Dis-info about authentic Hinduism

[Aupmanyav]

I have already mentioned that my advaita does not accept creation, Gods, Goddesses, heaven, hell, birth, death or destruction. I am Brahman, I am eternal. How can I take birth or die, be created or destroyed. "Ayamatma Brahman" (I, self, am Brahman) - (Mandukya Upanishad 1.2 of the Atharva Veda)

 

[Bhaktajan II]

What is . . .

my advaita

What is my advaita?

If you were the abbott of an ashram, what would the ashram inmates do all day? What would be the schedule of activities? I am most interested in what jnana readings would be done.

Where does "advaita" appear in the cource of a novices' curriculum?

 

[Aupmanyav]

My advaita is a modified version of Sankara's advaita without the acceptance of 'Ishvara' (God) at the pragmatic level of reality (Vyavaharika Satya). I stick to his absolute level of reality (Paramarthika Satya).

What is the need to have an ashram? People should lead a normal life serving their elders, supporting their families, preserving their societies and delighting in it ('dharma').

For 'jnana', reading of various sciences is necessary. One must educate him/herself about physics, cosmology, chemistry, biology, evolution, geology, paleontology, anthropology, sociology, psychology, history, and the scriptures as well. When one knows this, 'advaita' (non-duality) crystallizes by itself.

 

[Bhaktajan II]

What is the need to have an ashram?

Those who qualifiy as experts in a field [ie Teachers] always have a dream-design for a SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WORKS WELL TO ACCOMPLISH ITS GOAL TO TEACH ---that's all.

oyprattw! telligenceextraordinare

People should lead a normal life serving their elders, supporting their families, preserving their societies and delighting in it ('dharma').

Oh that's a good one. Is it new? Do you know the chapter & verse that backs-up your OPINONS?

 

[Bhaktajan II]

IMHO, This is the dis-information that is accepted as the mainstream Vedantic Knowledge:

1. Brahman is the only God and has no name or form.
2. Everything is contained in Brahman.
3. Brahman manages all that is created through many subtle divine forces.
4. Highly evolved Yogis have glimpsed these subtle forces at work and have given personal forms to them so that ordinary people may worship them.
5. Since it is not possible to imagine Brahman,
6. these personal forms will make it simpler for ordinary people to concentrate on.
7. By prolonged concentration (meditation) on the personal forms the devotee will slip into the pleasant, stillness, peaceful void of Brahman.

When there is unlimited inspiration to be derived from the Vedic Literatures.

These are the sort of garbled data that is promoted by Resort-Spa-Yogi Retreat Managers.

Yes, it is sleek and keen to commoners desires ---but lacking in all the specifics.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO IMAGINE IT?
If it's NOT possible ---then you know that you should just heed your mothers advise.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Those who qualifiy as experts in a field [ie Teachers] always have a dream-design for a 'school system that works well to accomplish its goal to teach' - that's all.

'Gurukula' for students and 'ashram' for the renunciates! OK. That has a problem. The renunciates (sannyasis who have been initiated, have obtained deeksha) are not expected to stay at one place for more than one night except during the rainy season (Chaturmasa).

Oh that's a good one. Is it new? Do you know the chapter & verse that backs-up your OPINONS?

Read the 'Dharmavyadha' story in SrimadBhagawat Purana. It is beautifully explained there.

 

[Bhaktajan II]

'Gurukula' for students and 'ashram' for the renunciates! OK. That has a problem.

That was the PROBLEM YOU HAD with understanding my comment.
You missed my point upon first reading? Yes?

The renunciates (sannyasis who have been initiated, have obtained deeksha) are not expected to stay at one place for more than one night except during the rainy season (Chaturmasa)

I WASN'T TALKING about traveling monks. You initiated its mention.

I think I used the word Novice ---thus, an ashram novice is called a 'brahma-acarya' celibate student of vedic life. Acarya = conduct.
This affair is un-equivically a renunciates life from the start.

My understanding is an avowed ascetic that ---also preaches, are not expected to stay at one place for more than 3 Days ---the difference could be just been a mis-reading or lapse of memory or per different schools.


CORRECTION: deeksha = initiation exactly as a boy recieves his Barmitzva. It is the sacrament that occurs at the official start of spiritual life of a brahmacarya.

Read the 'Dharmavyadha' story in SrimadBhagawat Purana. It is beautifully explained there.

Yep. We have a small problem Houston.
I have the Srimad Bhagavata Purana entoto both in the 18 volume book version and the same on CD-Rom:

From A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami’s Commentary to verse SB 11.12.3-6:

The importance of association with devotees is illustrated in the story of Dharma-vyadha, the nonviolent hunter, as described in the Varaha Purana. In a previous life he somehow became a brahma-raksasa, or brahmana ghost, but was eventually saved. In a previous Kali-yuga he had the association of a Vaisnava king named Vasu.

