[Advaita-l] How can one claim to know Brahman?

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

Sorry for the late reply, I was travelling.

On Sat, 19 Mar 2005, Mahesh Ursekar wrote:

> Pranams:
>
> Your points are well taken. However, I think in the spirit of this
> inspired list, continuing this thread further would bring us no closer
> to what a Master or philosopher or even your 'friendly neighborhood
> priest' :-) are likely to extoll about Advaita...so with a healthy
> spirit of accepting our apparently differing views while at the same
> time viewing our obvious agreement on the greatness of Advaita - your
> being the Moderator and me a participant in the list is proof enough,
> I would propose us discussing other topics on possibly future posts.
> Of course, only if you consider my posts to be knowledgeable enough to
> even evince a comment,,, :-)
>

Novice, master, philosopher, ji (I am younger than you and hope it will be
many years before I become a ji!) these are not useful labels.  What is
useful is the distinction between those who love truth and those who think
there is no such thing.  The first will eventually prevail even though it
may take a while.  The latter will remain in stagnation forever.  Novices
are welcome here.  Perhaps we could do more for them but we certainly
don't despise them.  But to those who willfully and proudly choose to
remain ignorant we should offer nothing but contempt.  For their cynicism
affects more than one Internet mailing list.  In another post you talk
about the sorrowful condition of Indian culture and point to Mahesh Bhatt
as an example.  Mahesh Bhatt is a clown.  Nobody outside his narrow circle
of fellow narcissists should give him the time of day.  I can criticize
him like this because I have an objective standard to do so.  But if there
is no truth only opinions, then why shouldn't his opinion be considered as
good as Swami Jayendra's?

I see from another post that you have started reading Panchadashi.  That's
an encouraging sign and I hope you stick to it.  Feel free to ask
questions here if you have any.

-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>