12/07/2009 Fr. Jose
Re-birth
I heard that In Budhist tradition when a Lama is re-born, at times, ther can be two or more Lamas. "Splitted incarnation"? Can the same be happened in the case of any person?
05/10/2009 leslie
Please answer this.
IT is an interesting question.Mr Krishnan may be urged to answer it.Doesn't he look into the forum these days ?
05/10/2009 Krishnan Kartha
Sorry Father Jose Mariadas , for the delay. Pt 1
I am very sorry that I saw the question this morning only.
It may be looked upon as an absurdity that Lamas are split into many in rebirths.As a matter of fact, Buddhism denies rebirth as a belief. It is interesting to note that Gautama Buddha himself had talked about his previous births! But still both Theravadins and Mahayana buddhists reject the belief. At the same time, in Tibet, Lamas are believed to be reborn and they are provided with signs of testimony to confrm such an occurance too. (You may please note here that the Tibetan Buddhism is Vajrayana (Vehicle of Thuderbolt) which has early roots in Indian Tantra. So Vajrayana might be accommodating rebirth!. )
Now coming back to the philosophy and the truth.
My inference, which is not secondary ( i ve not read anywhere,but still believ to be true) is as follows:-
The five sheaths known as Pancha Koshas get disintegrated and seperated when life leaves a human body. The five sheaths are Anna Maya Kosha (Gross Body), Prana Maya Kosha (Vital energy sheath) Mano Maya kosha (mental sheath) Vijnana Maya Kosha (Sheath of Awareness) and Ananda Maya Kosha (Sheath of experience). The concept of these koshas is classical but the disintegration part , is not.
The disintegration is as follows. Anna Maya kosha is decayed through burial or burnt into ashes by cremation. The Prana maya kosha returns to the Gross Vital field in the universe. Mano maya kosha and the other two are not returning to anywhere.They remain in such independent states and identify themselves with new bodies after some time. The Vijnana and Ananda koshas need not be effulgent in the body into which the related Manomaya kosha enters. It may take some time for the fulfillment or enlghtenment. The password is provided to the manomaya kosha to search into the realms of the Vijnana maya and Ananda Maya koshas after some time. These period is called Maya. Even incarnations have gone through such states. They become known to them on a fine morning.
05/10/2009 Krishnan Kartha
Part 2 on Lamas rebirths
SO when a manomaya kosha assumes a human body the Vijnana and ananda Maya kosha may also accompany it but it may remain low profiled. The key point is the password to login into the realms of Vijnana and Ananda. The mano maya kosha or the mind may have to undertake some steps to get the password. That may be a path of sadhana or even a simple thought or action. This is relative. Never generalised.
AT the same time, the most interesting thing is that OTHER MANO MAYA KOSHAS (MINDS) CAN ALSO AVAIL THE PASSWORD AND ACCESS THE SAID VIJNANA AND ANANDA MAYA KOSHAS OF ANOTHER IDENTiTY.
If Jose Mariadas has gone thorugh stages of experieces and awareness they are stored in the appropriate sheaths mentioned above. Father Jose can get into the reminiscenses of both realms if he becomes capable of doing so, in another birth of his. Not only he but I can also get access into the realm of these two sheaths orinially belonged to Fr.Jose Mariadas.
In order to get this access, continous and severe identification with the present Jose Mariadas' life may be necessary for me. Has it become clear, Father?
Some saints have gone through the passion of Christ. How do they do it? they become identified with Jesus in their Love for Him and both the sheaths of Vijnana (Awareness) and Ananada (Bliss/Experience) becomes open to them. St Francis of Assisi,I think had such experiences.
In many cases I have also understood that the experience is followed by awareness, the Wisdom dawns on the mind of these persons.! Sister Alphonsa had suffered a lot and she identified all those pains with the Passion of Christ, and then the Wisdom of Christ visited her mental realm. This is also not generalised. SImply by putting the body to pain one cannot access the wisdom. But the Love is crucial.This Love creates an identification and then it triggers.
Whether the Mano maya kosha of Jesus is reborn or not, the other sheaths is made available to people who do penance.
The access can be temporary also...................................
05/10/2009 Krishnan Kartha
Part 3 on Lama's rebirth
This can be temporary also.
When X ,because of his devotion for Lord Krishna, contemplates on his lord always, he slowly becomes identified with the Lord himself. (This is easily explained by psychologists, which they claim to end in split personaliety sydrome) More than a mental feeling that X is Krishna, X slowly starts to enter into the sheaths of Awareness and Bliss (VIjnana and Ananda Maya Koshas)of Krishna. He "recollects" the awareness and experience of Krishna. But X is not Krishna physically, since the Anna Maya Kosha is different. X may be soon identified as an avathar or ancarnation of Krishna. The password may be for some sectors of those sheath. It need not be full access.
In India, these stages are known as Saalokya, Sameepya, Saaroopya and Sayoojya. These are the four stages of devotion. When you are in the world of God you are in Saalokya. Your world is full of God only.This leads to Sameepya , nearness to the Lord. Eventually you look like the Lord, Saaroopya. The forms become identical. And in the end, it becomes SAYOOJYA (Yuj means to unite) the oneness.
And I was starting to say that this can be temporary. I shall explain that now.
In some cases after a visitation the whole experience may vanish. The Ego may be the reason. Under such situations "X" may start to become pretentious. Without any base he may make false claims. He will soon be reckoned as a fraud by the society.
This is the reason for different people remembering the key points about the Dead Lamas's life. There may be some questions to be asked to check whether he is the rebirth.More than one person may be able to answer. This makes the Tibetans believe that the Dead Lama is split into many!
In real, the Lama will reincrnate only in one body with his Manomaya, VinjananMaya and Anandyamaya koshas.
In Mahabharath, Dharmadeva is said to born as Yudhishtira and Vidura at the same period. When you study both characters, you can understand how thery were different,justifying my statement about sectorwise access.
05/10/2009 leslie
Wonderful answer.
Thanks a lot to Fr Jose Mariadas for asking the question and Mr Kartha for answering it in detail.
I have read somewhere that St Theresa of Avila too had such experiences. I now understand that the healing power they command might be because of the so called oneness in those two sheaths.
Anyway kudos to Karthaji
05/10/2009 Fr. Jose
Re-birth
Thank you very much Mr. Krishnan Karta. I always wonder at the way you give answers; especially the ease with which you blend different spiritual traditions to make clear what you intend. Once again thank you very much for the answer though much awaited.
Krishnan Kartha's answers to questions in socialnetworks are compiled and published here by alumni of Winter Schools on Indian Culture & Spirituality held every year during the Christmas week at Madhuvanam ashram, Trivandrum in South India.Reports from weekly sathsangs held at Madhuvanam, Trivandrum in South India are also added
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Why Religion?