The story of the person "Dharma-vyadha" is NOT in the Bhagavata Purana ---it is mentioned in thge above commentary to the verse below:

SB 11.12.3-6
"In every yuga many living entities entangled in the modes of passion and ignorance gained the association of My devotees.
Thus, such living entities as the Daityas, Raksasas, birds, beasts, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Nagas, Siddhas, Caranas, Guhyakas and Vidyadharas,
as well as such lower-class human beings as the vaisyas, sudras, women and others,
were able to achieve My supreme abode.
Vrtrasura, Prahlada Maharaja and others like them also achieved My abode by association with My devotees,
as did personalities such as Vrsaparva, Bali Maharaja, Banasura, Maya, Vibhisana, Sugriva, Hanuman, Jambavan, Gajendra, Jatayu, Tuladhara, Dharma-vyadha,
Kubja, the gopis in Vrndavana and the wives of the brahmanas who were performing sacrifice".

The commentary by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami says the person "Dharma-vyadha" is described in the Varaha Purana.


As Geo Steinbrenner said George Costanza:
"Bit of Male Curiosity eh Georgie?" Reading the Puranas just for the Articles eh Georgie?

How many other Swami's have translated Bhagavata Purana into english ---and then included comments about Dharma-vyadha" ---an obscure personality in the Vedic literaures ---and too reminded the reader where to read an account about the afforementioned, Mr. Dharma-vyadha ---in another Purana?

Read about Mr. Dharma-vyadha in the in the Varaha Purana ---so says A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.

Thanks for the reminders A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami,
Bhaktajan

 

[Aupmanyav]

Oh that's a good one. Is it new? Do you know the chapter & verse that backs-up your OPINONS?

Sure, read that at The Mahabharata, Book 3: Vana Parva: Markandeya-Samasya Parva: Section CCV, translation by Kshiti Mohan Ganguly, when Sage Markandeya recites the story to Pandava prince Yudhisthira. At the moment I am not able to access Prabhupada's Mahabharata, but the chapter and section must be there (unless it has been edited out). Mahabharata also is attributed to Sage VedaVyasa.

 

[Aupmanyav]

IMHO, This is the dis-information that is accepted as the mainstream Vedantic Knowledge ..

There is no 'main-line' Vedantic knowledge in hinduism. There are different interpretations by sects and hinduism accepts them all and respects them, whether it is Sankara's 'advaita' or Madhva's 'dvaita'. As for your various points, my views are as follows:

1. Brahman is the only God and has no name or form: There is no God and Brahman is not a God.
2. Everything is contained in Brahman: Brahman is what constitutes the universe and all things in it. Brahman is not a drum to contain everything.
3. Brahman manages all that is created through many subtle divine forces: Since there is no God there are no divine forces. Though we have physical forces like heat, light, electricity, magnetism, gravity, etc.
4. Highly evolved Yogis have glimpsed these subtle forces at work and have given personal forms to them so that ordinary people may worship them. Since it is not possible to imagine Brahman, these personal forms will make it simpler for ordinary people to concentrate on: Highly evolved yogis surely had an inkling about Brahman and Shakti (physical forces). Clear understanding is not available even now. As Sankara said, the Brahman of the 'Parmārthika' (Absolute truth) can be taken as 'Ishvara' (God) of the 'Vyavahārika' (Pragmatic truth, what is observed by our senses), but it remains a make-shift truth accepted only as a help to ununderstanding public.
5. By prolonged concentration (meditation) on the personal forms the devotee will slip into the pleasant, stillness, peaceful void of Brahman: Whether one worships 'Sākara' or 'nirākara' or worships none, meditation can still provide peace. It is a bio-feedback mechanism which helps in clearing the mind of noise (unnecessary thoughts) and concentrate on a question. What do you mean by prolonged meditation? How many hours, how many days, how many years? It takes me just 30 seconds to still my mind.

 

[Bhaktajan II]

a] I thank you for your post Mr A. I will respond ASAP directly regarding each of your profound points.


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b] In the interim I will post this summary below ---it is my own wording:

Nothingness and Something-ness both existed together and sustained each other since time-immemorial, together this is called the material manifestation or the Cosmos.

Something-ness may be found either conscious or in-animated.

The Self: Each conscious Individual, within the cosmos, has as its own address a "Vector Point" [X-Y-Z Axis Intersection]—which is indivisible, individual, eternal, and conscious.

An animated conscious individual may occupy a body [encasement].

This encasement allows the pursuit of its own gratification by way of:
1 Eating,
2 Sleeping,
3 Mating,
4 Defense (Physical, mental, ego).

After the temporal stages of birth, growth, old age and death the vector point retains only the spirit of 'direction toward a **goal'.

Thus by dint of prior cultivated interests, inherits a new body/encasement which accommodates another lifetime for the pursuit of gratification(s) along the same lines of interests that where cultivated during its last life. When this is repeated since time immemorial the sages call this 'samsara' [the cycle of birth and death].

[**the goal is often without guidance thus the 4 pursuits become the ultimate means and end of life's journey to nowhere except repeated gratification. Proper guidance allows us to reconcile, "What in the hell are we doing here?" during a lifetime].

The setting of the above pastimes [of every animated or inanimated individual point] is a large empty space of Nothingness [the sages call this empty space: 'brahman'].

The in-animated elements within the cosmos are of two kinds:
1 gross matter [earth, water, fire, air, either], and,
2 subtle [mind, intelligence, ego].

