--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, anon_couscous_ff <no_reply@> > wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, t3rinity <no_reply@> wrote: > <snip> > > > I was investigating the Satsang movement in the context of its > > > historic origin, > > > > which is good to do > > > > > while you mix it with Zen Buddhism and Tibetan > > > Vajrayana. Now that is weird. > > > > well, the discussion has been on "modern" neo-statangs, the FF > > satsang, and pirmarily, IMO, posts on FFL. > > I could be mistaken, but I think trinity may be > referring to a specific Satsang movement, while > others are using the term more broadly.
Satsang in general means 'being together (sangha) in Truth (Sat)' and as such is not specific to Advaita. For example members of the devotional Radhasoami group are called Satsanghis. I refer to the term in the sense of the Satsang movement which has established itself in the west, with teachings that refer more specifically to Ramana Maharshi, especially as popularized by HWL Poonja, or Nisargadatta, that is teachers of pure Non-Duality, who usually see themselves as being in the line of Ramana and Poonja. There are also some other reference-points like Jean Klein, the teachings of Krishnamurty etc. My point is, that these people, like Gangaji see themselves in the lineage of Advaita of Ramana (or Nisargadatta like Ramesh) and teach a form of sudden awakening, which has a very specific background in the Indian tradition. (of course sudden enlightenment also exists in Buddhism) But the satsang movement, as I know it, uses Advaita of Ramana and therefore Shankara as a reference point, and here Satsang has a special value in the Advaita methology, like I pointed out: Shravana, Manana and Nididhyasana -Hearing, reflecting and contemplating Truth. As such it is not just a 'sharing of experiences' for the possible sake of aggrendizing the ego of the Satsang giver, no, there is a certain methology and teaching, which leads to self-enquiry, plus the affirmation of the ultimate truth as in the Mahavakyas. All this is rather obvious. Some people here are just pissed about the call of the Satsang givers, to give up seeking, to rather look at the truth which is there right now. In this there IS a definite difference to Buddhism and also to other Hindu teachings like Tantra, which get rather mixed up with Vaj. Shankara himself wrote volumes against the Buddhists, so when Vaj gives old 'prophecies' from Buddhism, and applies it to the modern outgrowth of a competing tradition, it is just odd. For example, he always speaks of 'tests of enlightenment' but in traditional Advaita there are no such tests. The whole point of the Shankara's (higher) teaching is the truth of non-duality itself, and that is to be affirmed at any cost. The question of realization is not in the forefront, that is the teaching which leads to it. Thats my whole point. I am not here to declare all Satsang-givers to be perfectly or ultimately enlightened, but they provide a context with which to contemplate the ultimate Truth. ------------------------ 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/