30/09/2007 seekerboy has posted in orkut community:
Why is religion important? Why not faith? Why can'
question from sasperilla23 (http://answers.yahoo.com/my/profile;_ylt=Al.fEMKHiMsyEaTmCArc4Xvd7BR.;_ylv=3?show=949b15a0cdfed605bacf96360bb29d14aa)
Why is religion important? Why not faith? Why can't we just believe in God and Jesus?
krishnan Kartha answered :
"Your faith in God and His son is good to start with. But you should develop faith in yourself. Christ Jesus tells his people when they are astonished at his miraculous healing of the woman with bleeding and also upon his curse on the fig tree... have faith.. faith can move mountains... .he has not said faith in God. But faith in yourself amounts to faith in God eventually.
religions are there to build self confidence among human beings though they jeoparidse the original task. They make their followers more and more fearful and sinful.But this is the case with all the gatherings of men on earth.
The fickleness of the mob. It happens. "
01/10/2007 Krishnan Kartha
Additions to my answer.
The yahoo answer was not sufficient i feel.So I add here.
The faith is the basis of development or progress.It is purely a mental faculty.
Karl Marx had faith that his manifesto would bare fruit. Though he considered Mind to be an apparent phenomenon of the matter, we should admit that he did have faith in his manifesto.He belived that the state would wither away at a state when man would feel responsible towards his fellow beings and join hands in production,distribution and consumption. If he had no faith he could not have succeeded in his life.
In religion also faith is the basis.Faith develops confidence and confidence creates Love. When you are in Love naturally peace follows.When there is lack of faith, you feel disturbed and feels no love towards anyone. Then hatred occupies the space and it ensues in lack of peace.
So in order to cultivate faith wise people have created religions.In fact they never create any religion.They just said some thing. People around them,out of their lesser state of mental attitude created religion.Chirst was born and died as a jew. He was never a Christian in the communal parlance. But you may see that Jesus was ,perhaps the only Christian.
To become a true Christian you should become none other than Jesus Christ.This means that once you become a true christian,you are one with Christ. But the problem is that the moment you become Christ , mob will be around you. Those who cannot venture to become Christ surround you. These people in turn create another Christianity.This is how religions are created.
All religions proclaim Love as supreme But the so called "religious" people indulge in hating others.
Why is religion important? Why not faith? Why can'
question from sasperilla23 (http://answers.yahoo.com/my/profile;_ylt=Al.fEMKHiMsyEaTmCArc4Xvd7BR.;_ylv=3?show=949b15a0cdfed605bacf96360bb29d14aa)
Why is religion important? Why not faith? Why can't we just believe in God and Jesus?
krishnan Kartha answered :
"Your faith in God and His son is good to start with. But you should develop faith in yourself. Christ Jesus tells his people when they are astonished at his miraculous healing of the woman with bleeding and also upon his curse on the fig tree... have faith.. faith can move mountains... .he has not said faith in God. But faith in yourself amounts to faith in God eventually.
religions are there to build self confidence among human beings though they jeoparidse the original task. They make their followers more and more fearful and sinful.But this is the case with all the gatherings of men on earth.
The fickleness of the mob. It happens. "
01/10/2007 Krishnan Kartha
Additions to my answer.
The yahoo answer was not sufficient i feel.So I add here.
The faith is the basis of development or progress.It is purely a mental faculty.
Karl Marx had faith that his manifesto would bare fruit. Though he considered Mind to be an apparent phenomenon of the matter, we should admit that he did have faith in his manifesto.He belived that the state would wither away at a state when man would feel responsible towards his fellow beings and join hands in production,distribution and consumption. If he had no faith he could not have succeeded in his life.
In religion also faith is the basis.Faith develops confidence and confidence creates Love. When you are in Love naturally peace follows.When there is lack of faith, you feel disturbed and feels no love towards anyone. Then hatred occupies the space and it ensues in lack of peace.
So in order to cultivate faith wise people have created religions.In fact they never create any religion.They just said some thing. People around them,out of their lesser state of mental attitude created religion.Chirst was born and died as a jew. He was never a Christian in the communal parlance. But you may see that Jesus was ,perhaps the only Christian.
To become a true Christian you should become none other than Jesus Christ.This means that once you become a true christian,you are one with Christ. But the problem is that the moment you become Christ , mob will be around you. Those who cannot venture to become Christ surround you. These people in turn create another Christianity.This is how religions are created.
All religions proclaim Love as supreme But the so called "religious" people indulge in hating others.
Discouraging pranayama? Shreya Asks
19/08/2008 shreya (http://www.orkut.co.in/Main#Profile?uid=9921229793659283483)
Yoga and pranayama
From your words, I think, that you seem to be discouraging pranayama and yoga.
Am I right? Can I call you Master? Sir,
If yes, why? what are the alternatives? which is the true path?
19/08/2008 Krishnan Kartha
Welcome to the forum.
I am not discouraging any body. If courage is there, one cannot be discouraged! Faith in one's own practises takes him the goal. So a steadfast seeker never swerves from the path he has chosen.
And now here comes the question of choice. Find out the best for you;the convenient one.And be firm on that. It can be devotion, meditation, wisdom or anything else, even Yoga and Pranayama..
Regarding pranayama, I observe like this; man breathes 21600 times a day, says upanishads.With this much count one can very well become enlightened. By reducing the number you can have short cuts. But it is against the nature. There is a violence. Any violent methods will have its own backfire. When you hold breathe there is sudden change in chemistry of the brain and other parts of the body.This may produce some by-products. This can give you a "high" for sometime, but soon to fall back in to hyper sensuality.So be cautious. That is why Upanishads say, playing with prana is as adventorous and dangerous like trying to tether a mad elephant with a lotus stem.
That is all. I am not discouraging. Be courageous to go ahead in that path.Hence it is called the Raja Yoga, the Royal Path.Fit for kshatriyas, the warriors. It is really a war against mind. The whole meditation is a war against mind. And great warriors have become great contemplatives...
And the Yoga which we see around us as physical exercise.. it is just an exercise.Spirituality is away from it.It calms down the mind and prepares the body fit for spiritual journey.That is not spirituality itself.That is the difference. If you have succeded in any psoture, (asana jaya) you may go ahead and find out new pastures. Good luck.
About calling me names..I am not master. You can call me Krishnan. Master is known by his desciples as a tree is known by its fruits.So desciples are important than the master, I feel. Sri ramakrishna has many desciples.Only one among them became Vivekananda.Through Vivekananda we came to know about Sri Ramakrishna.
ok?
Yoga and pranayama
From your words, I think, that you seem to be discouraging pranayama and yoga.
Am I right? Can I call you Master? Sir,
If yes, why? what are the alternatives? which is the true path?
19/08/2008 Krishnan Kartha
Welcome to the forum.
I am not discouraging any body. If courage is there, one cannot be discouraged! Faith in one's own practises takes him the goal. So a steadfast seeker never swerves from the path he has chosen.
And now here comes the question of choice. Find out the best for you;the convenient one.And be firm on that. It can be devotion, meditation, wisdom or anything else, even Yoga and Pranayama..
