--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Premanand Paul Mason" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > A flying monkey and a shape shifting king of Lanka are quite > beautiful images to be found in the Ramayana. So too is the > idea that supernatural weapons might be used in warfare, in > the place of conventional and crude weaponry, to be found in > the Bhagavadgita. But in the 21st century we tend to treat > such tales as makebelieve. If talking animals do not exist, > nor astral weapons, then why should one choose to accept > the descriptions of the powers of rishis or maharshis as > all factual?
There *is* a criterion that would make one tend to respect such descriptions in ancient texts, be they from the Vedas or other traditions -- personal exper- ience. That is, if one has had the experience of performing or witnessing such powers, then if the description in the text agrees with your experience, then you might give the text more credibility. Same thing with some of the "legendary" animals described in texts of the past. One can treat them as fiction only until you run into one. Once you do, the texts are harder to be skeptical of. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/UlWolB/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/
