What is revelation?

[Guest guest]

How we view scripture is important. What is your approach? Is the question somewhat uncomfortable for us so we put off dealing it until some time yet to be determined? When we do it seems to remain as an irritant just below the surface of our conscious mind and I believe if not dealt with becomes a seed for the sprouting of doubt.

 

Best to deal with it now I think.

 

I found this interesting on the subject of revelation. From William James, Varieties of Religious Experience.

 

Thus if our theory of revelation-value were to affirm that any book, to possess it, must have been composed automatically, or not be the free caprice of the writer, or that it must exhibit no scientific or historic errors and express no local or personal passions, the *Bible would probably fare ill at our hands. But if on the other hand, our theory should allow that a book may well be a revelation in spite of errors and passions and direct human composition, if only it be a true record of the inner experiences of great-souled persons, wrestling with the crisis of their fate, then the verdict would be much more favorable.

 

*Or?

 

Your thoughts?

YB

[Guest guest]

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.9.30 http://vedabase.net/sb/3/9/30/en

 

Bhagavad-gItA (10.10) http://vedabase.net/bg/10/10/en

 

Sri Brahma-saMhitA 5.38: http://vedabase.net/bs/5/38/en

 

Srimad-Bhagavatam verses 1.7.3-4 http://vedabase.net/sb/1/7/3/en

[Guest guest]

Do you have anything to say personally?

[Guest guest]

I'm a mute.

 

Besides, Lord Krishna, Lord Brahma and Srila Vyasadeva said it there much better than I ever could.

 

It is those words you should carry in your heart.

 

[Gaea 0]

If you treat revelation as torch thru which you can wade thrpough the dark blindly, i think revelation can be dangerous. God's message as given in scripture is appropriate for time and place and particular peoples, hence different scripture for unlike minded folk.

 

Personally i think experience is far more superior... yes, more superior than BG, SB etc also, but not to put these scriptures down... I know i always say the following, but i think it is so so powerful: what scripture did the gopis know? They probably couldn't even read and i would venture to guess that they cared little for scipture because their hearts, minds and souls were immersed with Krsna and Krsna alone.

[Guest guest]

Referrences are nice, so is discussion amongst fellow aspirants.

[Guest guest]

How faith in scriptures came about in my life

- confession by Savage Mute

 

I started reading Bhagavad-gita As It Is living alone in the country with twelve cows. I accepted nothing on faith - not even the name Govinda (I would always substitute 'the cause of all causes and all that is' for any name of Krsna).

 

In the beginning about fifty percent of Krsna's teachings were intuitive to me, but over many months of trying to follow the path prescribed by Krsna and Prabhupada, I was shown through actual experience that another 25% was indeed true.

 

I guess it was eventually inductive reasoning that led to accepting those things that I had yet to prove in the scriptures.

 

After thirty years what I believe in? Krsna. If I can't get my head around some unusual piece of scripture, then drawing well-warranted humility I assume it is either too deep for me, or that Krsna will reveal the meaning if He wants, or that it is acintya entirely. I would never ever doubt the scripture or Srila Prabhupada.

 

They say that the proof of the pudding is in the tasting. Well, in my terribly unorthodox life, I have tasted. And the taste is reality, and no one in this sham will ever tear me away from it. I may get carried away by the crowd from time to time, but reality is my home, it is me. And it's back to Godhead, whether there or even here when the mahamantra flows from there like nectar, making both places reality the beautiful.

 

So, go there, that land beyond, that kingdom beyond, that land of revelation. There you will find faith in the scripture, there and only there.

[Guest guest]

 

If you treat revelation as torch thru which you can wade thrpough the dark blindly, i think revelation can be dangerous. God's message as given in scripture is appropriate for time and place and particular peoples, hence different scripture for unlike minded folk.

 

Personally i think experience is far more superior... yes, more superior than BG, SB etc also, but not to put these scriptures down... I know i always say the following, but i think it is so so powerful: what scripture did the gopis know? They probably couldn't even read and i would venture to guess that they cared little for scipture because their hearts, minds and souls were immersed with Krsna and Krsna alone.

 

 

Yes on time place experience. That is understood. And BG and SB etc. are really meant to be experienced by us. Entered into if you will and be transformed in the process.

 

But to the point William James was raising which I quoted in the first post. Does it matter if some historical or wordly knowledge is incorrect in said scriptures? Would that invalidate their being considered revelatory texts in spite of all the living eternal knowledge present within them?

 

YB

 

[Guest guest]

I knew you could speak. Thanks. You took a solid approach it sounds like. Mine has been more clumsy but like you I only accept one direction at this point.

 

What do you think of W. James' quote from post #1?

 

Distance of the moon or one sun in the universe. Are statements like these important to our faith in anyway do you think?

[Guest guest]

I can remember finding that book on sale a long time ago and read parts or maybe all of it. He seems sincere.

 

About cosmology, I have yet to unravel the fifth canto. I'm not sure anyone has. It seems that even Srila Prabhupada deferred to his master on the subject. I don't seem too worried about it.

 

I found the following treatise of the moon-thing beneficial and essentially agree with the conclusion of the final paragraph: http://geocities.com/caitanyamahaprabhu/moonthing1.htm