Regarding pranayama, I observe like this; man breathes 21600 times a day, says upanishads.With this much count one can very well become enlightened. By reducing the number you can have short cuts. But it is against the nature. There is a violence. Any violent methods will have its own backfire. When you hold breathe there is sudden change in chemistry of the brain and other parts of the body.This may produce some by-products. This can give you a "high" for sometime, but soon to fall back in to hyper sensuality.So be cautious. That is why Upanishads say, playing with prana is as adventorous and dangerous like trying to tether a mad elephant with a lotus stem.
That is all. I am not discouraging. Be courageous to go ahead in that path.Hence it is called the Raja Yoga, the Royal Path.Fit for kshatriyas, the warriors. It is really a war against mind. The whole meditation is a war against mind. And great warriors have become great contemplatives...
And the Yoga which we see around us as physical exercise.. it is just an exercise.Spirituality is away from it.It calms down the mind and prepares the body fit for spiritual journey.That is not spirituality itself.That is the difference. If you have succeded in any psoture, (asana jaya) you may go ahead and find out new pastures. Good luck.
About calling me names..I am not master. You can call me Krishnan. Master is known by his desciples as a tree is known by its fruits.So desciples are important than the master, I feel. Sri ramakrishna has many desciples.Only one among them became Vivekananda.Through Vivekananda we came to know about Sri Ramakrishna.
ok?
Pranaayaama ; use and abuse
03/10/2007 seekerboy
Pranayama Use and Abuse / Pros and Corns
rosebuddhist@yahoo answers asked
What is pranayama?
Is it safe for all? What are the effects on body mind and soul? How to start practising it?
krishnan kartha answered :
I have seen Pranayama to be a very useful technique to upkeep mental and spiritual health.As a bye product the physical health will also follow.But still I have my own reservations about the same,which I will tell in the end.
To introduce,Pranayama is a breathing technique. A technique means a method we develop.It is a manipulated one.Likewise,Pranayama is also an exercise developed by
ancient sages in India.
Why ?Upanishads (if you are not Indian,this means Sanskrit texts which are part of Veda) say that man breathes 21000 times a day.It was found that prolongation of breathe provides longevity.The life of a person is possibly fixed on the number of respiration, and that might be the reason for the sages having found that the prolongation of breathe results in longevity.
The sages observed that the life of a tortoise which breathes very slowly lives longer than a rabbit which breathes heavily. Thus they resorted to control of breath techniques.But the practice also brought our many other results such as mental peace, control of senses,physical health,digestion,beauty etc.
Now we may go to the sources of yoga in the pre-Patanjali period. (Patanjali was the sage who codified yoga in his work "Yoga Sutra")The upanishads say that one has to be careful with pranayama.It is like tieing a mad elephant with
creepers of lotus.So we have to be very careful with the technique.Many practitioners and online learners of yoga think that pranayama is just a breathing technique.
My reservations are these.Man can become enlightened and be free from misery with his normal 21000 times breathing. This is natural.Any other sort of cut shorts are violating the order of the nature.It amounts to violence towards the surroundings. The "high" as the result of pranayama,if not properly managed, can just be the "high" attained in the process of asphysxia. 03/10/2007 seeker
second part of KK's answer on Pranayama
Meditation brings about natural breathless state which is termed as KEVALA KUMBHAKA in yoga.This is natural breathless state. Our body itself produces O2 out of the nascent oxygen available within the body.This release sort of energy which is identified as bliss by human beings.This end can be achieved by meditation step by step.
Now coming back to the orinigal question.
Pranayama is a technique which normally includes conscious prolongation of inhalation, retention, and exhalation of the breath .There can be simple pranayama without the retention also. Prana normally means the breath, but more
accurately signifies the 'vital energy force' that permeates the
universe.Chinese call it the "Chi"."
Ayama is 'extension' or 'expansion'. Thus, the word pranayama can be understood as the extension or expansion of prana.The word pranayama is thus comprised of two roots: prana and ayama.
The pranayama needs steadiness of body.For this you may resort to yogic postures known as ASANAs.Though asana is not a prerequisite of pranayama,to start with a sound posture is always beneficial. You had better learn asanas from a yoga teacher in person.
It is reported that Pranayama is beneficial in treating a range of stress related disorders.However, I must agree that the practice of pranayama develops a steady mind, strong will-power, and sound judgement.This sound judgement is the right perception conceived by Buddha.Not the intellectual judgement.
A rightly discriminated,practical way of Pranayama should be adopted,by closely monitoring the increase of ease and absence of discomfort at every step.
The most important fact is that Patanjali never started with Pranayama but had put YAMA,NIYAMA,and ASANAS before proceeding to the fourth state which is pranayama. Trying to attempt 4th step by by-passing first second and third
step is dangerous.You may search "Yama,Niyama" for results on these aspects.
To start with you may take up deep breathing with mental chanting of OOOOO without chating "M" .Inhale deeply 03/10/2007 seeker
Thirs part of KKs answer on Pranayama
To start with you may take up deep breathing with mental chanting of OOOOO without chating "M" .Inhale deeply and slowly exhale while chanting OOO part of AUM.Never chant M but patiently listen to your own system chanting that.DO this in a fixed time everyday.Initially you mady adopt the following guidelines.
! ) Sit in a comfortable position.
2 ) Relax your body parts
3 ) Close your eyes.
4 ) Take a deep breath slowly, till your lungs are full.
5 ) Now breath out slowly in the same nostril,till your lungs are empty.
7 ) Repeat it for 5 times. 05/10/2007 seeker
rosebuddhist has chosen the answer as the best one
Asker of the question in yahoo answers. rosebuddhist has chosen KK's answer as the best one and left a note as below:-
"The answer is wholesome. I would put up more questions since I sincerely hope that they will eb answered.Thanks Mr.K."
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmPe0IYN5_nEtzCi46hBfb3qxQt.;_ylv=3?qid=20071002201902AAMTdH2
Pranayama Use and Abuse / Pros and Corns
rosebuddhist@yahoo answers asked
What is pranayama?
Is it safe for all? What are the effects on body mind and soul? How to start practising it?
krishnan kartha answered :
I have seen Pranayama to be a very useful technique to upkeep mental and spiritual health.As a bye product the physical health will also follow.But still I have my own reservations about the same,which I will tell in the end.
To introduce,Pranayama is a breathing technique. A technique means a method we develop.It is a manipulated one.Likewise,Pranayama is also an exercise developed by
ancient sages in India.
Why ?Upanishads (if you are not Indian,this means Sanskrit texts which are part of Veda) say that man breathes 21000 times a day.It was found that prolongation of breathe provides longevity.The life of a person is possibly fixed on the number of respiration, and that might be the reason for the sages having found that the prolongation of breathe results in longevity.
The sages observed that the life of a tortoise which breathes very slowly lives longer than a rabbit which breathes heavily. Thus they resorted to control of breath techniques.But the practice also brought our many other results such as mental peace, control of senses,physical health,digestion,beauty etc.
