Guest guest Report post Posted January 24, 2000 Yesterday I had an opportunity to address the Vishva Hindu Parishad meeting at Leicester. The talk was well received. I wish to share the theme of what I tried to put across. I argued that even though we belong to a religion in which the message of spirituality gets refreshed in every age - we lack the strength to take full advantage of this. We like to get in a rut and stay there. Spiritual giants come and re-express the message of spirituality in the language more suited to our times yet we do not recognise the importance of this. We prefer to stick to the teachings that were given not recently but a few thousand years ago. We clearly exhibit a greater affinity for antiquity, linguistics, mythology and such -- than for spirituality. After all what are all scriptures? They are a string of metaphors trying to express the in-expressible in a language and manner suited to each period. There is nothing wrong with any of these old scriptures that we inherit. Yet we have to recognise that we as mankind continue to evolve and require to re-phrase the teachings using the metaphors more in-step with our times (the metaphors more suited to this age of science). We see a full flow of these in the vibrant teachings of Vivekananda. jay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted January 24, 2000 Greetings Jay: You have made some interesting and valuable points regarding the importance of scriptures, spirituality and human intelligence. Your message is quite valid as long as we agree to add the suggested additional caveats. The Tamil Grammarian Tolkappiar said it beautifully: "Paziana kazayalum puthiana pukuthalam vazuvila" ( Replacing the old rules of the grammar with new rules is quite appropriate and valid.) Actually, Tamil grammar has undergone many changes influenced by time, culture and progress. Almost all languages have undergone with similar changes. However, these changes didn't diminish the richness and beauty of the old literature and the world cherishes both the new and old. The Hindu religion is quite receptive to the adoption of spiritual messages coming from various sources. A Sanskrit proverb says this message beautifully: "The origin of rivers and sages are not important, their service to the humanity is more important." First, we need to recognize that the Hindu population is quite diverse and the recognition and acceptance of spiritual giants vary. The perception of the messages of spiritual giants also vary by time and environment. In spite of these problems, the messages of great spiritual giants shine all the time. Spiritual giants come and go and spiritual messages come and go. Also, some spiritual messages and giants have universal acceptance and recognition irrespective of time. The same point is also valid with respect to scriptures whether they are old or new. Some scriptures and some sages make permanent imprint on the mankind and their messages will never disappear. We the human decide using our ‘discriminating intelligence' to accept and reject what we read, listen and perceive. Vedas, Upanishads and Gita will remain without any changes but our understanding of them may vary and they always depend upon our knowledge and spiritual maturity. The vision of modern spiritual giants such as Swami Vivekananda became quite valuable because we are able to understand the message of Vedas, Upanishads and Gita according to our new life style. In nature, if we look at the birds we can learn something. Birds live in forests, rural villages and cities. The birds which live in the forests build their nests on the top of a tree, in the villages they build it on the top of barns and in the city, they build it on the top of telephone or light posts and microwave towers. They also eat different foods whatever is available to them. But they don't change the laws of nature that pertain to the birds such as flying and rearing. In the same way, we the human beings are quite adoptable to changes in life style, but all changes are not in our control and some changes we even regret! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted January 24, 2000 yes that is the bitter irony of it...inspite of giants like vivekananda coming on the scene we refuse to see the light and take pride in our stupidity and try to pass it off as maturity. while too much materialism is decidedly bad at least the nation should have such an atmosphere where evryone has a decent chance to everyone to prove his mettle and where the rule of law indeed prevails & leaders are really leaders-- instead we waste time and money on khajuraho/film festivals and try to gloat over our "ancient culture"....nobody is bothered that millions upon millions have "become next door neighbours to brutes" as swamiji would say... sometimes i feel the situation is hopeless if swamiji himself could'nt turnaround