The mystery of life is the attainment of transcendence.
Some say the attainment of nirvana, or merging with the primordial 'Nothingness' is the goal.

The chain of succession of knowledge that comes to us from Vyasadeva shows us [through dissatisfaction with our own pursuits —life time after life times of gratification in countless species of life— in varying births of different status] that the goal of life is to seek the 'Absolute Truth' not relative truths.

The conclusion of the Vedas and thus the conclusion of Vedanta is the 'Absolute Truth' known as the personage known as Krishna. We know this 'Absolute Truth' in the same way we know who are real father is: from our mother [except for those who cultivated future disadvatages]. The Vedas are like our mother telling us who are father is etc, etc.

Krishna Consciousness is the top most mystic yoga discipline:
Remembering the transcendental name, fame, form, personality, paraphernalia, entourage, and, pastimes of none other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead Bhagavan Sri Krishna, son of Vasudeva, brother of Balarama, cousin of Arjuna, source of Mahavisnu and Narayana, the original-original eternal, all-cognizant, all-blissful form of God in his Transcendent Heaven where every soul pursues reciprocal pastimes with God face to face.

Yoga is to re-link with this 'Absolute Truth', thus remembering Krishna's form assists the minute living entity [conscious Individual Vector Point] at death so as to acquire a next birth that further cultivates Krsna Conscousness till successful completion. Remembering Krishna in the material world is prescribed thus [it is also the easiest]: Chant Krishna's names. Chant the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra. Read the Bhagavad-gita's Chapter 10 "The Opulence of the Absolute” to learn where to see God's opulence spread through-out the cosmos

Personal vs. Impersonal God - Page 4

 

[Aupmanyav]

Nothingness and Something-ness both existed together and sustained each other since time-immemorial, together this is called the material manifestation or the Cosmos.

Perhaps that is true. I quote from 'Nasadiya Sukta' in RigVeda:

"sato bandhumasati niravindan hridi pratīshyākavayo manīshā"
(Sages who searched with their heart's thought discovered the existent's kinship in the non-existent)
Rig Veda: Rig-Veda, Book 10: HYMN CXXIX. Creation.

 

[Bhaktajan II]

Perhaps

This is how to be Conscious of One's Own Conscious being:

http://www.interfaith.org/forum/classical-silent-mantra-meditation-12727.html

Classical Silent Mantra Meditation

Classic old-time 20 min Silent Meditation:

1 - Sit alone quietly, eyes closed, wait a moment . . . then

2 - Silently repeat a short mantra(mono-syllabic is Okay) or prayer-mantra.

3 - Repeat step #2 for 20 minutes*.

4 - At finish, direct attention to any points of discomfort in the body. End.


*During step #2-3, the mind will wander away from the task of the mantra repeatition. When that happens, simple return to repeating the mantra.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
No excuses Please!

**Just Do It**​

A fickle mind is like a drug addiction.
A sober mind wins the race.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Well, I will give you a tip for step 3. Recite the mantra slowly and slowly each time. Then give a small break between the recitations of the mantra. Now, increase this break randomly (very important) and progressively.

To recount it - 1. Reduce the speed with which you recite the mantra progressively, and 2. Give random breaks (sometimes short and sometimes long) between two recitations and increase the duration of the break.

The idea is to break away from the usual (usual mental noise, vagrant thoughts, too).

 

[Bhaktajan II]

I found this quotation on the web. I agree with this assessment:

What is Hinduism really?
When we speak of "what does Hindu teach"
and
"what are Hindus supposed to believe,"
it seems implicit that we are speaking of Hinduism in this context as "sanAtana-dharma." But what is "sanAtana-dharma?"
It cannot simply be whatever people professing to follow it believe,
because those beliefs are varied and contradictory.
As soon as we ask what "sanAtana-dharma" is and what it teaches,
it is implicit that we need some authoritative source of knowledge
that should be theoretically acceptable across
sectarian boundries to answer the question.

The New-Age, Neo-Hindu types alluded to above give lip service to the Veda,
but rarely consult it (or any ancillary scriptures) when it comes to formulating doctrine.

What is striking on this and many other Hindu forums is that people will answer philosophy questions simply by saying
whatever they like/whatever makes them feel good,
without reference to any evidence.

In the few cases where they quote from scripture to make a point,
they either quote selectively,
or they deliberately try to imply that the scriptures are contradictory,

thus implying that you should put aside the scripture
and simply listen to their imperfect opinions.

Often these opinions have an atheistic, agnostic, or impersonalist character.

Not surprisingly, they are often friendly towards non-Hindu religions,
rationalize individual choice (as opposed to fidelity to scriptural rules),
and adopt other world-views borrowed liberally from secular humanism.

The standard in Hindu Yoga schools is ---to taste the pudding yourself ---learn sanskrit, read gita, learn meditation ---go get a job and household and kids and ready yourself for ideal and/or accidental death.

Yoga is insurance for the Souls ---jettisoned state of being in samsara.

Yoga is samsara insurance.

This is why bogus contracts with sales agents with no accredidations occurs to those without doing pre-yoga-school shopping reseach first.