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Re: avaisnava-mukhodgirnam | putam hari-kathamrtam
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Subject: Re: avaisnava-mukhodgirnam | putam hari-kathamrtam
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From: aq974@lafn.org (Bon Giovanni)
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Date: Sun, 6 Aug 1995 19:59:20 GMT
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Apparently-To: alt-hindu@relay1.uu.net
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From news@lafn.org Sun Aug 6 15: 49:10 1995
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Newsgroups: alt.hindu
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Organization: The Los Angeles Free-Net
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References: <3vrtmd$hu2@babbage.ece.uc.edu>
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Reply-To: aq974@lafn.org (Bon Giovanni)
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Sender: news@lafn.org
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Then contemplate O Man the memorials of Allah's Mercy!- How He gives
life to the earth after its death: in truth the Same will give life
to those persons who are dead- for He has power over all.
-Koran 30:50
Tandy read my offering about milk and snakes and hearing and said:
"Since this verse was penned by Srila Sanatana Gosvami, the best way to
understand what he meant by it would be to study the basic tenor of his
teachings, as received by his pure representatives."
I feel that what Mike suggests is apt if one wanted to write a paper on
Srila Sanatana Gosvami, or decided to compose a commentary on his
thoughts, or wished to trace his developmental route, or pen a hagiography
for him. It is not, however, the best way to understand what is meant.
>From Bon's perspective, `the best way to understand what he
meant' is to have the experience that verse is based on.
Until you gots that, all you gots is echo, which can make for tradition,
sects, theologies- but not wisdom. Wisdom is personal, direct, gleaned via
first-hand experience- not acquired by quoting, nor memorizing. One must
have the experience the words detail-- only then does the inner meaning
manifest.
While I admire any devotee's firm committment to his or her tradition,
I notice how commitment to tradition in and of itself can often produce
and maintain those who are overzealous in quoting scripture sans the
experience that sweetens the scripture into compassionate wisdom. I feel
it is the echoing of words without experience which promulgates kicking
folks in the head to see if they are really in bliss. It is the
promulgation of words without experience that leads folks to treat women
as decidedly less intelligent than men. It is the overdependence on
echoing words without having had the experience from which those words
arose that leads to quoting scripture without understanding it. That makes
for vast misunderstanding. It also makes for violence, arrogance, and
sectarian quarrel.
Studying `the basic tenor' of a teacher or his school of thought is apt
for devotees, scholars, undergraduates, armchair tourists, PR men, and
fans, but those `teachings as received by pure representatives' in and
of themselves are but signposts. One does not become aware of His
Reality by rote- quoting directly is not enough; one needs must undergo
the experience from which the words arise.
One must traverse the way oneself, not enshrine the signpost. The
teaching, nay even the Acharya, is by and large but a signpost. Thus,
(contrary to Tandy's advice), I suggest one have the experience of which
the Signpost but alludes, not stand there and marvel at the burning bush
or build a mansion around a miracle, nor tabernacle indefinitely where the
guru once walked, nor stick around to keep the signs freshly painted and
in good condition.
Move on. Undergo the experience directly. Then one's own words have
authority, and _need_ none other. Bon finds that for the most part the
only people who demand signs of authority are those who have none of their
own. Get the authority youself. Experience the reality of GOD. It is then
that all words become living scripture, all sounds His Voice, all places
His temple. Until one has that experience, whatever others say is as useful
as a taperecorder in an empty room. Undergoing that experience, He is in
every blade of grass, and sparkles as diamonds in the dust beneath Your
Feet.
This is my considered opinion.
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Whatever a fine person does, so will others do; people effect behaviour
by example. -Bhagavad Gita 3:21
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