Now we may go to the sources of yoga in the pre-Patanjali period. (Patanjali was the sage who codified yoga in his work "Yoga Sutra")The upanishads say that one has to be careful with pranayama.It is like tieing a mad elephant with
creepers of lotus.So we have to be very careful with the technique.Many practitioners and online learners of yoga think that pranayama is just a breathing technique.
My reservations are these.Man can become enlightened and be free from misery with his normal 21000 times breathing. This is natural.Any other sort of cut shorts are violating the order of the nature.It amounts to violence towards the surroundings. The "high" as the result of pranayama,if not properly managed, can just be the "high" attained in the process of asphysxia. 03/10/2007 seeker
second part of KK's answer on Pranayama
Meditation brings about natural breathless state which is termed as KEVALA KUMBHAKA in yoga.This is natural breathless state. Our body itself produces O2 out of the nascent oxygen available within the body.This release sort of energy which is identified as bliss by human beings.This end can be achieved by meditation step by step.
Now coming back to the orinigal question.
Pranayama is a technique which normally includes conscious prolongation of inhalation, retention, and exhalation of the breath .There can be simple pranayama without the retention also. Prana normally means the breath, but more
accurately signifies the 'vital energy force' that permeates the
universe.Chinese call it the "Chi"."
Ayama is 'extension' or 'expansion'. Thus, the word pranayama can be understood as the extension or expansion of prana.The word pranayama is thus comprised of two roots: prana and ayama.
The pranayama needs steadiness of body.For this you may resort to yogic postures known as ASANAs.Though asana is not a prerequisite of pranayama,to start with a sound posture is always beneficial. You had better learn asanas from a yoga teacher in person.
It is reported that Pranayama is beneficial in treating a range of stress related disorders.However, I must agree that the practice of pranayama develops a steady mind, strong will-power, and sound judgement.This sound judgement is the right perception conceived by Buddha.Not the intellectual judgement.
A rightly discriminated,practical way of Pranayama should be adopted,by closely monitoring the increase of ease and absence of discomfort at every step.
The most important fact is that Patanjali never started with Pranayama but had put YAMA,NIYAMA,and ASANAS before proceeding to the fourth state which is pranayama. Trying to attempt 4th step by by-passing first second and third
step is dangerous.You may search "Yama,Niyama" for results on these aspects.
To start with you may take up deep breathing with mental chanting of OOOOO without chating "M" .Inhale deeply 03/10/2007 seeker
Thirs part of KKs answer on Pranayama
To start with you may take up deep breathing with mental chanting of OOOOO without chating "M" .Inhale deeply and slowly exhale while chanting OOO part of AUM.Never chant M but patiently listen to your own system chanting that.DO this in a fixed time everyday.Initially you mady adopt the following guidelines.
! ) Sit in a comfortable position.
2 ) Relax your body parts
3 ) Close your eyes.
4 ) Take a deep breath slowly, till your lungs are full.
5 ) Now breath out slowly in the same nostril,till your lungs are empty.
7 ) Repeat it for 5 times. 05/10/2007 seeker
rosebuddhist has chosen the answer as the best one
Asker of the question in yahoo answers. rosebuddhist has chosen KK's answer as the best one and left a note as below:-
"The answer is wholesome. I would put up more questions since I sincerely hope that they will eb answered.Thanks Mr.K."
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmPe0IYN5_nEtzCi46hBfb3qxQt.;_ylv=3?qid=20071002201902AAMTdH2
Yoga for mind or for body ? asks seekerboy
seekerboy asks:
What is yoga? Is it concerned with spirituality or
What is yoga? Is it concerned with spirituality or physical health? Who can practice it?
asked by aram (http://answers.yahoo.com/my/profile;_ylt=Ah5MTYyljk2X15V45dAUZpLd7BR.;ylv=3?show=cf5093c1b8bc8a90680880b1e8257975aa)
at yahoo answers.
The answer posted by krishnan kartha was selected as the best answer by the asker:
"Yoga is one of the six theist schools of philosophy in India. It was already there in Upanishads, texts which are part of Vedas.There are around twelve upanishads which deal directly with yoga. However, it was sage Patanjali who arranged the info and brought out "Yoga Sutra".
The yoga literally mean union. Union with your own self. Though a character called "Ishwara" (normally translated as God) is dealt with in Patanjali's Yoga sutra, the Ishwara is only a presiding factor in the book. Man has his own nmastery over his destiny, the sutras points out.
The physical posture is one of the eight aspects of yoga only.It is never treated as the prime in Yog sutra.It is just a step to Yogic practice,a primary step. The posture which soothes is the ideal posture for yoga says the Yoga Sutra (sthira Sukham Aasanam: means an Asana is one which is unwavering and comfortable).Hence, the asanaa (postures) are not yoga and Yoga is not just asana.
However a good posture allows you to control your mind and concentrate on any particular thought which in turn will lead you to a thoughtless state, the state of no-mind.This is union.or Yoga. You may just have glimspes of bliss initially.But regular and steady practice leads you to a point of no return to the world of sorrows. You will live in this earth with joy and bliss.
The postures are later development. Many diseases are cured with yogic postures and control of breath known as PRANAYAMA. However the pranayama is something to be tackled with caution. "
What is yoga? Is it concerned with spirituality or
What is yoga? Is it concerned with spirituality or physical health? Who can practice it?
asked by aram (http://answers.yahoo.com/my/profile;_ylt=Ah5MTYyljk2X15V45dAUZpLd7BR.;ylv=3?show=cf5093c1b8bc8a90680880b1e8257975aa)
at yahoo answers.
The answer posted by krishnan kartha was selected as the best answer by the asker:
"Yoga is one of the six theist schools of philosophy in India. It was already there in Upanishads, texts which are part of Vedas.There are around twelve upanishads which deal directly with yoga. However, it was sage Patanjali who arranged the info and brought out "Yoga Sutra".
The yoga literally mean union. Union with your own self. Though a character called "Ishwara" (normally translated as God) is dealt with in Patanjali's Yoga sutra, the Ishwara is only a presiding factor in the book. Man has his own nmastery over his destiny, the sutras points out.
The physical posture is one of the eight aspects of yoga only.It is never treated as the prime in Yog sutra.It is just a step to Yogic practice,a primary step. The posture which soothes is the ideal posture for yoga says the Yoga Sutra (sthira Sukham Aasanam: means an Asana is one which is unwavering and comfortable).Hence, the asanaa (postures) are not yoga and Yoga is not just asana.
However a good posture allows you to control your mind and concentrate on any particular thought which in turn will lead you to a thoughtless state, the state of no-mind.This is union.or Yoga. You may just have glimspes of bliss initially.But regular and steady practice leads you to a point of no return to the world of sorrows. You will live in this earth with joy and bliss.
