a.       If Absolute is caused by something then Absolute ≠ Cause of the Universe => Absolute ≠ independent.

b.       Therefore Absolute cannot be caused by something.

Absolute, Infinite can NEVER become finite.

Example:

Waves in Ocean. Waves =- Suns, Stars etc..

Ocean is the Absolute.

The Waves are perceived in Time, Space and Causation. == MAYA

Waves vanish => T/S/C vanish => Free…!!!!.

GOAL: Get rid off this clinging to Time/Space/Causation.

Q2.                 What is Advaita’s definition of GOD?

a.       God is the Absolute, the unknowable one

b.       God is neither knowable nor unknowable.

c.       God is higher than known

d.       God is higher than unknown, unknowable.

e.       Eternal Witness

f.        In and through Him we know

g.       Essence of I, the ego through which we know

h.       Infinitely nearer to us but still higher

i.         Essence of everything, Soul of my soul.

  

Q3.                 What is the meaning of “Thou Art That”?

a.       “He is the essence of your Soul, He is the Truth, He is the Self, Thou art that oh Shvetaketu!” He is one with us. I cannot dissociate myself from myself to know myself.

Q4.                 What is Theory of Evolution?

a.       A tremendous potential power which is trying to express itself against the circumstances, environment holding it down. In order to fight against its environment, this power is taking bodies again and again. Thus amoeba becomes Man.

Q5.                 What is MORALITY?

a.       Making the subject strong by attuning to the Absolute so that the finite Nature ceases to have control over us.

  

Q6.                 How can the task of gaining control over this infinite Nature be doable?

a.       Nature can be conquered because Nature is finite.

b.       Nature is the INFINITE under limitations and hence finite.

  

Q7.                 Why do we need MORALITY?

a.       Morality gives FREEDOM and Immorality leads to Bondage.

  

Q8.                 How to conquer EVIL?

a.       Changing and perfecting the SUBJECTIVE

b.       Ex: If I am immune to anger… I never feel angry.

  

Q9.                 How to save INDIA from Materialism?

a.       Advaita philosophy

  

Q10.             What will be the religion of future?

a.       SHANKARA’s bright sun of intellectuality

b.       Combined with

c.       BUDDHA’s heart of infinite LOVE and MERCY… aka moral life.

….ex: Swamiji Himself

This is the GOAL of Human life now. Science & Religion shall meet.

  

            Q 11.             What is the timeline of the prophets?

a.       Advaita---materialism-----Buddha---materialism-----Shankara---materialism-----RSV----

            Q12.             Why does Dualism appeal?

a.       Its for the less educated minds because it appeals to the vanity that the practisers have exclusive rights to privileges

  

            Q13.             What are the 3 teachings of Jesus in light of the 3 philosophies of Dwaita, Vishishta Advaita and Advaita?

a.       To the common mass He said: “Pray to your Father in Heaven”.

b.       To the intelligents He said: “ I am the Vine, ye are the branches”.

c.       To His disciples He said: Me and My Father are One”.

 (c) Nandini Mitra Banerjee Oct 20, 2013 

SV CW Vol2 - The Real Nature of Man - Summary

The Real Nature of Man

Complete Works, Vol 2, Page 70

1) The sense perceived world - Is this real?

a. Religion begins with this question and answers
b. We may confine our hopes and aspirations confined to the present moment, but  so long as death is there, the questions will remain

2) Two positions 

a. Nihilist
         He who denies past/present and wants to stick to the present – mad man
b. Seek for explanations
Body is aggregate of molecules
Every Religion says: Man is a degeneration
Human language is an attempt to express the truth - struggling to express itself

3) Who is controlling whom? Body or the Thought

a. Matter cannot produce thoughts
b. Matter does not exist at all – matter is result of motion
c. Whatsoever has forms requires something else to give rise
d. If Body requires Mind to manipulate it, there must be something beyond the Mind thatmanipulates mind – that is Atman 
e. What’s the nature of Atman?

4) Atman

a. Has neither shape nor form – must be omnipresent
b. If Atman is beyond Mind, it’s beyond Time/Space/Causation
c. If it’s beyond TSC, it’s infinite – Infinity cannot be 2
d. The Real Man therefore is One, Infinite, Omnipresent Spirit
e. The Apparent Man is only a limitation of the Real – limited by TSC
f. The Apparent Man appears to be bound, but really not

5) Universality

a. Universe as a whole doesn’t have a place to move
b. There is nothing besides it
c. Reality consists in this Universal and not limited
d. Idea of little self constantly changing is a delusion

