Page 1 of 8 12345 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 74

Thread: myths and facts about advaita

  1. #1
    Join Date
    November 2009
    Location
    Bangalore
    Age
    36
    Posts
    199
    Rep Power
    80

    myths and facts about advaita

    grames,hope we both be honest to the core and biased to satya,rather than madhva or shankara.

    myth - advaita preaches atheism.it is buddhism in disguise.

    fact - this is not true.shankaracharya was foremost among bhaktas and i am not talking out of my hat.if you simply browse th' his works,you will get to know.devotion cant be 'taught'.no where in history was devotion taught,in that case it cant be devotion.the study of brahman is taught,or is suggested to those who have first realised that happiness or contentment cant be acieved even by becoming the sole emperor of the earth,by enjoying the various delights of the world(like yayati realises).like maitreyi asks yajnavalkya-'what am i to do with all these properties which in the long run dies.tell me of that which has no death,which u have found'.even the stars,the sun and moon the gods,the worlds will be destroyed one day and cease to exist.this birth and death has no beginning or end(refer scriptures)this is samsara.
    however there is one,inexplicable by words(refer scriptures),which cant be grasped by the mind and the intellect.(gita-above the mind is intellect,i am above intellect)this unborn(refer sc.),from where all this world starts is verily the only thing that exists all the time.this brahman cant be seen by eyes,cant be heard by ears or by any other means as this brahman is beyond everything.however this brahman can be experienced.the mind,antahkarana is the place of experience.since the mind follows the intellect,knowledge of brahman leads the way for the manas and everything is comprehended by intellect.
    found any flaw in this?
    Sarva DharmAAn Parityajya

  2. #2
    Join Date
    June 2006
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Posts
    572
    Rep Power
    820

    Re: myths and facts about advaita

    Dear Amith,

    I will be very honest in my curiosity and i asked the questions in fact to know more about how "advaita" is understood by different followers. In fact, i am reading and 'trying' to understand various works of Shankara compiled by Rama Krishna Math.

    So, along with being honest, can we also "think" and share our understanding with respect to

    1) The philosophy itself with out hand waving...
    2) Inter relation of different aspects of what Shri Shankara's advaita is all abt
    3) What is that we can take and what is that is taken by you after "knowing" and understanding

    I am emphasizing on the point 3 as faith with out rationale is mere sentiment.

    So, in your response you said,

    myth - advaita preaches atheism.it is buddhism in disguise.

    fact - this is not true.

    Your further explanation is not actually justifying this statement of "Myth" how about sharing your understanding which justifies the "Myth" as not right.?

    I sincerely acknowledge that Shri Shankara is a greatest Devotee and also Top most. So, there is no question of His devotion and knowledge etc.


    Also, i do agree to most of what you said about "nature" of Brahman. . So, my curiosity is not even in the line of "How" and to what extend Brahman is described or hinted by scriptures etc. My curiosity is all about "why" this Brahman is nirguna and by addressing that Supreme entity as "nirguna" what is that you have understood? and how different it is from the concept of Nirvana?

    Do you mind talking with this pattern?

    Hari Bol!

    Quote Originally Posted by amith vikram View Post
    grames,hope we both be honest to the core and biased to satya,rather than madhva or shankara.

    myth - advaita preaches atheism.it is buddhism in disguise.

    fact - this is not true.shankaracharya was foremost among bhaktas and i am not talking out of my hat.if you simply browse th' his works,you will get to know.devotion cant be 'taught'.no where in history was devotion taught,in that case it cant be devotion.the study of brahman is taught,or is suggested to those who have first realised that happiness or contentment cant be acieved even by becoming the sole emperor of the earth,by enjoying the various delights of the world(like yayati realises).like maitreyi asks yajnavalkya-'what am i to do with all these properties which in the long run dies.tell me of that which has no death,which u have found'.even the stars,the sun and moon the gods,the worlds will be destroyed one day and cease to exist.this birth and death has no beginning or end(refer scriptures)this is samsara.
    however there is one,inexplicable by words(refer scriptures),which cant be grasped by the mind and the intellect.(gita-above the mind is intellect,i am above intellect)this unborn(refer sc.),from where all this world starts is verily the only thing that exists all the time.this brahman cant be seen by eyes,cant be heard by ears or by any other means as this brahman is beyond everything.however this brahman can be experienced.the mind,antahkarana is the place of experience.since the mind follows the intellect,knowledge of brahman leads the way for the manas and everything is comprehended by intellect.
    found any flaw in this?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    November 2009
    Location
    Bangalore
    Age
    36
    Posts
    199
    Rep Power
    80

    Re: myths and facts about advaita

    Quote Originally Posted by grames View Post
    Dear Amith,

    I will be very honest in my curiosity and i asked the questions in fact to know more about how "advaita" is understood by different followers. In fact, i am reading and 'trying' to understand various works of Shankara compiled by Rama Krishna Math.

