Gaia: Living Metaphysics - Vedanta/ Upanishads

Re: What is the Self?Sat-chit-ananda

http://baba.gaia.com — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:59:04 GMT

Power and beauty together -- how wonderful

Ken

Re: What is the Self? What it is not.

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:01:34 GMT

Great insight, Chuck. Thanks for bringing your inspiring words here, Ken: all expressions of self are love.

I had missed Chuck's post.

Re: What is the Self? What it is not.

http://baba.gaia.com — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:51:47 GMT

Excellent point Chuck -- and I would add that all expressions of self are love, so all is love. I'm using "The Power of Intention" here.

Metaphysics of the Vedanta

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 05:25:12 GMT

"The Upanisads are the metaphysical
speculations embodying the vital truths of the vedas.
They are the spiritual treasures of India." P. Nagaraja Rao in The Schools of Vedanta

Alfred North Whitehead is reported to have remarked that Vedanta is the most impressive metaphysics the human mind has conceived.

Huston Smith: essays on world religion‎ - Page 135by Huston Smith, M. Darrol Bryant

Three stages towards liberation

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:09:07 GMT

Concluding the discourse, Vasistha said: "This Jiva (individual soul) has three forms (gross, subtle and Turya), the first two of which are base ones and the last one is Supreme Brahman. O Rama, having attained and being absorbed in the Turiya state, do not identify yourself with the first two forms, namely the gross and the subtle, but destroy them once and for all."

"Sage Vasistha enumerates the stages by which one can reach this ultimate goal.

The first stage is the Subhechha which makes one arrive at a firm resolve to study and seek spiritual knowledge. This resolve is practised in word, thought and deed (body, speech and mind).

The second stage is known as Vicharana, a process of enquiry. This stage helps to eliminate pride, envy, Ahamkar (egoism), desires, delusions etc. arising out of Avidya (Nescience or ignorance). One can achieve this stage successfully with the grace of a Guru.

The third stage is Vairagya, freedom from attractions, wherein he would listen to the Tattva-Jnana stories (stories about spiritual knowledge) from great souls. This third stage would bring in its train the matchless lotus bud of Jnana (Knowledge) that blossoms through the sun of Viveka (discrimination).
At this stage the mind would vanish like the autumnal clouds. This is known as manonasha or mano-laya (destruction of the mind). The Jignasu (enquirer) remains in the transcendent Sat-Bhava (experiences bliss).
Such a person will have full Jnana (knowledge) and would be free from any gloom of duality. The egoism is completely eliminated. He is a Jivan-Mukta (liberated), even though he engages in external activities in day to day life."

__
From a description of the The Yoga Vasistha By Bhagwan Valmiki Ji

Re: Infinite consciousness and creation

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:04:26 GMT

It's those unanswered questions that I love -"In whose notion does the universe of diversity exist?"

Because while seeking an answer to them, we are forced out of our lateral thinking, the left vs right brain notions, ancient vs modern, east vs west, right vs wrong, you and me.

We're brought into the consciousness that Denise/flowerchild shared:
"Even the brain is divided, everything is divided in the body. The only
thing which is one is the third eye – the witnessing. It is one. If
you want to be one within you, seek the point of witnessing
consciousness. While walking, watch. While eating, watch. While going
to sleep, fall asleep watching what is happening.

Hsin hsin ming : the book of nothing, ch.7"

And that Lao Tze wrote hundreds of years ago, and you typed out in this group!

The Tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named
is not the eternal name.

The Tao is both named and nameless.
As nameless it is the origin of all things;
as named it is the Mother of 10,000 things.

Ever desireless, one can see the mystery;
ever desiring, one sees only the manifestations.
And the mystery itself is the doorway
to all understanding.

Re: Infinite consciousness and creation: one and many

http://yhd52754.gaia.com — Mon, 04 May 2009 18:26:06 GMT

Meenakshi,

I like the flow of language in this. It goes along with these thoughts that I keep having, regarding individuation and how that relates to the wholeness of Spirit, and then, matrix that connects us each one to the other.

