--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Premanand Paul Mason" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Yes, I have a similar take on this,
But you said you thought Guru Dev's take was "entirely contrary" to that of MMY. I was suggesting it wasn't that different. but have you looked at the > Shastras? Phew!!!! Also, Guru Dev extols not only the Shastras but > their author, holding him to have supernatural sight. Did that view of the author also come from a book, or was it intuitive on Guru Dev's part, do you think? Well it might > interest FFLers to check the biographical profile of the author, but > really!! > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Premanand Paul Mason" > > <premanandpaul@> wrote: > > > > > > Well Rick, here is a stream-of thinking answer to your > suggestion. > > > It is apparent when reading Guru Dev's satsangs that he was > totally > > > sold on the idea of everyone living by the Shastras. So it might > be > > > interesting to take a raincheck on that area. He really was quite > > > adamantly against arbitrariness - caste was important as was > ritual. > > > > > > He was highly unimpressed with science. > > > He had a downer on Westerners. > > > He seemed to have absolute belief in fatalism. > > > He didn't seem to believe that just doing some worship or > > > meditation was enough, he believed that living by the Shastras > was > > > totally necessary (sorry to come back to that first point - but > it > > > is so recurrent as to be inescapable). > > > > > > Okay, where were we. Oh yes, he most certainly was completely > sold > > > into the idea of rebirth and all the rest of Hinduism's basic > > > beliefs, thus re-enforcing the idea that all things Hindu are > right > > > and fine and dandy. But often he makes it clear that he is > > > repeating accepted wisdom. > > > > > > BUT that is entirely contrary to what I understand MMY has been > > > saying. He has encouraged people to believe that being > enlightened > > > will give up the answers. i.e. it is consciousness not books that > > > give the knowledge. > > > > Would Guru Dev have disagreed that consciousness is > > the ultimate source of knowledge? I have trouble > > believing that he would have. > > > > Perhaps what he was doing by emphasizing the shastras > > was giving his students/followers something to live > > by *until* they could depend on consciousness for > > knowledge. > > > > And if that's what he was telling them, he would have > > to live by the shastras' rules himself, would he not, > > to set an example? > > > > MMY actually does somewhat the same thing, by giving > > some general behavioral recommendations and then > > telling TMers to follow the scriptures of their religion, > > and/or the laws of the land, and/or the advice of their > > elders, if they are in doubt about the right thing to > > do. He doesn't specify a particular set of scriptures > > or laws because he wants to reach people of all religions > > (and no religion) and all nations. > > > > > It is likely Guru Dev lived an exhalted inner existence and was > > > incredibly at peace with himself. It is implicit in everything > MMY > > > says about his guru that we are to take it that he was > enlightened. > > > However, if one lives purely by rules, Shastras and convention > and > > > never makes decisions for oneself, in any real sense, the point > of > > > wanting enlightenment gets lost. People want to feel free of the > > > interminable rules and regulations, that's a big part of why they > > > take a dive into the peace to be found beyond thinking. > > > > On the other hand, I would suspect that once one > > attains complete inner freedom, having to follow > > external laws and rules isn't much of a pinch. > > > > Presumably we want to become enlightened not so we > > can be free of rules, but so rules can no longer > > impinge on our sense of freedom, which has become > > absolute and infinite. > > > > > > > There must be something there worth discussing, other than the > > > confused way I have laid out the ideas. > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/UlWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
