Forwarded message from Marko Manninen

[Marko Manninen]

Dear Jaldhar

Ok, there were two things that arised.

>
> I don't think this "root race" idea has any merit.  The Victorians had
> all kinds of speculations along these ends which were put to horrible use
> by madmen in the 20th century.  There is nothing in our traditions to
> suggest it.
>
> I examined several commentaries on the Gita from an Advaita viewpoint to
> see what they had to say on this subject.
>
> Shankaracharya says previous four Manus without comment.
>
> Swami Shankarananda Saraswati does the same in his commentary.
>
> Swami Madhusudan Saraswati as I mentioned previously says the compund
> should be broken up and "four" refers to the Sanatakumars.
>
> Shridharacharya also thinks the four refer to Sanatakumaras not Manus.  He
> is the only one who really tries to explain this and his comment is
> interesting:
>
> prabhAvamevaha yeSham bhrgvAdInAm sanakAdInA~ncha manUnA~nchemA
> brAhmaNAdyA loke vardhamAnA yathAyathama putrapautrAdirupA
> shiShyaprashiShyAdirupAshcha prajA jAtAh pravartante |
>
> "The meaning is that Brghu etc. [Sages] Sanaka etc. [Sanatakumaras] and
> Manus, the sons of Brahma, for the prosperity of the world bring forth
> progeny in the form of children and grandchildren, and disciples and
> grand-disciples."
>
> This is a good explanation I think which covers all the objections.
>
> Note all the commentators agree that the meaning of this verse is that the
> creation (and creators) are only apparent and exist due to the will and
> power of the Lord.

Thank you very much for the examining. I'd like to cite one more book where
this manvantara and root race "system" is published first as i know, but on
fortcoming letter. Is that ok?

>
> > How does above understanding differ from understanding that we have
now? I
> > mean, how it affects on normal life and spiritual life? Where derives
> > differences between jivanmuktas, in teaching and works?

I ment with last question that why possible jivanmuktas has different kind
of teaching methods (doctrines) and spiritual"powers", siddhis if all
jivanmuktas are supposed to be "enlightened" from the _same_ source? Or are
there specific degrees of jivanmukta?

>
> Oh I'm not denying one should not need help or be prepared to offer
> it.  The boddhisattva as I understand it in Buddhism is the person who has
> stood at the door to enlightenment but turns back in order to help
> others.  That is because Nirvana is understood by Buddhists as the
> extinction of consciousness.  Once an enlightened person is on the "other
> side" he can't talk to the people on this side." A Jivanmukta is an
> already enlightened person.  He can teach other people because in Vedanta
> consciousness in its true state is pure omnipresent and unending so there
> is not a negation of the world but its inclusion in a greater whole.
>

Very interestingly Buddha is to sayd to been in nirvana while in the earth,
but he also taught people over forty years after that. I don't know exact
meaning of boddhisatva idea but as you said "has stood at the door" is
familiar to me.

--
bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam

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