Newsletter May 26, 2010

Past Events

1) On Sun. May 23, from 6:00-7:30 PM, a music concert was performed by Milind Raikar (Violin) & Nitin Mitta (Tabla). About fourty people attended this concert. See Photo here.

2) On Sun. May 23, From 10:30 - 11:30 AM, Swami Yogatmananda gave a class on Bhagavad Gita at Sri Satyanarayan Temple, Middletown, CT.

Synopsis of last week's classes

Friday, May 21 - Bhagavad Gita (Ch. 6, Verses 27-28 )

When the mind is drawn toward external objects, as it is wont to do, we must pull it back and re-focus. According to Sankara, we must see these external objects as illusory manifestations of the Self. We should also remember that in the past, these objects never brought us happiness, only attachment and bondage; thus we should turn away from what is external. We can see that these external objects are illusions because they are dependent upon the instruments with which we perceive them (i.e. the senses).
One has to be vigilant and continuously draw the mind inward towards the Self, the true nature. When we bring the mind under control by pulling it back, the mind becomes calm, desires for worldly objects vanish. Indeed, only one desire (which is really no-desire) remains--the desire to see God. We realize oneness with Brahman and attain Supreme Bliss. Just as a fire
emanates warmth, the person who has realized the Self will emanate Bliss that can be felt by those around him.

Sunday, May 23 - Knowledge: Lower and Higher - Swami Yogatmananda
The quest for knowledge is an essential feature of human life. Pursuit of any branch of knowledge in this external world gets further divided into infinitely many branches and the question comes - Will this desire for knowledge ever reach fulfillment? Swami Vivekananda in 'Practical Vedanta' says that all knowledge, lower or higher is 'within' and the external observation and study are only the suggestions to get Knowledge manifest from within. In Mundaka Upanisad, a disciple asks the teacher - 'I want to know that by knowing which everything becomes known'. The teacher answers- There are two types of knowledge:
1) Lower knowledge (Apara Vidya): It includes all scriptural as well as secular knowledge that we get through the senses. It is the basically knowledge of the objects (which are continuously changing), obtained through the mind (which is also in continuous flux). It is really - 'learned ignorance.' Sri Sankaracharya says that it is lower knowledge because nothing is truly known as it is.
2) Higher knowledge (Para Vidya): It is the knowledge of the Self that does not undergo any change. In fact this unchanging Self is the background on which the knowledge of all other changing things is perceived.
In the 13th Ch. of Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna mentions two elements of any experience - object (Kshetra) and subject (Kshetrajna); he says - 'the knowledge of both is really my Knowledge. I am the Knower in all these objects.' Like one Sun reflects in many pots filled with water and is perceived as many Suns plus the one real Sun, similarly one Self reflects in all these infinitely diverse beings. To find out the real Self, we have to take our gaze away from this world of multiplicity. Lord Krishna tells us the way: by cultivating great qualities that will purify the mind and Knowledge will manifest - humility, unostentatious-ness, service to the Guru, nonattachment, even-mindedness, unswerving devotion to God, Yoga of non-separation, etc. This higher knowledge is where knowing means becoming. The Upanisad says - 'The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman.' Similar idea comes in 'Imitation of Christ', where the author says - "…Without this Word no man understands or judges aright. He to whom it becomes everything, who traces all things to it and who sees all things in it, may ease his heart and remain at peace with God." 'Tulsi Ramayana' calls this higher knowledge as 'Akatha Kahani' - the story that can be felt but can never be described.
Lower knowledge has its area of utility in this world, but fulfillment in life is possible only through the higher knowledge.

Tuesday, May 25 - The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Sri Ramakrishna had the unique ability to see into the minds of all his devotees. Since all minds are not the same, they each have their particular obstructions to spiritual unfoldment. The Master was able to see where these trouble spots were located and give the remedy for removing them. One prominent devotee was Mamimacharan, a man of some learning and book knowledge. He would make sure people knew of his intellectual prowess. His obstruction, then, was really the ego of learning. He asked the Master if an ordinary person could return to the relative plane of existence after Samadhi. This question shows attachment to the body; else why this unnecessary inquiry? The focus was on 'coming back' rather than on Samadhi. Mahima was not that interested in samadhi, but rather in self-aggrandizement. The Master knew this and by his answer to the question, stroked Mahimacharon's ego. If one has achieved the lofty state of Samadhi, there is no ego as we know it. It may look like ego, but it something radically different. What exists then is the ego of Knowledge or the ego of Bhakti. There is no more identifying or having the sense of "I", "me", or "mine". A person loses the human ego completely and becomes one with God. Samadhi has been described as a giant black hole where the ego goes into, never to return again. It doesn't matter if we choose the path of devotion or knowledge. They both lead to the same ultimate goal-freedom from bondage. First we have to try to transcend the ego, our great obstruction.

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