So, there is nothing in individual expression that would not already exist in potentiality within Spirit. That seems easy to understand and - the "seed" is the Spirit "connected" within each newborn being, full of a potentiality that can not be predicted.

Leaving just one question unanswered -

In whose notion does the universe of diversity exist?

Deb

PS - This also brings to mind something rudyan posted on his status line recently "wondering: without duality labels like beautiful/ugly, flower/weed, etc., how would we regard the dandelion (as a case in point)?" to which I answered - "The dandelion is what it is and changes as it does and shares itself freely not caring where it goes blown by the wind. How did I do ?" - and he responded "Thank you, Deb, for playing! I like your response, came pretty close to my own. And there' s no right or wrong, of course..."

Re: Infinite consciousness and creation: one and many

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Sat, 02 May 2009 00:24:24 GMT

In the seed there is nothing but the seed - no diversity. At the same time there is the notion of potential diversity [of flowers, fruits] supposedly present in the seed. Even so, cosmic consciousness is one, devoid of diversity; yet the universe of diversity is said to exist only in notion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From ~The Concise Yoga Vasistha ed. Swami Venkatesananda

Internal focus

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:30:25 GMT

"When thus the truth is seen, desire to possess does not arise in the heart.
Even as a woman who has a lover goes about doing her housework with her heart absorbed in contemplation of that lover, the enlightened sage functions in this world while his consciousness is firmly established in the truth.

In both these cases it is impossible for anyone to prevent such behavior - i.e. make the woman forget her love or make the sage forget the truth."

From ~The Concise Yoga Vasistha ed. Swami Venkatesananda

Img srce

Re: Infinite consciousness and creation

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 22:55:31 GMT

O Rama, behold this mysterious creation brought into being by who-knows-who in response to the mental concepts of beings. This universe has been conjured up in empty space merely by mental conditioning. It is not a reality.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From ~The Concise Yoga Vasistha ed. Swami Venkatesananda

Inquiry into truth

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:02:10 GMT

Self-knowledge or knowledge of truth is not had by resorting to a guru (preceptor) nor by the study of scripture, nor by good works: it is attained only by means of inquiry inspired by the company of wise and holy men. One's inner light alone is the means, naught else. When this inner light is kept alive, it is not affected by the darkness of inertia.

From ~The Concise Yoga Vasistha ed. Swami Venkatesananda, P. 169-170

Re: Infinite consciousness and creation

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:37:58 GMT

"We contemplate that reality in which everything exists, to which everything belongs, from which everything has emerged, which is the cause of everything and which is everything."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From ~The Concise Yoga Vasistha ed. Swami Venkatesananda, P. 165

Re: Karma

http://yhd52754.gaia.com — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:48:22 GMT

Meenakshi,

Smiling at the synchronicities of learning . . . you just were quick enough to catch yours quickly . . .

Deb

Re: Karma

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:11:58 GMT

In fact, when I'd first written " It is often used in daily speech;
sometimes as a punishment" in the first post in this thread; I was about to say "In the West"--and then deleted that. We each have these tendencies; and no...no need of shame, that'll just deepen the darkness; just a gentle smile at that gentle soul and we pass on.
Just using words are karmas that can bind us in a spiral!

Re: Karma

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:08:55 GMT

Yes! It goes... Thank you dear Deb.

Re: Karma

http://yhd52754.gaia.com — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:00:17 GMT

Meenakshi,

I think the point you make about lumping a whole category of people "in the East" together is an important point and Beckwith, as a minority who is sure to have been equally "lumped" somehow would probably hang his head in embarrassment, to have been caught doing the same himself.

You should also, I go out on a limb here, but collapse that negative energy that your reaction has shown you. Of course, it isn't justified and it is wrong. And that may be all that you need to realize and then, chalk it up to ignorance and poor choice of language, that was never the intent of the paragraph written, to do what has now been revealed that it has done.