The postures are later development. Many diseases are cured with yogic postures and control of breath known as PRANAYAMA. However the pranayama is something to be tackled with caution. "
Buddha denied Atma? Question from Leslie
19/01/2009 leslie
Why Buddha denied Atma? Why he said more about Min
It seems Buddha denied the existence of Soul.Atma. In the meanwhile he seemed to have spoken more on mind. Is mind supreme? Please enlighten.Mr Kartha.
08/07/2009 Krishnan Kartha
Buddha denies Atma !
Atma is not distinct from anything in this universe.So it cannot be defined.It is everything.And everything is in It. So nothing to be said of Atma.Those who dont
know anything about Atma speak much about Atma, thinking that their definition
is sufficient.It is not.Atma cannot be defined.Nothing to be said in comparitive sense,
No comparison with it because nothing is there seperate from it or devoid of Atma.
So Gautama Buddha realised that nothing was to be said on Atma. Whatever said would be a miniature of what Atma is.So he was silent. But when King Bimbisara
asked about Atma, he might have got irritated and hence denied the existance of
Atma. It was true.Atma cannot exist when there is nothing distinct from Atma.
Bimbisaras dialogue got misintrepreted and spereaded as Anatma.This is the story
whether you believe or not.
Mind. That is the only companion man has on earthly as well as eatherly sojourn.
So Buddha concentrated on Mind. It is Mind that makes things and persons feel and
look distinct.
Okay? sorry for the delay.
Why Buddha denied Atma? Why he said more about Min
It seems Buddha denied the existence of Soul.Atma. In the meanwhile he seemed to have spoken more on mind. Is mind supreme? Please enlighten.Mr Kartha.
08/07/2009 Krishnan Kartha
Buddha denies Atma !
Atma is not distinct from anything in this universe.So it cannot be defined.It is everything.And everything is in It. So nothing to be said of Atma.Those who dont
know anything about Atma speak much about Atma, thinking that their definition
is sufficient.It is not.Atma cannot be defined.Nothing to be said in comparitive sense,
No comparison with it because nothing is there seperate from it or devoid of Atma.
So Gautama Buddha realised that nothing was to be said on Atma. Whatever said would be a miniature of what Atma is.So he was silent. But when King Bimbisara
asked about Atma, he might have got irritated and hence denied the existance of
Atma. It was true.Atma cannot exist when there is nothing distinct from Atma.
Bimbisaras dialogue got misintrepreted and spereaded as Anatma.This is the story
whether you believe or not.
Mind. That is the only companion man has on earthly as well as eatherly sojourn.
So Buddha concentrated on Mind. It is Mind that makes things and persons feel and
look distinct.
Okay? sorry for the delay.
Atharva Veda : Question from Manoj
07/12/2009 manoj
Adharvam
What's the importants of this veda
15/12/2009 Krishnan Kartha
Atharva Veda : Content
Atharva veda is of secondary or subsequent origin as I understand. I have found most of the Athrva sukthas and slokas in other vedas.There are some unique sookthas but the form and content exposes their origin and period. However, a sloka in Rigveda need not be found in Atharva Veda with same usage or style. For understanding this point, we should know about Rishi, Chandas and Devatha.
Each sloka in veda has a rishi. He is the exponent of the potency of the said sloka. He was the one who had tested the usage of the mantra and obtained results. We pay our respects to him before proceeding with the use of a mantra.
Chandas is the meter, like the vruttha in malayalam. Devatha is the abstract form behind the mantra. Vedic Devathas (vaidika devatha) are different from Puranik Devathas. Ganapati Siva Vishnu etc are Puranic devathas.They were created later on. Vaidik devathas are ethereal forces which are connected with daily human life.Like dreams, Night, Morning etc etc.
Now, I have noticed that same mantra has different rishis and devathas in Rigveda and Atharva veda. This is due to the mode of utility. Examples for this are not appropriate at the moment so I am excluding.
As I said earlier, there are some original atharva mantras and sukthas. Some of them have similarities with Rig Sukthas. I belive that they might have been originally there in Rgveda but removed later on. Period and authentiicity of some other mantras are to be questioned in the light of shift of style in them. Those are debatable issues. Not of our interest.
Now the question comes as to how the generation of Atharva ensued and why . 15/12/2009 Krishnan Kartha
Atharva2:Flight from Jnana to Upasana
The vedas were primarily used for acquiring wisdom. For Jnana. Accordingly yajnas were orgnaised by offering things into sacrificial fire and the aspirants duly obtained wisdom. This is evident even today as a seeker of fire obtains perception over and above the average human being.
But there were bye products too in these yajnas. They included harvest, rains, fertility etc etc. Man's selfish nature prompted him intoprobe into this phenomenon. Sceintists were there even then who used to disect things. They found that some mantras chanted in peculiar manner results in addition of welfare in the personal life as well as social life. They probed further amd earmarked appropriate mantras for appropriate results. When there are positive generative effects there has to be negative destructive results too. This made them seperate the positive manthras from negative manthras. The use of such mantras became more in Yajnas and Yajnas were started to be organised for specific purposes than for general well being of mankind. The selfishness of some users proved to be detrimental to the sustanance of the society. Thus the social ethics stepped in to the shoes and seperated destructive ones and banned individuals from using it. Since the potency was known to all concerned, prohibition was not effective. This resulted in origination of Grihya suthras and Srautha sutras. Many people have written these sutras. Grihya Sutras prescribed code conduct for the individuals and prescribed Grihya (domestic) yajnas one can hold at home. Srautha Sutras desribed Havir Yajnas & Soma Yagas to be organised by a group of individuals or soceity only.
This is how vedas were started to be used for UPASANA(Seeking).When you seek,the sought also is created. Thus slowly puranic devathas originated. The original purpose of vedas,ie Wisdom,was forgotten. Scholars like Jaimini embarked on new school called Poorva Meemamsa. They propogated that for going into heaven some deeds were needed. They framed some rites and routines later known as hinduism 15/12/2009 Krishnan Kartha
Atharva3: Compilation of Atharva
When the social reformers found that segregation as domestic and social yajnas is of no use to check on selfish use of vedas, they forcefully removed and spoiled those mantras. But vested interests compiled them again into one volume and thus originated Atharva veda.
Subseqently the original slokas were put back to other vedas. But the difference of usage and style in Atharva continued.
This is my inference from my own research. There may be people agrreing or disagreeing to this. However I have not read anywhere about the shift from jnana to upasana, but i firmly believe that this must have been the flow of events. 15/12/2009 Krishnan Kartha
Atharva4: Utility
The vedic chants in Atharva veda provides many useful tips to daily life. Thus most of the upa veda or sub vedas originated from Atharva. Natya Sasthra, Dhanurveda, Ayurveda etc. The Atharva deals with the utitlity of many herbs and plants. It provides protective mantras for ones wealth possessions cattle etc etc. Many useful mantras are there. I have found some mantras useful for starting work on earth for building etc, than the ones in other vedas. We use it for yajnas for erecting yagasalas etc. Prayers to earth. They are very poetic and indeed motivates us.
