Hi Robert. or may I call you 'Rishi R G Bhajee'? If someone were to flatter me by calling me 'Rishi' or 'Swami' this wouldn't confer on me the right to use such a title, nor would it be appropriate for me to expect anyone to use it.
And I don't reckon someone using the word 'Dad' in itself signifies tuppence, my eldest son almost always calls me Paul (which is my name and I made a conscious decision to let him call me that from the time he was born), my stepson also calls me 'Paul' (which as I've said, is my name, so what else should he call me) and my youngest son calls me 'Dad' (which is also fine, and he calls me this probably because he was encouraged to by his mother from an early age). But I have NEVER asked them to call me by some adopted name such as 'Premanand', I don't expect ANYONE to call me by such a name. Shanti Shanti Shanti Maharshi Premanand Yogi Maharaj --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Gimbel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "markmeredith2002" > <markmeredith@> wrote: > > > > The options Judy lays out is that everyone must either accept MMY's > > claim that he is a "great rishi" and an authentic yogi and address > him > > such or they're being disrepectful of him. To simply not view him > as > > a great rishi, which according the spiritual texts I've read is > quite > > an exclusive title, without any disrespect is not an option. This > is > > a version of "if you're not with us, you're against us". It's the > > common attitude of authoritarian communities. > > > > To call MMY a bad name is disrespectful, to call him by his actual > > name is not. > > > > I'm not sure this is a big deal or not. The white house makes sure > > the media refer to bush's estate in texas as a "ranch" even though > > there's absolutely nothing ranchy going on there. This is to > > reinforce his image as an average joe in the minds of the > electorate. > > These reinforcements can be subconsciously powerful. I know some > > people who refuse to call MMY Maharishi because they feel it > > reinforces years of conditioning to see him that way, a way which > > doesn't fit their current understanding of him. I respect people > > wanting to use someone's name rather than a title for this reason. > > Otherwise I don't think it matters that much. > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <vajranatha@> wrote: > > > > > > > > On Jul 26, 2006, at 12:55 AM, jim_flanegin wrote: > > > <snip> > > > > > Perhaps you should just refer to Maharishi as His Holiness as > you > > > > > do the Dalai Lama, since you are using equivalent terms > anyway. Or > > > > > continue to refer to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi as Lord Shiva or > Lord > > > > > Indra. Your choice... > > > > > > > > In the case of the Dalai Lama, this name is conferred based on > > > > accomplishment and conferred by living Buddhas. It has a > specific > > > > meaning. > > > > > > FWIW, it's fairly common for Indian teachers to refer > > > to their own masters as "His Holiness." > > > > > > > In the case of Mahesh, "Maharishi" is an assumed name, as > > > > is "yogi". These were never conferred by the Shankaracharya > > > > tradition he originally came from, nor are they indicative of > > > > accomplishment. > > > > > > What tradition conferred the title "Maharshi" on > > > Ramana Maharshi? > > > > > > Who conferred the title "His Holiness" on SSRS? > > > > > > > Since SBS and current Shankaracharyas refer to him as "Mahesh", > it > > > > is probably respectful to the tradition to follow this > tradition > > > > (rather than the spin). > > > > > > Certainly it would be respectful to the orthodox > > > hierarchy that claims to represent Shankara's tradition > > > to go along with its disrespect of Maharishi, just as it > > > would be respectful of the Catholic tradition to consider > > > Martin Luther an excommunicate and apostate. > > > > > > Let's not fool ourselves into thinking that calling > > > MMY "Mahesh" is anything but overtly and deliberately > > > disrespectful to MMY. > > > > > > As I've noted before, according to the editor of "The > > > Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi," the title "Maharshi" > > > (or "Maharishi") is conferred on a teacher who has > > > inaugurated a new spiritual path. That seems to > > > indicate it is not a title that is conferred by the > > > hierarchy of any particular tradition; it's given to > > > someone who essentially starts a new tradition. > > > > > > In MMY's case--according to him, at least--he has > > > *revived* a tradition, believing the current version > > > of that tradition has been corrupted--very similar to > > > Martin Luther's stance vis-a-vis the Catholic version > > > of the Christian tradition. Naturally the hierarchy > > > of Catholicism isn't about to accept Luther's revival > > > as the legitimate version of the Christian tradition; > > > neither should we expect the representatives of the > > > "official" Shankaracharya tradition to accept MMY's > > > revival as legitimate. > > > > > > In other words, that the Shankaracharyas disrespect > > > MMY doesn't tell us anything except that they resent > > > his efforts at reform. > > > > > > The real issue with regard to his use of the "Maharishi" > > > title is whether his attempt to reform the tradition is > > > authentic with regard to the original version--what > > > Shankara actually taught. > > > To me, it's a bit simpler than all of that stuff; > Who cares what they think in India? > It's like caring what the Pope thinks... > I think and feel that the title, and name: > "Maharishi" > Is a term of endearment to me; > It's a feeling of love, which I have toward Maharishi, and always > have and always will. > Just is that way; maybe past-life connection, who knows? > Anyway, it's like my step-son; > When he was going through adolescence; > He was hangin' with this friend, who was a bad influence on him; > This friend had no respect for his father; > And my step-son, picked up this disrespect, > And started calling me by my name, instead of the endearing name of: > Dad... > That's right, folks, Dad... > > So, anyway, it's like that; > You can have some feeing of love for Maharishi or not; > If you do, you will come from a different angle toward him; > As love changes your angle, or point of view; > Perhaps practice, discriminating between; > The thoughts of the mind; > And the feel/thought of the heart. > To find the true answer within, which you are seeking.. > Whatever the name given to this man, from Rishikesh... > Doesn't matter much in the long run. > How do you feel toward the Master, within yourself? > Is the real question, on the road to Enlightenment... > R.G. > To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' 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