The Dangers of Pseudo-advaita
BELOW THE INTRODUCTION
FROM A PAPER BY
AZIZ KRISTOF
INTRODUCTION
Although not always thought so as such, Advaita actually falls
under the auspices of the three main branches of VEDANTA:
1. Dvaita Vedanta - the dualistic approach
2. Advaita Vedanta - the non-dualistic approach
3. Kevala Advaita Vedanta - the pure non-dualistic school.
The main exponent of Vedanta was the great sage Adi Sankara
who was an adept of the Kevala Advaita Vedanta path. In western
circles it is not unusual to blend the last two together as well as
interposing the words Advaita and Vedanta as having the same meaning,
becoming in a sense euphemisms of themselves ("satsang" is often
included as well). Generally speaking it works OK, but when fine
tuning the specifics then a more indepth process is usually required.
(source).
Jerry Katz, in a further clarification, in his Nonduality FAQ
website, presents the following as well:
Advaita means nonduality. Vedanta means "end of the Veda." The
Vedas, the most ancient texts of Indian literature, are books on
mythology and sacrifice. Their origins are superhuman, their authority
divine, the Orthodox believe. The end of the Veda marked the coming of
the Upanishads, which are books on the nondual nature of reality, but
which offer different levels of nondual understanding, and have even
given rise dualism, which says that God and the human body are
eternally separate.
Providing the Introduction:
the Wanderling
The Dangers of Pseudo Advaita now proceeds:
We would like to express our concern regarding the recent
phenomenon of 'satsang-culture' which in our opinion has impoverished
seriously the Orignial Spirit of Advaita. These days many individuals,
who have very little or no knowledge at all about the Process of
Awakening, feel qualified to give satsang and lead other souls on the
Path. Enlightenment has become very cheap these days. Nobody actually
really knows what is the meaning of this term as it virtually means
everything and nothing. Nowadays, it is sufficient to say 'I am
Awakened' in order to give satsang.
Because of the unverifiable nature of Enlightenment, this term has
been much manipulated. Satsang has been Americanized. In an average
satsang-gathering everybody is laughing, showing signs of euphoric and
unauthentic joy, while the teacher tries to look like he or she is in
a bliss. Just like a TV show. Very few actually meditate. Why to
meditate if we are already all Awakened?
But Is this really Advaita? Is Advaita a poor repetition of a
several slogans like 'There is nobody there,' 'You are That,' You are
already Awakened' or 'There is no Path', etc.? Has this anything to do
with teaching of great masters like N. Maharaj or Sri Ramana
Maharishi? Ramana sat in caves for 20 years before he could be really
complete. In his presence disciples had to meditate for months and
years before they could receive from him the glimpse of the Self.
It is true that New Millennium is a time of global awakening. But
this awakening is mostly partial and relative to the level of most
people's unconsciousness. It was Jesus who said that there would be a
time when many false teachers will teach in the name of Light. It
seems to be happening now. Many of these teachers are not necessarily
'bad people' but simply unqualified and lost, in truth. They have
believed too quickly in the thought 'I am now ready to teach!'
It seems that the pauper-isation of satsang culture began after
the death of Poonjaji. Many of his followers started to claim that
Poonjaji approved their 'Awakening.' It seems that they just took him
too literally. It is an Advaita custom to say 'you are already
Awakened.' This is however more a teaching device than a reflection of
reality. And even if some of his disciples had a glimpse of Awakening,
Poonjaji knew very well that in most cases neither it was permanent
nor the final state.
An example was Andrew Cohen who was sent to give satsang in
the west. He was meant to represent Poonjaji and attract more
westerners to Lucknow. But he and others thought that Poonjaji
actually conformed his Enlightenment. For that reason, Cohen became
very hurt when Poonjaji started to criticize him when he began to act
as a master. From this wound came later the magazine 'What is
Enlightenment?' which more represents Cohen's own insecurity and an
unsuccessful attempt to heal himself than a genuine search for
clarity. By the endless investigation into states of all possible
masters, and not being able to come to any true conclusion, he has
been just confusing his students. The only thing which at the end
remains clear from his seemingly 'sincere' efforts to find clarity is
that nobody has the least idea 'What Enlightenment Is!'
It is not our intention to suggest that nobody reaches
Enlightenment. We just wish to make it clear (similar as to what is
found to be said in ENLIGHTENMENT: CAN YOU DO IT?) that Complete
Enlightenment and Understanding of its nature is still an extremely
rare phenomenon on the planet earth, which a plane of low evolution.
And equally important, we wish to emphasize that a partial or
pre-mature experience of awakening does not qualify one at all to take
a role of a Self-realised being.
Enlightenment is not as cheap. Many seekers seem to be unaware of
a very simple fact that there are actually many levels of
Self-realization as exemplified in the Eight Jhana States, the Wu Keng
Chuan (Five Degrees of Tozan) and the Five Varieties of Zen. There is
an enormous difference between initial Awakening such as say Kensho
and the actual State of Enlightenment. But who cares? Most seekers
would not bother to study these matters, for in their case there is
really 'nobody there' just a collective seeker's mind. And most
teachers would refuse to enquire into the true nature of Enlightenment
because they already have a hidden doubt and deep fear concerning the
validity of their own attainment.
We would like to suggest not to rush too fast with announcing
oneself 'Awakened,' and to rush even less with the idea of giving
satsang. In Zen tradition one had to wait 10 to 20 years after
Enlightenment before one could guide others. These days we hear about
individuals who give satsang the next day after their uncertain Awakening!
We would like to clarify, for the sake of general knowledge, that
there are actually several levels of expansion beyond the mind. There
are three basic types of Inner Expansion:
1) Awakening to Pure Awareness (the State of Presence behind
the mind).
2) Awakening to the Absolute State (unity with the unmanifested).
3) Awakening of the Heart (expansion into the Divine).
In each of these levels there are three stages: Shift into a
state, Stabilisation and Integration. For instance, many
satsang-teachers do not experience the same state outside of teaching.
This is because they are not established permanently in the state they
have attained. For that reason, they can have a deep state during
satasng, but when they leave the satsang-room, they return back to
ordinary consciousness. In such a case only conscious cultivation of
the particular state can allow one to establish it permanently.
However, if one does not believe in actual process of Awakening, how
can one consciously cultivate anything? One does not even know that
one is in a State. Here we see the importance of correct
understanding. If one just follows in a dogmatic and unimaginative way
the Advaita idea that 'I am already That,' how can one cultivate anything?
We recommend to all students and teachers of Advaita to be more
critical. Follow Advaita, if you wish but know that Reality is simply
much more rich than any linear philosophy, with Advaita included. The
Practical Advaita and the Theoretical Advaita are very different. In
the Theoretical Advaita, the Self is the only reality, there is no
Path and we are all already awakened. But Practical Advaita knows that
there is a long way to go before the truth of these statements can
become our living truth.
We would like also to create a few practical anti-pseudo-advaita
statements: 'You are not Awakened unless you Awaken!' 'You are not
That, unless you reach unity with Universal I AM!' 'There is no Path
but only for those who Completed it!' 'There is nobody here, but only
when somebody has dissolved! Until that time you are simply a
suffering somebody who only tries to believe in being no one or
entertains oneself by giving 'satsang.'
We have request to all those who experience any type of awakening:
PLEASE, THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO GIVE SATSANG and HONESTLY
COMTEMPLATE WHAT ARE YOUR TRUE MOTIVES BEHIND THE DESIRE TO TEACH.
Perhaps giving Satsang is not really necessary?
Blessings to Seekers of Truth and Clarity who have the courage to
renounce the False.
===========================
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