Practical Vedanta

[Madhavan Srinivasan]

>From: Vaidya Sundaram <shambho at GEOCITIES.COM>

Dear Friend

>   vedanta and the
>people who are in the pursuit of vedanta are irresponsible, non-caring and
>self centered human beigns; for some reason

Yes, this is absolutely true. Is it  a fair thing to think about ourself(or
whatever you say like 'self realization') and dying to attain mukthi  while
lots of people(particularly indians) suffer from evils like
castism,religious riots,hunger,unemployment etc.,?


>Who is pained in the world? You? or the people who exist in your
> >perception
>of the world?

What a great thought. You are refusing to accept the pains of other poor
people and wants to concentrate on your comfartables by using some gimmicks
like 'perception of the world'. Is this practical vedanta?


>If you have a head ache and hence see the world has a pink
>tinge to it, but you "know" that it should be in all colours etc etc ... do
>you take the medicine or give the medicine to the rest of the world? See
>the
>analogy? You have a problem with the world. The world probably has a
>problem
>also. Solve yours first. That is all that is asked.

This is a pure escapism. We people settled in our lives and comfortably
discussing vedanta in the net. There are people who are struggling for their
day to day life. But you are advising that forget about other poor people
and solve your problem first.

>  Please understand that the reason some of us dont feel as strongly about
>"reforming" the world as you do, is not because we are complacent. We are
>all full of enthu and all that, but some of us place greater emphasis on
>the
>teachings of jnAni's like Ramana Maharishi and others, who literally
>beseech
>us to find our "Selves" and hence try as much as we can to find it.
>
>bhava shankara desikame sharaNam
>Vaidya.


Then whats the use of your 'full enthusiasm' to reform the world. You place
greater emphasis on the teachings of jnani's like Ramana Maharishi than
reforming the society. Can you place greater emphasis on teachings of jnani
than to keep your job safe, to get good hike in your salary, to get good
comfortables etc.?
In my point of view, 'practical vedanta' means : helping others, reforming
the society by eradicating - castism,religious differences,etc.



Regards
Madhavan







D>From: Vaidya Sundaram <shambho at GEOCITIES.COM>
>Reply-To: Vaidya Sundaram <shambho at geocities.com>
>To: ADVAITA-L at LISTS.ADVAITA-VEDANTA.ORG
>Subject: Re: Practical Vedanta
>Date: Sat, 15 May 1999 11:36:01 -0500
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: mmsudan <mmsudan at BOL.NET.IN>
>
> > >>From your posting it appeared to me that you placed more importance on
> > >service to the society than Self-realization.
> >
> > very right. the more I think and more I am getting convinced to it. That
>
>[...]
>
> > Let us have of look. what type of physical, Social and Moral life
>existed
> > through the
> > ages?
>
>[...]
>
> > in Tulsi Ramayan that in Kaliyug what type of sanyasin we will have. "
>the
> > wife is dead, wealth is lost, shave your head and be a sanyasi"  Each
>
>[...]
>
> > Who is to take the lead to set whole thing right?
>
>namaskAram.
>  Please do not by any stretch of imagination think that vedanta and the
>people who are in the pursuit of vedanta are irresponsible, non-caring and
>self centered human beigns; for some reason, that is the impression i am
>getting from your mails. If I am wrong, please accept my apologies also, I
>just wanted to clarify some things here.
>  For one, your statements comparing our present times with Treta yuga and
>Dwapara yuga are fatally flawed in that the dharmic levels of the people
>are
>different in each yuga and are lowest in this kali yuga. what else do you
>expect but what you have decsribed?
>
>  Secondly,  we (people in the study of vedanta) spend a lot of time in the
>world we see around us. The fraction of time we spend with ourselves is
>pitiably small. The way I see the world around me affects who I am, since
>all of them drag my  mind away. To be centered in the self (or trying to
>be)
>is not the same as self centered - as you seem to imply. Please find the
>time to read pages 487-491 of Talks with Ramana Maharishi. His answers are
>an unfailing guide in this matter. I do not want to quote verbatim all over
>again, it is up tp you to take it or leave it.
>
>Who is pained in the world? You? or the people who exist in your perception
>of the world? If you have a head ache and hence see the world has a pink
>tinge to it, but you "know" that it should be in all colours etc etc ... do
>you take the medicine or give the medicine to the rest of the world? See
>the
>analogy? You have a problem with the world. The world probably has a
>problem
>also. Solve yours first. That is all that is asked.
>
>  Please understand that the reason some of us dont feel as strongly about
>"reforming" the world as you do, is not because we are complacent. We are
>all full of enthu and all that, but some of us place greater emphasis on
>the
>teachings of jnAni's like Ramana Maharishi and others, who literally
>beseech
>us to find our "Selves" and hence try as much as we can to find it.
>
>bhava shankara desikame sharaNam
>Vaidya.
>


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