On Apr 24, 2006, at 8:57 AM, t3rinity wrote:
> --- In [email protected], Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> > Of course Ramana never had to deal with an Andrew Cohen or any of a
> > number of Satsang Service Providers who are ready to dispense
> darshan
> > and advice... ;-)
>
> Sure, but the principle is the same: Its the heart which has to
> confirm. He obviously did not have external tests, as according to
> Advaita and the Gita there are no outward signs of enlightenment.So,
> there is no way, no absolute set of tools you could apply. You may
> apply your own set of criteria, but IMHO its only your innermost
> feeling/heart which can tell you, and in this case there is hardly
> anything you can do about it anymore.
I've been very fortunate in that in teachers who were not
appropriate, signs manifested indicating that.
>
> > It may be a moot point as Ramana is of course long gone and of a
> > different generation than ours.
> >
> > Nonetheless here's what Ramana's ashram has to say:
> >
> > "It is not possible to lay down clear rules to guide the
> > novice in the delicate business of recognising a Sage. And it
> > may be said that no rules are really necessary. He that is
> > destined to find a Sage and to become his disciple will find
> > no practical difficulty in recognising him when he finds him.
> > For those that are not so destined, rules will be of little use.
> > Divine Grace plays a decisive part in the process by which
> > the Sage is recognised as such and accepted as one's own
> > Guru. But when once the choice is made, the disciple can
> > use the available tests of sagehood, in order to confirm his
> > choice. The chief test is serenity and unruffled happiness,
> > which is the same as perfect peace. Another test is
> > egolessness, and this is proved chiefly by indifference to
> > praise and censure, as noted before. Other tests will appear
> > in the course of this exposition." from "Maha-yoga"
> >
> > I would be suspicious personally of any guru who did not test his
> > students--but that's my own preference.
>
> So you would be suspicious of Ramana.
I've been rather fortunate in that it's pretty apparent to me when a
teacher is good for me and the recognition was very obvious. Call it
divine grace if you want.
It's impossible for me to say what I'd feel for Ramana, he's dead.
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