On Apr 28, 2008, at 8:55 AM, Alex Stanley wrote:
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
There had been talk of others hearing him crying out in pain in
the months leading up to the death, as he was in some bad pain
(so much for the samadhi and bliss, huh?).
Samadhi and bliss can't coexist with body experiencing pain? It's my
impression that Ramana Maharshi screaming out in agonizing pain from
the cancer destroying his body is held up as an example of just that:
transcendental bliss coexisting with body experiencing extreme pain.
I'd heard different stories of Ramana, but most seemed to emphasize
his ability to remain aloof and blissfully happy; 'it's just the
body'. So yeah, I think the two can exist together. In Ramana's case
I believe he remained seated in asana even after death and his
devotees were allowed one last darshan of his physical body. Video
I've seen of this was amazing, as even though he was actually dead,
there seemed to be some thing still there which radiated presence,
some deathless spirit.
"When he was suffering from cancer in the arm a disciple ran away
crying because he could not bear to see his master in pain. Ramana
only smiled and spoke to a disciple nearby. "Duraswami is crying
because he thinks I am suffering agonies! My body is suffering but I
am not suffering. When will he realise that I am not this body?""