Do you need anything more? if so please ask. Thanks
Adharvam
What's the importants of this veda
15/12/2009 Krishnan Kartha
Atharva Veda : Content
Atharva veda is of secondary or subsequent origin as I understand. I have found most of the Athrva sukthas and slokas in other vedas.There are some unique sookthas but the form and content exposes their origin and period. However, a sloka in Rigveda need not be found in Atharva Veda with same usage or style. For understanding this point, we should know about Rishi, Chandas and Devatha.
Each sloka in veda has a rishi. He is the exponent of the potency of the said sloka. He was the one who had tested the usage of the mantra and obtained results. We pay our respects to him before proceeding with the use of a mantra.
Chandas is the meter, like the vruttha in malayalam. Devatha is the abstract form behind the mantra. Vedic Devathas (vaidika devatha) are different from Puranik Devathas. Ganapati Siva Vishnu etc are Puranic devathas.They were created later on. Vaidik devathas are ethereal forces which are connected with daily human life.Like dreams, Night, Morning etc etc.
Now, I have noticed that same mantra has different rishis and devathas in Rigveda and Atharva veda. This is due to the mode of utility. Examples for this are not appropriate at the moment so I am excluding.
As I said earlier, there are some original atharva mantras and sukthas. Some of them have similarities with Rig Sukthas. I belive that they might have been originally there in Rgveda but removed later on. Period and authentiicity of some other mantras are to be questioned in the light of shift of style in them. Those are debatable issues. Not of our interest.
Now the question comes as to how the generation of Atharva ensued and why . 15/12/2009 Krishnan Kartha
Atharva2:Flight from Jnana to Upasana
The vedas were primarily used for acquiring wisdom. For Jnana. Accordingly yajnas were orgnaised by offering things into sacrificial fire and the aspirants duly obtained wisdom. This is evident even today as a seeker of fire obtains perception over and above the average human being.
But there were bye products too in these yajnas. They included harvest, rains, fertility etc etc. Man's selfish nature prompted him intoprobe into this phenomenon. Sceintists were there even then who used to disect things. They found that some mantras chanted in peculiar manner results in addition of welfare in the personal life as well as social life. They probed further amd earmarked appropriate mantras for appropriate results. When there are positive generative effects there has to be negative destructive results too. This made them seperate the positive manthras from negative manthras. The use of such mantras became more in Yajnas and Yajnas were started to be organised for specific purposes than for general well being of mankind. The selfishness of some users proved to be detrimental to the sustanance of the society. Thus the social ethics stepped in to the shoes and seperated destructive ones and banned individuals from using it. Since the potency was known to all concerned, prohibition was not effective. This resulted in origination of Grihya suthras and Srautha sutras. Many people have written these sutras. Grihya Sutras prescribed code conduct for the individuals and prescribed Grihya (domestic) yajnas one can hold at home. Srautha Sutras desribed Havir Yajnas & Soma Yagas to be organised by a group of individuals or soceity only.
This is how vedas were started to be used for UPASANA(Seeking).When you seek,the sought also is created. Thus slowly puranic devathas originated. The original purpose of vedas,ie Wisdom,was forgotten. Scholars like Jaimini embarked on new school called Poorva Meemamsa. They propogated that for going into heaven some deeds were needed. They framed some rites and routines later known as hinduism 15/12/2009 Krishnan Kartha
Atharva3: Compilation of Atharva
When the social reformers found that segregation as domestic and social yajnas is of no use to check on selfish use of vedas, they forcefully removed and spoiled those mantras. But vested interests compiled them again into one volume and thus originated Atharva veda.
Subseqently the original slokas were put back to other vedas. But the difference of usage and style in Atharva continued.
This is my inference from my own research. There may be people agrreing or disagreeing to this. However I have not read anywhere about the shift from jnana to upasana, but i firmly believe that this must have been the flow of events. 15/12/2009 Krishnan Kartha
Atharva4: Utility
The vedic chants in Atharva veda provides many useful tips to daily life. Thus most of the upa veda or sub vedas originated from Atharva. Natya Sasthra, Dhanurveda, Ayurveda etc. The Atharva deals with the utitlity of many herbs and plants. It provides protective mantras for ones wealth possessions cattle etc etc. Many useful mantras are there. I have found some mantras useful for starting work on earth for building etc, than the ones in other vedas. We use it for yajnas for erecting yagasalas etc. Prayers to earth. They are very poetic and indeed motivates us.
Do you need anything more? if so please ask. Thanks
Heaven and Hell : Question from Manoj
Manoj (http://www.orkut.co.in/Main#Profile?uid=12670849822872759085)
Heaven & Hell
Where is Heaven & Hell
21/12/2009 Krishnan Kartha
heaven and hell
In veda's the mention is about one DYOUW loka.It means the luminous world. Those who are in this DIVAA lokaa (place of light) are known as DEVAs. These beings are equal to angels and Gibireels in other reliigions.They are not powerful beyond a limit. But it is said that in order to attain enlightenment one deva will have to be born as human being and engage in pursuit. This idea is belived by Buddhists also. Their devatas are not gods,but lesser beings.Buddhists do not have God but they have Devas. This state of experience is collectively known as Heaven. Heaven is not a space. But it is plain. You know there are different frequencies for energy forms and radiations.Likewise Matter can also have different existance in different frequencies.Thus heaven is a state of experience which does need space but an ethereal space in different frequency. Further the vedas mention about DYAAVA PRITHWIs. The simple meaning is Heaven and earth.But a deeper probe into the connotation reveals that they are world of enlightment and world of earthly experiences respectively. The realm of awareness (also known as Chith or Bhaathy) and the realm of experience (a.k.a. Ananda or Priyam) So we should consider the term heaven as such. Those who know go to heaven.And the hell is left for the ignorant.
However, vedas do not mention much on the concept of hell.But indian scriptures which are of later origin,go to the extent of even classifying them as kumbheepata naraka,lalabhaksha naraka etc ect. Since we have now identified the heaven as the world of awareness and the prithwi or the earth as the world of experience, I think we may be right to consider the naraka or hell as the realm of the ignorance which make suffering.
Heaven & Hell
Where is Heaven & Hell
21/12/2009 Krishnan Kartha
heaven and hell
In veda's the mention is about one DYOUW loka.It means the luminous world. Those who are in this DIVAA lokaa (place of light) are known as DEVAs. These beings are equal to angels and Gibireels in other reliigions.They are not powerful beyond a limit. But it is said that in order to attain enlightenment one deva will have to be born as human being and engage in pursuit. This idea is belived by Buddhists also. Their devatas are not gods,but lesser beings.Buddhists do not have God but they have Devas. This state of experience is collectively known as Heaven. Heaven is not a space. But it is plain. You know there are different frequencies for energy forms and radiations.Likewise Matter can also have different existance in different frequencies.Thus heaven is a state of experience which does need space but an ethereal space in different frequency. Further the vedas mention about DYAAVA PRITHWIs. The simple meaning is Heaven and earth.But a deeper probe into the connotation reveals that they are world of enlightment and world of earthly experiences respectively. The realm of awareness (also known as Chith or Bhaathy) and the realm of experience (a.k.a. Ananda or Priyam) So we should consider the term heaven as such. Those who know go to heaven.And the hell is left for the ignorant.