6) Individuality

a. When a baby grows with a moustache – does it lose its individuality?
b. If I lose an arm or an eye should I lose my individuality?
c. Then a drunkard should not lose individuality, because he’ll lose his individuality
d. Individuality isn’t there in the mind – any memory erased doesn’t erase the existence for that period
e. We’re not individuals yet, we’re struggling to be individual
f. There is no individuality except in the Infinite
g. He alone lives whose life is in the Universe, the more we concentrate on the limited, the faster we go towards death
h. I’m in everything, in everybody, in all lives – state of fearlessness comes
i. The same one, undivided unit – that’s the individual man
j. Apparent man is a struggle to express, to manifest this individuality

7) Why Man looks for a God or Perfect Ideal 

a. Because the idea is within you
b. It’s your own heart beating and didn’t know – mistaking it for something external
c. The God within you is propelling you to seek for Him
d. After a long search in the Temples/Churches/heaven/Earth, you make a circle and realize that He is your own Self
e. You’re seeing God through Nature
f. Nature is that Screen that is hiding that reality behind
g. Every good thought, pure thought is tearing that veil as it were – revealing God

8) Knowledge is limitation – it objectifies

a. The Real Man is eternal Subject, eternal witness of everything
b. Explanation of ethical codes – doing good to others
i. Sympathy, the feeling of sameness everywhere
ii. Extreme self-abnegation is necessary – the idea of Me and Mine has to be given up
iii. Give up that Apparent for that Real Man within

9) Utility is not the Test of Truth

a. Truth should not be judged by standard of utility or money
b. Happiness is only found in Spirit not in senses
c. Truth doesn’t pay homage to Society, Society has to pay homage to Truth or die
d. That Society is the greatest, where the highest Truths become practical

10) Two types of Courage

a. Courage of facing the cannon
b. Courage of spiritual conviction – welcomes death and be free
c. Fill the brain with higher thoughts – higher action will come of it
d. Teach the world – they’re all glorious children of immortality
e. Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brain from childhood
f. Let us be brave, know the Truth, practice the Truth and the point of death declare – “I’m He, I’m He”

(c) Nandini Mitra Banerjee Spet 29, 2013

SV CW Vol2 : Work and Its Secret - Summary

VOL 2 Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

WORK and Its SECRET

Jan 4, 1900, Los Angeles, CA.

Theme:               Determine the goal, Determine the means (to achieve the goal) then (forget the goal) perfect the determined means.

Reason:              Means == Cause and Goal == Effect => Means Perfected results in the Goal.

To achieve this Swami V prescribed a set of Do’s and Don’ts. 

Develop the Ideal: 

1. Develop SUPERDIVINE (not super human) power:
2. Develop complete attachment and complete detachment
3. Develop Pure Unselfishness
4. Have NO Expectations
5. Develop the noblest of hearts each and every day
6. The Super divine Power of the Total control – not hitting back when one blow can smash the cause of our irritation.. Nature wants us to hit back; develop the strength of annihilation but do NOT use it.
7. Achieve Total Success
8. Acquire the mighty power of LOVE Like Christ.. sacrificed his life.. result million upon millions of people are achieving their ultimate success through Him for thousands of years.

The Means:

DOs:

Learn to LOVE
Become UNATTACHED:  (the following are the characteristics)

1. Develop complete attachment and complete detachment
2. Develop Pure Unselfishness
3. Have NO Expectations
4. Develop the noblest of hearts each and every day
5. The Super divine Power of the Total control – not hitting back when one blow can smash the cause of our irritation.. Nature wants us to hit back; develop the strength of annihilation but do NOT use it.
6. Achieve Total Success
7. Acquire the mighty power of LOVE Like Christ.. sacrificed his life.. result million upon millions of people are achieving their ultimate success through Him for thousands of years.

DO NOTs:

1. Focus on the goal after it is determined.
2. Be weak – physical and mental degradation should be avoided at all cost. Even disease is because of mental weakness otherwise millions of microbes dare not affect us if we are healthy.. they seek the moment we become weak mentally.
3. Be a wall – wall have no feelings.. we must learn to LOVE, be attached, We will get blows from attachments until we learn to be detached yet to escape the misery we should not forego our feelings and become a wall. A wall does not suffer and yet a wall does not grow.
4. Be a beggar, trader, expector.
5. Be selfish
6. WARNING 1: Become stoic, cynical, pessimistic, dead in heart (people become like this after getting blows after practicing simplicity, purity, truthfulness, kindness etc.) We should be v careful never to let that happen that is loose hope in the blessedness of life.
7. WARNING 2: Loose faith in sincerity, purity, love, kindness, simplicity
8. Blame the world => its adding lie to misery because if we say it’s a devil’s world then we are devils because we are living in it.

1

Give up attending to others for a time (and focus on yourself):

Because :   you ARE the means.

Constant Practice

Result/Achievement:

1. We get only that for which we are fitted.
2. Real control over oneself
3. No Misery or blow or disease
4. Total success
5. Purity
6. Perfection

 (c) Nandini Mitra Banerjee, Sept 18, 2013