SV CW Vol 4 - VEDANTISM - Summary

VEDANTISM:  

Vol4 CW of SV                        Nov 16, 2014                     

2^nd lecture in the Colombo to Almora series: pg 116

From Colombo next stop was Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

Welcome address: Hindus were oppressed by the Christians into forced religious conversions. Thus Swamiji’s visit v propitious and timely.

Swamiji’s reply - A crash course in Vedantism.

Hindu/Hinduism : 

•           Indus mispronounced as Hindus
•           includes all settlements on east of the Indus River  viz, Hindus, Christians, MuslimsPharsees…
•           to differentiate from other religions – Hindus follow Vedanta of the scriptures VEDAS
•           Vaidikas/Vedantists – proper name instead of Hindus.
•           Followers of Vedanta – Monists, Dualists, Qualified Monists, Shaivites, Vaishnavites, Shaktas, Sauras, Ganapatyas.. etc

Scripture: - VEDAS :

•           Eternal knowledge of God as God is eternal
•           Are authority in themselves
•           No beginning nor end
•           Karma Kanda (Ritual/Sacrificial portion)- changes with necessity of times and
•          Jnana Kanda (Spiritual Portion) – unchanging – VEDANTA

Author of Vedas:

•           Many Rishis
•           Mantra-Drashta – Seer of thoughts
•         Spiritual discoverers

 Types of scriptures:

o   Srutis:  Upanishads –

§   final authority

§  Jnana  Kanda – unchanging n eternal

§  Spiritual n philosophical ideas

§  Soul , heaven , eternal principles- never change

§  These ideas are worshipped in very household as symbols..!!!!

o   Smritis: 

§  not the final authority

§  books written by sages

§  dependent on time and restrictions vidhi/nishedh

§  manner, custom and regulations

o   Puranas:

§  To popularize the religion of Vedas

§  Lives of great kings, saints, sages

§  To illustrate the eternal principles

o   Tantras:

§  Like the Puranas

§  Incorporates sacrificial ideas of Karma Kanda

o   So many scriptures -> So many sects -> Should have been more..!!!

Essential  Principles of VEDANTA:

1.       MAYA –

a.        Q of creation ~ projection not creation, infinite in time

b.       Law of cycles – Srithti/ Sthiti /Pralaya – eternal creation – never rest

c.       1 moments Rest = total annihilation acc to BG

d.       Time + Space + Causation within this cycle

e.       Eternal wave like motion

f.        Therefore beginning n end is wrt 1 particular cycle

g.       Creator = Brahman

h.       Good and Bad acc to Eternal Karma Theory

i.         Reincarnation

2.       Life is Eternal:

a.       Believers- Hindus, Buddhists, Jains

b.       Child is ushered as a burden of his infinite past

c.       Law of Karma

d.       I can be happy if I will + I can be pure if I want to be

3.       What is Soul?

a.       Study of external nature – material->materialization

b.       Spirituality is through human soul, the heart

c.       Without beg or end,

d.       Immortal.

e.       All powerful (omnipresence and omniscience)

f.        Brotherhood of Universal Life

                                                                                       i.      All living creatures have soul

                                                                                     ii.      Difference is only in manifestation

                                                                                   iii.      Lowest worm is my brother

                                                                                   iv.      Brotherhood of Man extended to  Brotherhood of Universal Life

g.       Atman or Self and not soul (in English lang soul – MIND ~ Manas)

h.       Atman is NOT mind (Sukshma Sharira or Subtle body) or body (Sthula Sharira or Gross body)

i.         Birth + death  with mind ~ Sukshma Sharira

j.         When all knowledge is attained and perfection is achieved it CHOOSES to discard or keep the mind and remain Ever Free for all eternity