However, vedas do not mention much on the concept of hell.But indian scriptures which are of later origin,go to the extent of even classifying them as kumbheepata naraka,lalabhaksha naraka etc ect. Since we have now identified the heaven as the world of awareness and the prithwi or the earth as the world of experience, I think we may be right to consider the naraka or hell as the realm of the ignorance which make suffering.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Problem of Evil : Answer to Rev Fr Jose Mariadas's Question
Fr Jose:
http://www.orkut.co.in/Main#CommMsgs?cmm=35636599&tid=5389049462642653049&start=1
05/10/2009 Fr. Jose
The problem of evil
Why there is evil at all; especially when there exists a benevolent God. Though I heard many times Mr. Kartas' explanation the question still persists. Hinduism is one of the religions which does not deal evil as "evil". Why there is suffering? If God is omnipottent, why cant He avoid it. Why innocent people suffer? Can we reduce everything to Karma? In Christianity during the early centuries there is a heresy (?) called Manicheanism. Manicheanists believed in two Gods. One is Good and other one is Evil. St. Augustine, before his conversion was a manichean. Christianity never accepted the compatability of Good and Evil. In Christianity the argument from the existence of Evil is always considered as the greatest Challenge against the existence of God. " If there is an all powerful God exists, how come the evil? Saints like Augustine and Thomas Aquinas believed that "Evil is only a privation of Good" and it has no existence of its own. For instance darkeness is only an absence of light. What you think about this position. Please enlighten us !!!
Evil 1
Thanks Fr Jose Mariadas for the compliments.
This had always been the topic of our discussion whenever we met.
Now only I understood that my answers never convinced you.
The root cause for that is the classical belief that has conditioned human minds.
Some sectarian beliefs have always conditioned human psyche. Buddhism seperated spiritual life and material life by putting monks and laity at different watertight compartments. This religion was propogated in Asia as well as in most parts of Europe.
Thus in all those civilisation spiritual life was considered to be something above material life or diffrenet from it. No harmony between the two was visible to the masses and they could not even dream of it. Thus the society always looked upon a young spiritual aspirant as "out of the ordinary". Much of the aspirant's energy had to be dissipated on dealing with the resultant social issues.This energy would otherwise have been utilised for his spiritual pursuit. Issues occur at home as well as in the society.
There had been glorious days in which the spiritual search was common among human beings just like a scholarly research. All students do not go for PhD. But those who go are not looked upon as unusual by other students.Likewise those who took up spiritual pursuit were duly regarded as those fortunate beings who could walk to the ends of human life.Such a golden period WAS there. This you can confirm oh the life histories of ealry prophets in Old Testament.
But Buddhism with its comparmentalisation, obliterated this harmony.Spirituality was reserved for monks.The laymen were spared with some minimum rituals. Instead , they had the responsibility to foster the monks.
This has affected the human psyche in all those culutres.Now if your son becomes more spiritual you start to worry!
The idea of Evil is also a contribution to civilzations ,like this .
Father, you have said that darkness is nothing but absence of light. Is it so?
We feel sometimes that darkness is a host and light is a visitor.
When you bring light ,the light is "brought". It was not previously there.What existed was darkness. Light comes and darkness is removed. As soon as the light goes, the darkness envelopes. This shows that Light is rare and something to be sought , and darkness is available in plenty. Looking around you, you can confirm this. So we must admit that Darkness has the same existence as that of Light.
When there is no sunllight we get night.When sun comes we have day. We can't say that Day is real and night is imaginary. In fact, the duality is imaginary. The phenomenon that the occurance of day and night is imaginary.
It must be noted here that this imagination, that of day and night is universal and imperative to human existence. Likewise there can be numerous imagintions that are imperative for smooth human existence on earth.
evil 3
The negative and positive aspects of nature is truth. Negative aspects may be detrimental to our interests.Hence we refuse to accept them.Positive things are welcomed on the other hand,since they are beneficial. Do we hang on to a certain amount of consumerism in this outlook? Are we taking sides? We have to go beyond this duality in order to see both the aspects as they are. For a bird's eye view you will have to fly higher, beyond their levels. Then you can see both positive and negative aspects in the same distance and can have a judicious perspective.
The lake in Periyar Tiger reserve is attractive.One will be tempted to have a boat ride.But its depth is frightening. It is not attractive. In fact it is the depth that makes the lake attractive. Otherwise it would have been jeered at as small puddle of rain water! Because it is deep we can ride in boats on the lake. So the negativity of depth has to go with the positivity of serene, pacific appearance of the lake. We have to accpet both. Everything in nature has both the aspects. In Indian puranas Lord Siva is portrayed as "Aasuthoshi" (one who is easily pleased) and also as "Rudra" (One who is angry).The inner meaning is the presence of duality.
We are human beings. Everyday tissues are generated in our body.This is postive. At the same time tissues are being degenerated or destoryed also.They become dead. This is negative. How can we accept the positive only?
We eat a sumptuous meal. But we become hungry the next day. Why ? There are arrangements for the decay of things we have eaten.This is negative;.Decay. But this decomposition, benevolently called "digestion" , is accepted by all.If something goes wrong with this process, we run to doctors.
evil 4
I am coming to the next line of your question.
It is said that Hinduism does not deal with evil as evil.No.That is wrong.
Hinduism is distinct from the Indian Cultural traditions. Vedas do not propogate any deities. Vedic deities are different from puranic deities. Vedas declare about the Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient formless attributeless existance. No deities are there. The "devatha" in veda is not form for worship.
The Hinduism ,which you call, is a later version of Ancient Indian heritage and vision of truth. That version has numerous gods. They have concept of evil. The duly treat evil as evils. So Hinduism treats evil as evil.
And the puranas (scriptures) tell lot of stories about the victory of God over forms of evil. So it cannot be said that Hinduism does not entertain the concept of evil.
contd...
Father, I will continue later... As soon as I get time to get back to this forum..
Krishnan
11/10/2009 Krishnan Kartha
evil 4
In Koran, it is said that Jinns are created by Allah. They are bestowed with destructive qualities mainly.
Scientists have started talking about plasma aliens in the cosmos.It is discovered now that these plasma aliens shall be responsible for the next big bang which destroy the earth completely. A study connectes Jinns with these plasma aliens.
Hinduism too has the counterparts. The Yajur veda describes about thousand and odd "rudras" who are responsible for the destruction of the PRAPANCHA. This word Prapancha means one which is constitutued with Pancha, the five elements. All type of negative actiivitiesa re attributed to these rudras.In order to evade their attack, their master Lord Shiva is worshipped through chanting of Vedic hymns, called Rudra Prasna.
