question

[Venkat Shrinivas]

Dear Sandesh,
        You have raised many questions. We have many question but few answers.
Sometimes analysis only leads to paralysis! As you pointed out - we get
"entangled in this intellectual gymnastics".
        I think the reason for the paralysis is that buddhi (intellect/intuition)
and manas (mind) is incapable of fully comprehending the consciousness that
powers them. In some ways I think it is arrogant of us to even assume that
we can even find the answers in the embodied state.
        Consider this - I think of a thought and my fingers type it in the
keyboard. My intellect has no idea as to the details of how the thought
gets converted the action. For all intents and purpose it is a miracle! But
my ego is quick to make the claim "I type this e-mail".

        In this world - we are so used to "thinking of the solution" mentality
that we associate "not thinking" with stupidity or laziness.
        On the other hand it has been said that in the silence of meditation when
all our thoughts are eradicated - when our mind and intellect are extinct -
in this highest state called "turiya" the self reveals itself.
        Maybe the "answer" to your question cannot be explained, but only
experienced.

P.S: I do not mean to belittle our manas and buddhi. I think they play a
very important role in taking us in the spiritual courses of Bhakti, Gnana,
Karma and Hata yoga. These yogas in turn are needed to purify the mind -
which is a prerequisite to the highest experience.

Venkat Shrinivas.
mailto:vsh at cheerful.com

On Saturday, May 06, 2000 12:19 AM, a_sandesh
[SMTP:a_sandesh at MAILANDNEWS.COM] wrote:
> What is the ultimate purpose of human life ?
> Some say that it is realisation that we are absolute
> But  according to advaita this world and Jivas in it
> is an illusion .Prakriti never existed .
> So isnt it that our becoming one with brahman also an illusion?
> Because "We" are actually non existing.Only brahman is existing
> who is eternally free.So who is the one who gets knowledge as there
> is no one except brahman?
> So isnt it true that all philosophies including that of  even the purest
> advaita
> is limited by human intellect which is non existant and isn't it so that
> even
> advaita is also an illusion?
> And even when we know that it is futile effort to put in words or even
> reason
> out something which is  beyond reason how much are this philosophies
true?
> Some say that till the rise of true knowledge of brahman we must accept
this
> world
> as true that means that the only way we can describe brahman is "neti
> neti".just that much
> there cannot be i feel any other way to express brahman.
>
> Sometimes I feel that  I get entangled in this intelluctual
gymnastics.there
> seems to be no
> answer especially when I try to think how different ways of religion like
> jnana,bhakti.tantra
> etc are related.Please advise
>
>
> sandesh
>
> --
> bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam
>
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bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam

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