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Study
as Practice
Jan.
31, 2010
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Swami
Tyagananda,
Ramakrishna Vedanta Society, Boston
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Summary of this Lecture:
There are different purposes for which study is undertaken: curiosity,
necessity, entertainment, to kill time and as a part of spiritual
practice. For sincere spiritual aspirant two questions are important:
1) Is a study necessary in spiritual life? 2) How important is intellectual
understanding for spiritual pursuits?
One may say that most saints and mystics were not scholars; the scriptures
themselves mention limitations of scriptural learning; too much learning
produces vanity and prejudice. However, study in a proper way is important
because -
1) It helps to remove our doubts.
2) It gives us clear understanding of our path and protects us from
a hostile environment.
3) It systematizes our thinking. Different ideas, if not connected
properly, disturb our mind and hamper the progress.
4) It helps us to separate the essentials from the non-essentials,
thus enabling us to see the underlying harmony behind this creation.
5) It makes the mind healthy and strong.
According to Vednata, certain conditions must be fulfilled to have
success in spiritual life:
1) A goal-oriented life - Having many goals in life, creates conflict;
we have limited time and energy. We must make conscious choices which
will take us toward the supreme goal of spiritual enlightenment.
2) Moral and ethical life - Memory becomes stable and strong when
intake is pure. Lack of ethical life makes the person bound to the
world.
3) Perseverance and regularity
4) Humility
5) Open mind free from prejudice and bias - Accepting or rejecting
other's views only after careful study
6) Combining study and experience together - Spiritual life means
living the principles. Because of easy accessibility to knowledge
in modern times, things are understood mere intellectually without
giving sufficient time to put them in practice thus barring the progress.
7) To recognize that we can learn a lot not only from books but from
our own experiences, from people around us, etc.
All other varied purposes/goals in life are fulfilled when the study
is undertaken as a part of spiritual practice.
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