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Re: Help Please!
thileeban Singam (tsingam@chat.carleton.ca) wrote:
: Could anyone help me with these questions?
: 1. What does the term Upanishad signify? When and by whom were the
: Upanishads composed?
Dear Thileebanji:
Thank you for asking the questions.
One meaning of the word Upanishad is 'to seat near'. Implying seat near
the Guru. The Upanishads were written after the Vedic period, and it is
generally written to explain and elaborate on the revealtions in the Vedas.
The authors of the Vedas and also of the Upanishads are called R^ishi.
: 2. According to the Upanishad, what is the distinction between
: 'higher knowledge' and 'lower knowledge'? How does the knowledge obtained
: in meditation differ from knowledge gained through the process of
: reasoning?
There are two ways of gaining knowledge or GYAna. The meditative way is
direct, knowledge is gained by personal experience of truths, it is
called yoga. The other way is called sAMkhya, which is learing by
reading and by being taught by a teacher. This is generally referred to
as the lower knowledge. The higher knowledge is called viGYAna, which
builds on the instructions in GYAna, but is revealed by a blessing from
God, called 'buddhiyoga'(SBG 10.10), which is a extrasensical intelligence,
similar to intuition, except it is completely dependent on God's grace.
A common example that is given to distinguish between GYAna knowledge
and viGYAna knowledge is, water in a tumbler appears different than water
in the ocean, this is GYAna, but the knowledge that the elemental nature
of water in the tumbler and in the ocean is the same is viGYAna. A
spiritual example would be, GYAna would familiarize a person with the
various vibhutis (manifestations) of God, but viGYAna will reveal to him
that all is really One God.
Both GYAna and viGYAna are under GYAna-yoga and the meditative way is
under karma-yoga (SBG 3.3).
: 3. Why did Sri-Ramakrishna said "I want to eat sugar, I donot want to
: become sugar?'
Because a Self-realized man wants to join in the Lila of God, witness and
participate in the events as they unfold, according to the Divine plan.
It is for them, rejoicing in the glory of God.
: I would appreciate if there is a discussion on these topics.
: Thanks in Advance.
: Bye now.
With best regards,
Dhruba.
: THILEEBAN Singam
: "One must abhor war, but when a war is thrust on you, you must be ruthless"
: - National leader of Tamil Eelam, Mr.V.PRABHAKARAN-
: e-mail: WWWeb:
: tsingam@chat.carleton.ca http://www.chat.carleton.ca/~tsingam
:
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