4.       Heaven n Hell of Vedanta

a.       NOT infinite

b.       Heaven is a bigger version of this world with finer enjoyments

c.       Important positions – Indra – reward of good work – worse for the Soul

d.       Gods born as human beings after good work is over

5.       Earth 

a.       KARMA BHUMI

b.       One attains liberation from this place

c.       Heaven not worth attaining to

6.       GOAL

a.       MUKTI aka FREEDOM, eternal BLISS

b.       Free from internal and external nature

c.       Conquer  Nature, sex idea (body and age), life n death, enjoyment n sorrow

d.       Become bliss unspeakable, indestructible

7.       How to Attain the Goal?

a.       Cultivate intense LOVE n BHAKTI

b.       Subsequently KNOWLEDGE will dawn which breaks the ignorance and

c.       Result is FREEDOM

8.       GOD

a.       Personal –

                                                                                       i.      Creates

                                                                                     ii.      Preserves

                                                                                   iii.      Destroys

                                                                                   iv.      Relationship exists with individual soul

                                                                                     v.      Omnipresent – ultimately live in Him

b.       Impersonal -

                                                                                       i.      No creation <-/-> bondage

                                                                                     ii.      No knowing <-/-> mind

                                                                                   iii.      No thinking <-/-> weakness coz of mind

                                                                                   iv.      No reason <-/-> reason belongs to mind

                                                                                     v.      Advaita – no distinction between man or woman

c.       Theory of Ishta –

                                                                                       i.      many sects but in the end they all come together

                                                                                     ii.      Inclusion of all exclusion of none

                                                                                   iii.      Any sect that hates others or preaches “ours is the only way” can never love God or preach about love.

9.       ADVAITA

a.       Ethics system ensures

b.       Love all as yourself

c.       Everywhere n everyone is manifestation GOD

d.       Strength/ No Superstition / Glory of own Soul /infinite – eternal-deathless – POWER

e.       Whatever you think - you will be

f.        Teach the CHILDREN the idea of SOUL from childhood –

                                                                                       i.      bold

                                                                                     ii.      all conquering

                                                                                   iii.      all suffering

                                                                                   iv.      strong

                                                                                     v.      all power

                                                                                   vi.      all purity

                                                                                  vii.      all wisdom

                                                                                viii.      all freedom

                                                                                    ix.      Glory of Soul

Commands of Swamiji:

1.       Kali Yuga work/tapas - Daana –giving and helping others

a.       Spiritual knowledge – saves soul from many births

b.       Secular knowledge leading to spiritual knowledge

c.       Saving of life

d.       Food n drink

2.       Be a Spiritual Man

a.       Life of renunciation, spirituality, all suffering and love infinite.

3.       SPREAD the knowledge of VEDANTA

4.       Beware of Jealousy –

a.       Everyone wants to command  n no one wants to obey

b.       Learn to be a servant and then you will be a fit master

c.       We also also do great deeds such that others will look upon wit blessings and pride on us as their ancestors.

(c) Nandini Mitra Banerjee Nov 16, 2014

SV CW Vol 3 - Qualifications of the Aspirant and the Teacher - Summary

Qualifications of the Aspirant and the Teacher

CW Vol 3 : pg 47

QUALIFICATIONS:

The Teacher:

1)      Must know the SPIRIT of the scripture –

• a)       not text torturing (leaf counting)

2)      Must be PURE / SINLESS – 

• a)       sine qua non for acquiring and transmitting spiritual truths is purity of heart and soul
• b)      Vision of God or beyond does not come to impure soul
• c)       Something real and appreciable as influence comes from the teacher to the taught

3)      PURE MOTIVE –

• a)       NOT name/fame/money
• b)      Only pure LOVE
• c)       Complete unselfishness

The Aspirant:

1)      Purity

i)        Thought

ii)       Speech

iii)     Act

2)      Real thirst after knowledge

i)        We all get what we really want

3)      Perseverance

i)        Constant struggle must be there to conquer the lower nature until the higher is actually felt and victory achieved

4)       Must have for the Teacher – FAITH + HUMILITY +SUBMISSION+VENERATION –

i)        otherwise there wd be no religious growth.

ii)       True for all individuals as well as for countries.

iii)     Religion cannot be bought or acquired from books

5)      Must make the heart ready to receive when the teacher has come.

