To Sweta on interesting question of helping beings

[Guest guest]

Sweta wrote:

 

Here's a question that's been hopping around my monkey

mind. When a soul merges with God, will it still be

serving the world? Seeing Amma serve the world, shows

it's possible. Amma said something about the idea of

compassion arising, for a soul to descend to a lower

plane to help others. Can a soul serve the highest

good of all, while being in that highest merged state

with no body?

 

 

Dear Sweta ~ interesting question. The Bodhisattva concept in Buddhism, as

I'm sure you know, is when a person has reached enlightenment, but out of

compassion and love, pledges to return to the body again and again until "all

sentient beings" reach enlightement.

 

In Western metaphics there are similar concepts, though many of these serve,

just as you mentioned ~ a soul serving the good of all without being in a

body. I'm not sure I would say it it the highest good because that would be

comparing this state to those who, like Amma, come back. Has She not said many

times, (paraphrase) You have been with me in lifetimes before, and I will be

with you in lifetimes to come, until all "Her children" are enlightened.

 

Now back to Western metaphysics for a moment. In Western metaphysics there

are many concepts relating to this idea of a "realized soul" helping others

while continuing to be without a body. The Seth material, where the

multidimensional consciousness known as Seth, came through Jane Robins for many

years,

imparting spiritual wisdom. "A Course in Miracles" and "Conversations with

God" occurred similarly, but in slightly different ways. The concept of a

"spirit guide" is another, more personalized" example.

 

And in the East, haven't many of the mahatmas told their disciples and

devotees, before their mahasamhadi, that they will still "be there" to guide

their

spiritual grown? A wonderful example, from one of Amma's own Swamis is Swami

Paramatmananda's two-book story of his own experience. When he got to the

East, he felt very drawn to Ramana Maharshi. He spent 12 or 13 years at

Ramana's ashram with one of Ramana's disciples, Ratnamji. But all the way, he

felt a

person spiritual connection to Ramana, and it was his devotion to Ramana

that led him to go through all the spiritual learning that Ratnamji guided him

through. (Swami P. is very forthcoming about his pouty, willful mind.)

 

In the part of this story that I'm in right now, Ratnamji and Swami P.

(Neal) had been on a very long by-(bare) foot journey(except where they flew

over

the Himayalas to get where they were initially trying to go). On the way

back, Swami P. had stepped on a thorn, and the wound to his foot was severe and

became infected, but they were nowhere near any town. For awhile Neal had

someone who carried him in a basket on his back, but eventually this person had

to leave. His foot got worse and worse; he could barely walk, yet tried his

best to keep up with Ratnamji. At one point, he fell, from the pain, and called

out "Amma." Immediately, his foot felt better. He was able to walk with less

pain, and the injury cleared up quickly. I think this is the part of the

story when he becomes drawn to Amma, but I don't know, I'm still reading. :

)

 

But long story short, it does seem that the concept and experience for this

realized being in the soul state helping those in bodies is embodied in both

Eastern and Western culture. And there are many stories of Amma appearing to

someone, far away, while She is at the ashram doing puja or darshan. So in

this case, She is both, the embodied and the one who is also in soul form.

 

Jai Jai Ma ~ Linda