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In a message dated 7/21/02 8:56:50 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

Ammachi writes:

 

 

> Another thought that comes to mind is that it¹s my understanding that in

> ancient Vedic society, one lived with the Guru until age 25 and generally

> attained enlightenment by that age, or at least Self Realization. Then one

> was fit for marriage if that was one¹s dharma. Of course if our society

> made

> enlightenment the prerequisite to marriage, that would solve the population

> explosion in a generation. In fact, the planet would soon be deserted.

>

>

 

Dear Rick:

 

How could this be, that people attained enlightenment or Self-Realization

(what is the difference?) by age 25 and then got married? My understanding

is that there are four stages. If people got enlightened by 25 then why

would there be a fourth stage, in which one leaves the world for spiritual

work, if one is enlightened already at 25, no less? I find this very

confusing.Avram

 

 

 

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In a message dated 7/21/02 8:56:50 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

Ammachi writes:

 

 

> I couldn't agree more. I also believe that Mother put my husband and me in

> our

> marriage, and that it is She who keeps us together. The bottom line is,

> dispite all

> of the "filler" (my husband's term for Maya or "dust") that distracts us,

> the only

> true thing in our lives is God/Mother, and our goal to merge in Her.

> Everything

> else is just "stuff".

>

 

Dear Ganesh:

 

All this talk from married folk needing God's Grace to stay together speaks

volumes! I didn't know it was that hard for people. What do I know. Avram

 

 

 

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In a message dated 7/21/02 8:56:50 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

Ammachi writes:

 

 

> Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Sarada Devi (through

> their entire married lives).

 

Sorry. I thought that the two were celibate and had no children besides. How

can this be a model of family life? Am I mistaken about this??Avram

 

 

 

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> How could this be, that people attained enlightenment or Self-Realization

> (what is the difference?) by age 25 and then got married?

 

I¹m sure you realize I¹m no authority, but here goes: from what I¹ve learned

over the years, Self-Realization means that that one has awakened to one¹s

true nature as pure consciousness, but it does not mean that one perceives

the world as pure consciousness. In fact, the world is seen as utterly

distinct and separate from the Self. After further development, the world is

also seen as pure consciousness and Upanishadic dictums such as ³That alone

is² become meaningful. Everything is seen within the self and the Self alone

exists ­ no world.

 

> My understanding

> is that there are four stages. If people got enlightened by 25 then why

> would there be a fourth stage, in which one leaves the world for spiritual

> work, if one is enlightened already at 25, no less?

>

Because (if this understanding is correct) enlightenment has nothing to do

with the role you play in the world. You may be a householder or a recluse,

but inwardly, you are alone in the Self. Outwardly, it¹s natural for the

body and invididual personality to go through different stages. An older

person, enlightened or otherwise, isn¹t going to feel like running a

business or raising a family. He¹ll just want to meditate. But a young,

energetic person (enlightened or otherwise) may want to do those things.

Look at King Janaka or Ram as examples. Both fully enlightened. Both fully

engaged in worldly pursuits while young, yet retiring from those pursuits

when older. (If I remember my Puranas and Itihasas correctly.)

 

Of course, take all this with a grain of salt. It¹s only my understanding,

and is very much subject to revision.

 

 

 

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"Enlightenment" a.k.a self-knowledge can occur at any age or stage.

The body in the world still needs to complete its life cycle.

 

Just think how cool it would be to have a mother or father who was

enlightened!

 

Aikya

 

 

Ammachi, sprose1@a... wrote:

> In a message dated 7/21/02 8:56:50 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

> Ammachi writes:

>

>

> > Another thought that comes to mind is that it¹s my understanding

that in

> > ancient Vedic society, one lived with the Guru until age 25 and

generally

> > attained enlightenment by that age, or at least Self Realization.

Then one

> > was fit for marriage if that was one¹s dharma. Of course if our

society

> > made

> > enlightenment the prerequisite to marriage, that would solve the

population

> > explosion in a generation. In fact, the planet would soon be

deserted.

> >

> >

>

> Dear Rick:

>

> How could this be, that people attained enlightenment or Self-

Realization

> (what is the difference?) by age 25 and then got married? My

understanding

> is that there are four stages. If people got enlightened by 25

then why

> would there be a fourth stage, in which one leaves the world for

spiritual

> work, if one is enlightened already at 25, no less? I find this

very

> confusing.Avram

>

>

>

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