Three schools of thought

[Madhava Kumar Turumella]

At 09:11 AM 11/22/96 -0600, you wrote:
>On Wed, 20 Nov 1996, Madhava Kumar Turumella wrote:

>
>Namaskaram
>        I have question for you.

Hari Om!
Before I start I should say these are my opinions only.

I do not say these are authoritative.  You have full freedom to question
and counter argue.  I would appreciate it because your question make
me feel think and the other members as well. And by that I am sure
I can further improve my understanding over the subject.

As I understood the Advaitic teaching "advaita is a kind of state to
be experienced".  It can't be expressed. Just imagine the deepsleep
state. We can experience the joy but can't express it.

Sriramakrishna paramahamsa can be illustrated for this.  Sri paramahamsa
used to go into the samadhi.  Many times his disciples
questioned him about his experience during that state. Sri paramahamsa
in order to explain that state used to enter that state again. But once
he goes into the samadhi he never used to speak. After coming out of that
state he use to cry (with compassion towards his ignorant disciples)
for not able to explain what that state was.

Advaitic state is "aparOkshAnubhooti".

The same question was put to Sri Satyasai baba "How do I know that
I am brahman, I am everything"  Sri baba answered "If you question
about where are the waves starting from, you can not be answered.
In order to know the starting point of the waves you should become
the ocean itself.  In the same way, identifying yourself as a jeeva, do not
question or wonder whether you are God or not. You should strive
and undergo sadhana and reach the realisation state. Then you yourself
will say to yourself that you are God.  Why only to yourself, because,
once you realize yourself, the world will no longer exist in it's real
shape".

>If Dwaita and Vishista dwaita schools
>of thought do not lead to realization then why did Sri Madvacharya
>and Sri Ramujacharja founded this schools of thought
>These people I consider
>were fully realised and knew the absolute Truth as well Sri Sankaracharya
>knew.  In fact these people came after Sri Sankaracharya and in fact in the
>begining were followers of advaita school of tradition.

I do not know!  I am not a realised person.  I can not comment on the
above question. Because no answer would be a suitable answer for that.
I only know (again I doubt it :-)), logically, that their teachings
do not get one to the absolute realisation. But, they help the seekers
in purifying themselves, so that they will become fit enough to the
realisation.

Again this is illustrated to Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.  His first
teacher bhairavi brahmaNi has helped him in reaching Goddess Kali. He
used to speak to Goddess Kali but later onwards he was initated into
the final state of Samadhi by his advaitic guru Sri Totapuri. Sri
Ramakrishna paramahamsa initally was not interested in knowing something
other than his "kalima". Again it is Goddess Kali helped him in realising
the final state.  His first samadhi experience was last for 3 days.

This again resembles our EsAvAsyOpanishad.  The upasyadevata Surya
helps the seeker in realising the final state.
"hiraNmayEna patrENa satyasApihitaM mukaM
pooshan tvaM apAvRUNu satya dharmArdha dRUsthayE"

Probably (again my opinion!) Sri Ramanuja and Sri Madhva must have
thought that it is anyway necessary to have a upasyadevata hence
why don't we help the seekers to get in touch with their upasya devatas,
rather than teaching them the highest truth.  I believe that once you
start speaking to your diety that diety in turn will help you in realising
yourself.  Hanuma was taught by SriRama and he explains this to Rama.
"dEha budhayA dhaasOhaM, manObudhyA tvadaMsakaH, aatmabudhyA tvamEvAhaM".

No doubt, "brahma satyaM jaganmidhya" is taught by Sri Adisankara. But
I know that "brahma satyaM jagatsarvaM geevanaM satyasOdhanaM" again
taught by Sri Adisankara only.

Did I confuse you with my posting :-)... Think that you may be questioning
a blind man. :-) "aMdhEna aMdhEnaiva"....

With earnest regards
Madhav














>
>with love
>shashi
>
--
Seer or not I walk alone...
---
Madhava Kumar Turumella
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