--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > First off, I don't think he is saying that westerners are asuras > as a flat, generic statement--he's pointing out the mechanism by > which *some* westerners--a handful really--are predisposed to > flights of ego and premature claims.
Uh...did you *miss* the following section, Vaj? "Why? Because most Westerners are asuras at heart. All the celestials, including the asuras, have to go somewhere when they fall down to earth. Many of the asuras--who are very fond of indulging themselves with meat, alcohol and sex, remember--have been born in the West, where they continue to indulge themselves. Occasionally one of them wakes up, a little; but because asuras are egotistical they conclude, as soon as they learn a little, that they know everything. Almost as soon as they learn how to meditate they start calling themselves gurus. But what do they really know of Indian wisdom? Nothing! They are still just probing our spirituality now. They will be learning spiritual things from us for the next 500 years. Even the dog of one of our Rishis could teach them for one hundred years and still have more to teach. Westerners are so far behind us in spirituality that to shine out among them is nothing." Note the careful use of the word "most" in the first sentence. Note also that the entire *section* is about Westerners as a whole. Only *after* this section does he turn from trashing Westerners to trashing his fellow Swamis. > While I don't know if Vimalananda would say that his eastern > counterparts were asurian incarnations (he might, I'm not sure), he > certainly did NOT have much flattering to say of the first waves of > swamis and yogis who came to the west. He really could be > confrontational when it came to phonies and poseurs. Not to mention judgmental, superior and, as I think Jim described so well, with a high degree of jerk-ness. I might add 'being a bigoted asshole,' but that's just me. :-) > He also equally > used his realization and powers to the good when the need arose. I guess no one can be a jerk all the time... :-) ------------------------ 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/