I believe the intent was only that last part you highlighted. I believe the important thing is that Destiny is a dynamic, energetic flux - not stable or stagnant. Actually, I would hazard to put forth that "Destiny" is a non-Real concept, especially if living in the Now ;-}

I'm am pleased you hit the "post reply" button because this needed to be aired and collapsed. In doing so, we apply positive energy to all who read those same words.

Hugs and Love -
Deb

Re: Karma

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:07:18 GMT

I catch your drift

Lovely!

At one stage, I decided I have to work things out for myself; and THEN find quotes for what I felt intuitively to be true. Each master teaches different teachings to different students. Each student learns depths as s/he goes along. It's not even about higher and lower ; it's just about filling in the entire painting. Seeing all aspects to get at it.
Because there are so many layers of truth; that in our denser levels of understanding in which we communicate in words, it is difficult to convey; that when we be truth, that is all there is...

Re: Karma

http://fastdarter.gaia.com — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:02:15 GMT

There's no such thing as non-karmic action per my understanding of the terminology, but I catch your drift. Cause and Effect another Universal Law..
Library stuff on Karma
check out the Video..
AUM (OM)

Re: Karma

http://Meenakshi.gaia.com — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:21:41 GMT

Re Beckwith's comments:
Of course, a throwaway comment like "In the East" is difficult to pinpoint; because, coming from a country in the East, I wonder - is that directed towards me, because it's not the way I see karma, or is it directed towards those who think that way, because I've seen them in the west and the east!

Anyway, getting over that hurdle, I personally don't believe in either bad or good karma. What I believe in, for myself, is the necessity of getting out of the bondage of karma, per se. Both "good" and "bad" - because so many of our day to day actions can't be assessed as good or bad period. What's good today [persuading a child to have milk, e.g., "because they need calcium"] may turn out to be bad tomorrow [e,g, it was spoiled milk, and I didn't know]

So why do I want karma as something to get out of? Not action, but karmic action? It's because when we are attached to karma/ action as something "I have done" then I am also attached to the fruit of that action. But if I do the actions that come to me to do, as a flow from a higher source, and if I am willing to take responsibility, but not ownership, to see it through and accept the outcome without thinking of them as either reward or punishment; then that subtle difference frees me from the bondage of my action.

Going back to the phrase "In the East, individuals are burdened with a belief in bad karma", I first smiled, because I could see all easterners bent under a heavy burden, and it seemed so ...unreal. Then I felt, let me address this.

I guess that it's difficult to understand the nations of the east. They are so old, and yet the people are so varied. It depends on what your 'soul' remembers, what you have read, what you have accepted of what you read, and so on.
Personally,
when I read any text - whether from ancient or newer authors, known and unknown, that lump "others" into one bracket, I cringe. I know how important it is to some thinkers to neatly tie "the east" into a package. Unfortunately, I feel left out of that package. And my parents, who never mentioned the word karma in this way; or my relatives or friends. Usually, at this point, I'm told: "But your'e not real Indians." Hmmm...

So let's see those who are "real Indians", i.e. those who have in front of me, used the phrase "bad karma." Usually, I've seem people use it when they feel overwhelmed, at a loss to know what to do. Rather than something that causes fatalism; it causes an acceptance of those situations that they cannot accept. I completely agree that taken to extremes, this is defeatist. I agree that "So regardless of the mistakes we have
made, we do not have to languish in a belief system that states, “I'm
suffering in this lifetime because of errors from previous
incarnations”. No ! As you evolve, your destiny changes because
destiny is a dynamic, energetic flux."

Actually, that is what the theory of karma says as well. So what I read from Beckwith, is that he gets the idea of life; but perhaps not quite the depths...yet.

How arrogant this sounds! But it came through, and I allowed it to come. Making no expectations but willing to take responsibility for the outcomes of this post - agreeing/disagreeing/ pointing out other insights to me, intend that it is sent out for the highest good of all concerned, clear my energy, and then coming as close as possible to non-karmic action...take the action of hitting "Post Reply."

[Thank you for your posts, Deb and Alluvja!'

Re: Ego- whence, how and whither

http://fastdarter.gaia.com — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:51:31 GMT

It's a nice touch :-)