Truth and Freedom!!!

[Padmasheela Rayala]

Thank you,
        But yesterday, Sri. Jaladhar Vyas wrote (I am not sure if he sent it to
the whole group) that Vedas are meant to be read by only Brahmans...I beleive
that a person should read Vedas to become a brahman not vice versa...If you are
already a Brahman, it means that you already have the knowledge from the Vedas.
I know I never read Vedas nor do I know very much about them but I have a great
difficulty in beleiving that Vedas are meant to be read by only brahmans by
birth.

        What you pointed out below is what I thought I understood too.  thank
you.

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Truth and Freedom!!!
Author:  "Advaita (non-duality) with reverence" <ADVAITA-L at TAMU.EDU> at INTERNET
Date:    2/12/97 12:41 PM


Hi,

        This is for the lady who raised an issue about her not being a brahmin
and being interested in Advaita and the Vedas.

        The absolute, you can't say what it is; You can only say what it isn't.
We Indians call it Brahman. It's nowhere and everywhere. All things imply and
depend upon it. It's not a person, it'snot a thing, it's not a cause. It's no
qualities. It transcends permenance and change; whole and part, finite and
infinite. It is eternal because its completeness and perfection are unrelated to
time. It is truth and freedom.

        If this is the case then I hardly think there is any question about
wheather you can read the scriptures only if you're a Brahmin. All you need is
the thrist for knowledge and a passion to know Reality. Your caste or your birth
is of no consequence!

        And in the best interests of this discussion group, it would only be
correct for all members to refrain from using the word Brahmin too freely and
frivolously!

Cheers,
Nanda