6)      Teacher is divinely appointed

7)      SERVE the teacher  -

• a)       With childlike confidence and simplicity
• b)      Freely open your hearts to his influence
• c)       See in him GOD Manifested

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Points to note:

·         Religion is NOT for everybody and available everywhere

·         Eye opening to religion can be done only though a qualified teacher

·         A real teacher is one who is pure, lust-free, sinless and a knower of Brahman

·         When you find a qualified teacher you are safe.

·         Beware of teachers who do not possess these qualities as they will not be able to convey the goodness of heart but instead convey wickedness. 

·         Those who are worshipped as  God are the real teachers for the whole universe stands up to say “This is Truth”. But aspirant can get help from lesser ones also. But we do not possess enough intuition to judge properly of the man from which we are to receive the teaching and guidance.

·         Those who come to seek truth with a spirit of LOVE + VENERATION, the Lord of truth reveals to them wonderful things regarding Truth, Goodness, &  Beauty…!!!!

(c) Nandini Mitra Banerjee July 31, 2014

SV CW Vol 3 - Aspirant and Teacher's Qualifications - Salient Points

SV CW - Vol 3 - Qualifications of the Aspirant and the Teacher

Writer's note:

         
               Here in the depiction of Lord Dakshinamurthy. The Lord, the ultimate Teacher is cited as a 16 yr old boy sitting perfectly still under a tree in perfect silence and is surrounded by venerable sages old in years ... all the doubts of the students (sages and old students surrounding Him) are dispelled in the perfect silence. The Lord sports a "chin" mudra where the thumb touches the index finger and other fingers are pointed straight outward. 
               In this grandiose chapter, Swami Vivekananda, our Acharya for this age, if I may so call him, lists the qualifications for the spiritual teacher and the student seeking spiritual knowledge. For the Teacher there is only 3 points required. Unfortunately for the students (aspirant) there are many qualities required :-(.. as anticipated.
             This chapter is a wonderful guide to the aspirants as to what is required of us to be considered for the coveted "Brahma-Vidya". I have highlighted my favorite points :-)
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                                              QUALIFICATIONS:

The Teacher:

1)      Must know the SPIRIT of the scripture –
                 - not text torturing (leaf counting)

2)      Must be PURE / SINLESS –
         a)      sine qua non for acquiring and transmitting spiritual truths is purity of heart and soul
         b)      Vision of God or beyond does not come to impure soul
         c)       Something real and appreciable as influence comes from the teacher to the taught

3)      PURE MOTIVE –
         a)      NOT name/fame/money
         b)      Only pure LOVE
         c)       Complete unselfishness
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Aspirant:

1)      Purity

i)        Thought

ii)       Speech

iii)     Act

2)      Real thirst after knowledge

i)        We all get what we really want

3)      Perseverance

i)        Constant struggle must be there to conquer the lower nature until the higher is actually felt and victory achieved

4)       Must have for the Teacher – FAITH + HUMILITY +SUBMISSION+VENERATION –

i)        otherwise there wd be no religious growth.

ii)       True for all individuals as well as for countries.

iii)     Religion cannot be bought or acquired from books

5)      Must make the heart ready to receive when the teacher has come.

6)      Teacher is divinely appointed

7)      SERVE the teacher  -
            a)      With childlike confidence and simplicity
            b)      Freely open your hearts to his influence
            c)       See in him GOD Manifested

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Points to note:

·         Religion is NOT for everybody and available everywhere

·         Eye opening to religion can be done only though a qualified teacher

·         A real teacher is one who is pure, lust-free, sinless and a knower of Brahman

·         When you find a qualified teacher you are safe.

·         Beware of teachers who do not possess these qualities as they will not be able to convey the goodness of heart but instead convey wickedness. 

·         Those who are worshipped as  God are the real teachers for the whole universe stands up to say “This is Truth”. But aspirant can get help from lesser ones also. Butwe do not possess enough intuition to judge properly of the man from which we are to receive the teaching and guidance.

·         Those who come to seek truth with a spirit of LOVE + VENERATION, the Lord of truth reveals to them wonderful things regarding Truth, Goodness, &  Beauty…!!!!