    So, along with being honest, can we also "think" and share our understanding with respect to

    1) The philosophy itself with out hand waving...
    2) Inter relation of different aspects of what Shri Shankara's advaita is all abt
    3) What is that we can take and what is that is taken by you after "knowing" and understanding

    I am emphasizing on the point 3 as faith with out rationale is mere sentiment.

    i understand
    So, in your response you said,

    myth - advaita preaches atheism.it is buddhism in disguise.

    fact - this is not true.

    Your further explanation is not actually justifying this statement of "Myth" how about sharing your understanding which justifies the "Myth" as not right.?

    I sincerely acknowledge that Shri Shankara is a greatest Devotee and also Top most. So, there is no question of His devotion and knowledge etc.

    in that case how can advaita teach atheism?shankara was a bhakta,but the disciples of shankara are not.how can this be?
    Also, i do agree to most of what you said about "nature" of Brahman. . So, my curiosity is not even in the line of "How" and to what extend Brahman is described or hinted by scriptures etc. My curiosity is all about "why" this Brahman is nirguna and by addressing that Supreme entity as "nirguna" what is that you have understood? and how different it is from the concept of Nirvana?


    nirguna,its hard 2 digest this word in the beginning.when the word nirguna is uttered,dont think of a non-living entity.it is not nirguna like wood or wall.i guess this is the reason for dispute.nirguna means,not being affected by gunas.lets take an eg.krishna or vyasa like many seem to be ever pleased with themselves,while the rest of the world were either happy with +ve results or dejected with -ve.no matter what occured,they were always that ananda rupis.nirguna means this.did u get a clue?
    Do you mind talking with this pattern?

    Hari Bol!
    jai shri krishna
    Last edited by amith vikram; 11 January 2010 at 02:45 AM.
    Sarva DharmAAn Parityajya

  4. #4
    Join Date
    December 2007
    Age
    63
    Posts
    3,218
    Rep Power
    4728

    Re: myths and facts about advaita

    Namaste Vikram,

    You may like to see posts on Shankaracharya at these links :

    http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/sho...?t=4824&page=5

    http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/sho...?t=4824&page=6

    OM
    "Om Namo Bhagvate Vaasudevaye"

  5. #5
    Join Date
    November 2009
    Location
    Bangalore
    Age
    36
    Posts
    199
    Rep Power
    80

    Re: myths and facts about advaita

    namaste devoteeji,

    i am posting a part of ur post again here:
    PRM.12 : Q. Who is your enemy ?
    A. Laziness is your enemy.

    PRM.38. Q. For what should you take effort?
    A. To learn, to be healthy and to give in charity needs great effort.

    PRM. 45. Q. Whom will Gods worship?
    A. Gods will worship those who have mercy.

    PRM. 59. Q. What is Chathur pathram (the good four) which drives away the darkness of ignorance?

    1. Charity coupled with sweet words.
    2. Knowledge without pride.
    3. Valour with patience.
    4. Wealth with sacrifice.
    These four rare things are called the good four.

    PRM.75. Q. What should occupy your thought day and night?
    A. The feet of God and not this life.

    PRM. 79. Q. What should be spoken by men?
    A. The name of Hari.
    PRM. 81. Q. What should man earn?
    A. Knowledge, wealth, strength, fame and Punya (result of good deeds)

    PRM. 87. Q. What is like the ever perennial banyan tree?
    A. Charity given to the proper people.
    PRM.88. Q. What is the weapon for everybody?
    A. The capability of proving with just deeds.
    PRM.163.Q. Who is personification of all gods?
    A. A wise man who does all his Karmas


    thanks.
    Sarva DharmAAn Parityajya

  6. #6
    Join Date
    June 2006
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Posts
    572
    Rep Power
    820

    Re: myths and facts about advaita

    Dear Amith,

    After reading your explanation, i still do no understand or i do misunderstand...

    Quote Originally Posted by amith vikram View Post
    nirguna,its hard 2 digest this word in the beginning.when the word nirguna is uttered,dont think of a non-living entity.it is not nirguna like wood or wall.i guess this is the reason for dispute.nirguna means,not being affected by gunas.lets take an eg.krishna or vyasa like many seem to be ever pleased with themselves,while the rest of the world were either happy with +ve results or dejected with -ve.no matter what occured,they were always that ananda rupis.nirguna means this.did u get a clue?

    You saying Nirguna means "not being affected by Guna". And then you gave an example of Lord Krshna being happy by Himself. I am not getting any clue how these two are connected.

    Is it because Lord Krshna is Nirguna, not affected by Guna so why He is always happy?