the situation fully then who will??,who can??? >"Vivekananda Centre" <vivekananda >advaitin >"list" <ramakrishna >, "viv list" <vivekananda >, >"adv list" <advaitin > >CC: "madhuben" <Madhu.K.Parmar, "milan handa UClondon hospital - >Hindu soc pres" <rishi_h, "Milen Shah" ><m.shah, "Vik Thakrar 56631" <vikas.thakrar > Scriptures >Mon, 24 Jan 2000 16:04:55 -0000 > >"Vivekananda Centre" <vivekananda > >Yesterday I had an opportunity to address the Vishva Hindu Parishad meeting >at Leicester. The talk was well received. I wish to share the theme of what >I tried to put across. > >I argued that even though we belong to a religion in which the message of >spirituality gets refreshed in every age - we lack the strength to take >full >advantage of this. We like to get in a rut and stay there. Spiritual giants >come and re-express the message of spirituality in the language more suited >to our times yet we do not recognise the importance of this. We prefer to >stick to the teachings that were given not recently but a few thousand >years >ago. We clearly exhibit a greater affinity for antiquity, linguistics, >mythology and such -- than for spirituality. > >After all what are all scriptures? They are a string of metaphors trying to >express the in-expressible in a language and manner suited to each period. >There is nothing wrong with any of these old scriptures that we inherit. >Yet >we have to recognise that we as mankind continue to evolve and require to >re-phrase the teachings using the metaphors more in-step with our times >(the >metaphors more suited to this age of science). We see a full flow of these >in the vibrant teachings of Vivekananda. > > >jay > > >--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- > > GRAB THE GATOR! FREE SOFTWARE DOES ALL THE TYPING FOR YOU! >Tired of filling out forms and remembering passwords? Gator fills in >forms and passwords with just one click! Comes with $50 in free coupons! > <a href=" http://clickme./ad/gator4 ">Click Here</a> > >------ > >Discussion of the True Meaning of Sankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy >focusing on non-duality between mind and matter. Searchable List Archives >are available at: http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/ Contact Email >Address: advaitins > > ____ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted January 25, 2000 Namaste, Swamiji Himself said, "The world is like a dogs tail. How much ever you try to straighten it , it will always come back to the same position. Different incarnations and great people have come , done something and gone, but the world has come back ". The fact is that you do not help the world, you help yourself by doing service and there it ends. We should not try to correct the world or "turnaround situations", but take service to humanity as service to God. In higher terms, the world exists so long as you exist, the moment your ego goes, the world also leaves with it. Regards, Anand On Mon, 24 Jan 2000 19:48:54 Devendra Vyas wrote: >sometimes i feel the situation is hopeless if swamiji himself could'nt >turnaround the situation fully then who will??,who can??? A FREE web-based e-mail service brought to you by the PC World Technology Network. Get your FREE account today at http://www.myworldmail.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest guest Report post Posted January 25, 2000 i know fully well what swamiji has said........but i as an indian/hindu feel on seeing the pitiable condition of the masses... i know fully well that --"we help ourselves not the world"---i was not speaking in lofty philosophical terms---i was expressing my anguish at the situation in my country ..our country --nobody here needs advice on swamiji's teachings--they are quite clear;rgds--devendra >"Anand Natarajan" <anandn >advaitin >advaitin >Re: Scriptures >Tue, 25 Jan 2000 08:00:24 -0800 > > >Namaste, > > Swamiji Himself said, "The world is like a dogs tail. How much ever >you try to straighten it , it will always come back to the same position. >Different incarnations and great people have come , done something and >gone, but the world has come back ". > >The fact is that you do not help the world, you help yourself by doing >service and there it ends. We should not try to correct the world or >"turnaround situations", but take service to humanity as service to God. > >In higher terms, the world exists so long as you exist, the moment your ego >goes, the world also leaves with it. > >Regards, > Anand > > >On Mon, 24 Jan 2000 19:48:54 Devendra Vyas wrote: > > >sometimes i feel the situation is hopeless if swamiji himself could'nt > >turnaround the situation fully then who will??,who can??? > > >A FREE web-based e-mail service brought to you by the PC World Technology >Network. >Get your FREE account today at http://www.myworldmail.com ____ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
