Reason, Faith & Experience.

[S. V. Subrahmanian]

???? Is that a statement or a question?

I was intending to sustantiate what I was saying in my next mail as I did
not have time.  I was only intending to say what some other wise men outside
the gamut of the select list of Acharyas we normally discuss, have said.

Shri Vaidya wrote:
Questions based on assumptions (whether valid or not) can be addressed and
progress made - statements made with out regard to established traditions
can only be brushed aside - I for one don't intend pursuing a line of
discussion where the fundamental assumption (or assertion) is that the
"definition" of sruti is myopic -

I understand that you are one of the founders of this list, hence I owe you
an explanation.

I was only saying that the definition of many of US is myopic, NOT that
Shruti or AchAryas are myopic.  It is more grander, sublime and supreme than
the limited set of mantras, brahmanas, aranyakas that we think that
constitutes Shruti.  It has been stated by few Masters as well.  I was not
intending to invalidate or contradict AchAryas, but only substantiate
existing ones and expand the scope of what is Shruti.  It is not as if I was
trying to do more than what the AchAryas did.  I only feel that OUR
understanding seems to be of limited scope.

But I need a lot more words than what I have written above.  But since I
sense a resistance to even a move towards it, I have no problems
withdrawing.  Anyway, there was nothing wrong in the views of any the
authors, just that I felt they were operating in a limited area.  Operating
in a limited area has its benefits as well, it gives one a sharp focus.
Well and good.

To me Advaita is a goal.  It is not a process.  I have never questioned its
validity.  But there is freedom in the choice of process.  But to choose a
process, one has to understand it.  If we cannot understand, we cannot
manage it.  And in the process of understanding one can question its basis
only to grow stronger within oneself and not to weaken the system.  There is
no benefit at all in the latter.  I have grown all along 'quietly accepting'
every theory I read.  I felt not much progress was not coming through.
Hence I started questioning and it has proved beneficial personally.

Anyway, thanks for your patience.  Shri Jaldharji, you too have been
patiently explaining things to me.  Thank you very much.  I wish to continue
to receieve mails.  There is a lot to learn in this list even as a mute
spectator.  I will be one.

S. V. Subrahmanian
svs_shankara at hotmail.com
---------------------------------------
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