Chanakya is the man of the Shastras --- In [email protected], "Ingegerd" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Who is the author? > Ingegerd > > --- In [email protected], "Premanand Paul Mason" > <premanandpaul@> wrote: > > > > Yes, I have a similar take on this, but have you looked at the > > Shastras? Phew!!!! Also, Guru Dev extols not only the Shastras but > > their author, holding him to have supernatural sight. Well it > might > > interest FFLers to check the biographical profile of the author, > but > > really!! > > > > --- In [email protected], "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "Premanand Paul Mason" > > > <premanandpaul@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Well Rick, here is a stream-of thinking answer to your > > suggestion. > > > > It is apparent when reading Guru Dev's satsangs that he was > > totally > > > > sold on the idea of everyone living by the Shastras. So it > might > > be > > > > interesting to take a raincheck on that area. He really was > quite > > > > adamantly against arbitrariness - caste was important as was > > ritual. > > > > > > > > He was highly unimpressed with science. > > > > He had a downer on Westerners. > > > > He seemed to have absolute belief in fatalism. > > > > He didn't seem to believe that just doing some worship or > > > > meditation was enough, he believed that living by the Shastras > > was > > > > totally necessary (sorry to come back to that first point - > but > > it > > > > is so recurrent as to be inescapable). > > > > > > > > Okay, where were we. Oh yes, he most certainly was completely > > sold > > > > into the idea of rebirth and all the rest of Hinduism's basic > > > > beliefs, thus re-enforcing the idea that all things Hindu are > > right > > > > and fine and dandy. But often he makes it clear that he is > > > > repeating accepted wisdom. > > > > > > > > BUT that is entirely contrary to what I understand MMY has > been > > > > saying. He has encouraged people to believe that being > > enlightened > > > > will give up the answers. i.e. it is consciousness not books > that > > > > give the knowledge. > > > > > > Would Guru Dev have disagreed that consciousness is > > > the ultimate source of knowledge? I have trouble > > > believing that he would have. > > > > > > Perhaps what he was doing by emphasizing the shastras > > > was giving his students/followers something to live > > > by *until* they could depend on consciousness for > > > knowledge. > > > > > > And if that's what he was telling them, he would have > > > to live by the shastras' rules himself, would he not, > > > to set an example? > > > > > > MMY actually does somewhat the same thing, by giving > > > some general behavioral recommendations and then > > > telling TMers to follow the scriptures of their religion, > > > and/or the laws of the land, and/or the advice of their > > > elders, if they are in doubt about the right thing to > > > do. He doesn't specify a particular set of scriptures > > > or laws because he wants to reach people of all religions > > > (and no religion) and all nations. > > > > > > > It is likely Guru Dev lived an exhalted inner existence and > was > > > > incredibly at peace with himself. It is implicit in everything > > MMY > > > > says about his guru that we are to take it that he was > > enlightened. > > > > However, if one lives purely by rules, Shastras and convention > > and > > > > never makes decisions for oneself, in any real sense, the > point > > of > > > > wanting enlightenment gets lost. People want to feel free of > the > > > > interminable rules and regulations, that's a big part of why > they > > > > take a dive into the peace to be found beyond thinking. > > > > > > On the other hand, I would suspect that once one > > > attains complete inner freedom, having to follow > > > external laws and rules isn't much of a pinch. > > > > > > Presumably we want to become enlightened not so we > > > can be free of rules, but so rules can no longer > > > impinge on our sense of freedom, which has become > > > absolute and infinite. > > > > > > > > > > There must be something there worth discussing, other than the > > > > confused way I have laid out the ideas. > > > > > >
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