--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, cardemaister <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, cardemaister <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > wrote: > > > [Sorry, Buddhists!] > > > > > > [The Devas to Shiva:] "In days of yore, it was to > > > favour us that Lord Vishnu incarnated Himself as > > > the Buddha and diverted unrighteous men from > > > contaminating the Vedic path, by preaching a new > > > religion for them. But today the country is filled > > > with the heterodox followers of that religion, as > > > night is by darkness. They are indulging in carping > > > criticism of the Veda, declaring it to be just a > > > fraudulent means of livelihood for a few, and > > > condemning its teachings on the duties of Varnas > > > and Ashramas as mere superstitions. As people have > > > given up the orthodox Vedic path and become heretics, > > > there is none to do the daily devotional acts like > > > Sandhya, or to take to the life of renunciation." > > > > > > -- Madhava-Vidyaranya [maadhava-vidyaaraNya], > > > Shankara-dig-vijaya. The traditional life > > > of Sri Sankaracharya [shrii shankaraacaarya] > > > > This kind of sniping always fascinates me. It's > > especially fascinating in the case of the Hindu- > > Buddhist sniping. NO ONE could have been clearer > > in life about rejecting the Hindu system than the > > original Buddha. He also rejected to some extent > > the notion of avatars. So what does Hinduism do > > the minute the guy dies and is safely out of the > > way, unable to contradict them in person? They > > declare him an avatar of Vishnu, and claim that > > he was really teaching a variant of Hinduism. > > > > Orthodoxy is its own Hell. I think it's a suburb > > of the Hell Of Self Importance. > > > > It's also fascinating in terms of the theories > > proposed by Lama Ole in a short rap posted here > > recently. I mean, this quote is attributed to > > *devas*, ferchissakes. So either the priests > > are making this jealous sniping up and attrib- > > uting it to deities, or the deities themselves > > really *are* so insecure and stuck in the astral > > plane that they really *are* jealous of some human > > being who's getting more press than they are. > > > > And isn't it *really* fascinating that the thing > > that the priests who wrote this are most uptight > > about is the claim that selling the Veda is just > > a "fraudulent means of livelihood for a few?" > > Sound familiar? Maybe the TMers who have "lost > > faith" in the TMO for similar reasons are really > > "unrighteous men contaminating the Vedic path," > > and the righteous are better off without them. > > > > Then again, maybe the "unrighteous" are waking up > > from a bad dream in which their own holy men were > > demanding money all the time, as the only approp- > > riate method of proving their faith, and the > > money-grubbers would prefer that the flock stays > > safely -- and profitably -- asleep. > > That rap of the Devas goes on for a couple of > sentences, then sez Shiva: > "Taking a human body, I shall secure what is good > for you. I shall establish the Dharma, conquering > all the leaders of the perverse paths. I shall produce > a commentary on the Brahma Sutras, setting forth the > true teachings of the Vedas. I shall do this, taking > the form of a great Sannyasin, S[h]ankara by name, > accompanied by four disciples who would be like the > luminous sun dispelling the darkness of ignorance > conjured up by the acceptance of duality. Just like > Mahavishnu [Buddha?], I shall embody myself on earth. > All of you, Devas residing in Swarga, should also > take birth on earth like Myself and assist Me in My > mission. Thus shall your prayer be fulfilled."
Looks like "my dharma is better than your dharma" is far from a new idea. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/JjtolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