In both the contexts, the elements are under control of a supreme being, though the names are relative to the cultures. Yet there is freedom for the elements to do their duty, which is nothing else than destruction.
When Prapancha is thought of, we should remember Buddha's last words to Ananda,that all componenets things have there inherent decay.!
This is the base to understand about the destruction phenomena of the universe.
I will continue...
26/10/2009 leslie
evi
Is the light a guest or a visitor?
http://www.orkut.co.in/Main#CommMsgs?cmm=35636599&tid=5389049462642653049&start=1
05/10/2009 Fr. Jose
The problem of evil
Why there is evil at all; especially when there exists a benevolent God. Though I heard many times Mr. Kartas' explanation the question still persists. Hinduism is one of the religions which does not deal evil as "evil". Why there is suffering? If God is omnipottent, why cant He avoid it. Why innocent people suffer? Can we reduce everything to Karma? In Christianity during the early centuries there is a heresy (?) called Manicheanism. Manicheanists believed in two Gods. One is Good and other one is Evil. St. Augustine, before his conversion was a manichean. Christianity never accepted the compatability of Good and Evil. In Christianity the argument from the existence of Evil is always considered as the greatest Challenge against the existence of God. " If there is an all powerful God exists, how come the evil? Saints like Augustine and Thomas Aquinas believed that "Evil is only a privation of Good" and it has no existence of its own. For instance darkeness is only an absence of light. What you think about this position. Please enlighten us !!!
Evil 1
Thanks Fr Jose Mariadas for the compliments.
This had always been the topic of our discussion whenever we met.
Now only I understood that my answers never convinced you.
The root cause for that is the classical belief that has conditioned human minds.
Some sectarian beliefs have always conditioned human psyche. Buddhism seperated spiritual life and material life by putting monks and laity at different watertight compartments. This religion was propogated in Asia as well as in most parts of Europe.
Thus in all those civilisation spiritual life was considered to be something above material life or diffrenet from it. No harmony between the two was visible to the masses and they could not even dream of it. Thus the society always looked upon a young spiritual aspirant as "out of the ordinary". Much of the aspirant's energy had to be dissipated on dealing with the resultant social issues.This energy would otherwise have been utilised for his spiritual pursuit. Issues occur at home as well as in the society.
There had been glorious days in which the spiritual search was common among human beings just like a scholarly research. All students do not go for PhD. But those who go are not looked upon as unusual by other students.Likewise those who took up spiritual pursuit were duly regarded as those fortunate beings who could walk to the ends of human life.Such a golden period WAS there. This you can confirm oh the life histories of ealry prophets in Old Testament.
But Buddhism with its comparmentalisation, obliterated this harmony.Spirituality was reserved for monks.The laymen were spared with some minimum rituals. Instead , they had the responsibility to foster the monks.
This has affected the human psyche in all those culutres.Now if your son becomes more spiritual you start to worry!
The idea of Evil is also a contribution to civilzations ,like this .
Father, you have said that darkness is nothing but absence of light. Is it so?
We feel sometimes that darkness is a host and light is a visitor.
When you bring light ,the light is "brought". It was not previously there.What existed was darkness. Light comes and darkness is removed. As soon as the light goes, the darkness envelopes. This shows that Light is rare and something to be sought , and darkness is available in plenty. Looking around you, you can confirm this. So we must admit that Darkness has the same existence as that of Light.
When there is no sunllight we get night.When sun comes we have day. We can't say that Day is real and night is imaginary. In fact, the duality is imaginary. The phenomenon that the occurance of day and night is imaginary.
It must be noted here that this imagination, that of day and night is universal and imperative to human existence. Likewise there can be numerous imagintions that are imperative for smooth human existence on earth.
evil 3
The negative and positive aspects of nature is truth. Negative aspects may be detrimental to our interests.Hence we refuse to accept them.Positive things are welcomed on the other hand,since they are beneficial. Do we hang on to a certain amount of consumerism in this outlook? Are we taking sides? We have to go beyond this duality in order to see both the aspects as they are. For a bird's eye view you will have to fly higher, beyond their levels. Then you can see both positive and negative aspects in the same distance and can have a judicious perspective.
The lake in Periyar Tiger reserve is attractive.One will be tempted to have a boat ride.But its depth is frightening. It is not attractive. In fact it is the depth that makes the lake attractive. Otherwise it would have been jeered at as small puddle of rain water! Because it is deep we can ride in boats on the lake. So the negativity of depth has to go with the positivity of serene, pacific appearance of the lake. We have to accpet both. Everything in nature has both the aspects. In Indian puranas Lord Siva is portrayed as "Aasuthoshi" (one who is easily pleased) and also as "Rudra" (One who is angry).The inner meaning is the presence of duality.
We are human beings. Everyday tissues are generated in our body.This is postive. At the same time tissues are being degenerated or destoryed also.They become dead. This is negative. How can we accept the positive only?
We eat a sumptuous meal. But we become hungry the next day. Why ? There are arrangements for the decay of things we have eaten.This is negative;.Decay. But this decomposition, benevolently called "digestion" , is accepted by all.If something goes wrong with this process, we run to doctors.
evil 4
I am coming to the next line of your question.
It is said that Hinduism does not deal with evil as evil.No.That is wrong.
Hinduism is distinct from the Indian Cultural traditions. Vedas do not propogate any deities. Vedic deities are different from puranic deities. Vedas declare about the Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient formless attributeless existance. No deities are there. The "devatha" in veda is not form for worship.
The Hinduism ,which you call, is a later version of Ancient Indian heritage and vision of truth. That version has numerous gods. They have concept of evil. The duly treat evil as evils. So Hinduism treats evil as evil.
And the puranas (scriptures) tell lot of stories about the victory of God over forms of evil. So it cannot be said that Hinduism does not entertain the concept of evil.
contd...
Father, I will continue later... As soon as I get time to get back to this forum..
Krishnan
11/10/2009 Krishnan Kartha
evil 4
In Koran, it is said that Jinns are created by Allah. They are bestowed with destructive qualities mainly.
Scientists have started talking about plasma aliens in the cosmos.It is discovered now that these plasma aliens shall be responsible for the next big bang which destroy the earth completely. A study connectes Jinns with these plasma aliens.
Hinduism too has the counterparts. The Yajur veda describes about thousand and odd "rudras" who are responsible for the destruction of the PRAPANCHA. This word Prapancha means one which is constitutued with Pancha, the five elements. All type of negative actiivitiesa re attributed to these rudras.In order to evade their attack, their master Lord Shiva is worshipped through chanting of Vedic hymns, called Rudra Prasna.
In both the contexts, the elements are under control of a supreme being, though the names are relative to the cultures. Yet there is freedom for the elements to do their duty, which is nothing else than destruction.
When Prapancha is thought of, we should remember Buddha's last words to Ananda,that all componenets things have there inherent decay.!
This is the base to understand about the destruction phenomena of the universe.
I will continue...
26/10/2009 leslie
evi
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