    Ananda Rupi - Rupa is also a Guna isint?? Or are you implying that the ultimate achievement by a SadaKa that is promised by Advaita is to have this "Ananda" rupa?? but not affected by the Rupa?

    Also, more curiously the term "Ananda" is also a Guna isint?

    So honestly i did not get it yet. please help!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    November 2009
    Location
    Bangalore
    Age
    36
    Posts
    199
    Rep Power
    80

    Re: myths and facts about advaita

    Quote Originally Posted by grames View Post
    Dear Amith,

    After reading your explanation, i still do no understand or i do misunderstand...




    You saying Nirguna means "not being affected by Guna". And then you gave an example of Lord Krshna being happy by Himself. I am not getting any clue how these two are connected.

    Is it because Lord Krshna is Nirguna, not affected by Guna so why He is always happy?

    Ananda Rupi - Rupa is also a Guna isint?? Or are you implying that the ultimate achievement by a SadaKa that is promised by Advaita is to have this "Ananda" rupa?? but not affected by the Rupa?

    Also, more curiously the term "Ananda" is also a Guna isint?

    So honestly i did not get it yet. please help!
    you said it!
    ananda is a guna/nature/attribute of brahman!
    however ananda is not dependent on satva-rajas-tamas.
    as for rupa,u can ignore it,coz its not a shape but a state.
    if ananda is a shape,i'd like to have a look.show me.remember brahman can be experienced.
    if u r mixing 3 gunas with ananda,let me tell u,these 3 gunas will only appear as long as there is ego of 'i'.when this false notion of 'i' is negated by 'neti-neti',what remains is ananda.

    i suppose we both agree on brahman being anand(bliss)&knowledge(concious)?

    just like water stays seperate from the lotus leaf, these gunas stay seperate from brahman.

    whatever we percieve,its because of the concious(knowledge) nature of brahman.everyone eats drinks lives strive 2 be happy,i.e,ananda(bliss).there is nothing in the world or universe or any other imagination which has chaitanya other than brahman.

    lets go the other way,for a change..
    brahman is sat.that which exists is sat and that which does not exist is asat.brahman alone exists and none other.if anything other than brahman should exist,for eg. ego,how can it EXIST being seperate from brahman.
    Last edited by amith vikram; 11 January 2010 at 05:25 AM.
    Sarva DharmAAn Parityajya

  8. #8
    Join Date
    December 2009
    Location
    Delhi
    Posts
    184
    Rep Power
    47

    Re: myths and facts about advaita

    Hare Krsna !

    Dandavat Pranamas to everyone !

    I have two questions about advaita philosophy:

    First Question:
    Do the advait-vadis beleive that all the names and forms (material names and forms of Jivas (Jada-Deha) as well as spiritual names and forms of Supreme Person (Cinmaya-Vapu) ) are nothing but illusion?

    Second Question:
    In Padma purana, Lord Siva says that this philosophy is actually budhism only, but kind of hidden (pracchannah baudham ucyate). By the order of Supreme Lord, I incarnate in the form of a brahmin to propagate this false philosophy. What is the interpretation of advaita-vadis for the following verse:

    mayavadam asac-chastram pracchannah baudham ucyate
    mayaiva kalpitam devi kalau brahmana-rupina

    Hare Krsna !

  9. #9
    Join Date
    December 2007
    Age
    63
    Posts
    3,218
    Rep Power
    4728

    Re: myths and facts about advaita

    Do ISKCON members believe that Puranas enjoy higher authority than the Upanishads ?

    If Puranas contradict Upanishads then they are either doctored or they must be interpreted in accordance with the Vedas.

    Do you understand the above statement, Krsna Das ? Do you want to believe a doctored Purana or authentic Upanishads ? BTW, do you know why Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave the doctrine of Achintya Bheda (duality)-Abheda when Dvaita vaad already existed ? Please try to figure this out.

    And my advice is that please concentrate on your Bhakti Saadhana than indulging in Advaita bashing. Advaita is not your cup of tea.

    OM
    "Om Namo Bhagvate Vaasudevaye"

  10. #10
    Join Date
    December 2009
    Location
    Delhi
    Posts
    184
    Rep Power
    47

    Re: myths and facts about advaita

    Hare Krsna !

    Dandavat Pranamas to everybody !

    All Glories to SriSri Radha Krsna !

    @ Devotee : Your post and the tone you have posted says all for me. I do not wish to discuss/learn anything from you/or a person like you. So you may kindly refrain from posting replies to any of my posts.

    To all others reading this thread: I am not bashing any philosophy. I am just asking how do advait-vadis reconcile these verses from puranic literature, and please reply to my two questions mentioned in my post above ( In a peaceful manner )

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •