Direct experience, sound reasoning, and intuition

From self to Self Tuesday, September 19, 2006 Vivekananda, Aurobindo and Ramakrishna

These personalities play a very important role in my life. They profusely inspire me to discover my inner being, my spirit, my peace, my divine nature. I'm just fascinated even at the suggestion that in reality I'm not the body and the mind, that all this while I have been erroneously identifying myself exclusively with them, and that they are mere instruments of my true being. I'm very much open to these ideas. I believe that there may be something really useful coming out of spiritual practice. I'll postpone my judgment until I do the spiritual experiments, and directly experience for myself!

I feel fortunate to have come into touch with Vivekananda, Aurobindo and Ramakrishna in the last 7 years or so. I'm trying to follow the spiritual path as exemplified and inspired by their lives, teachings, writings. I'm in general interested in ancient Indian philosophy, the Vedanta in particular. Many a times we hear of Vivekananda as a Vibhuti, Aurobindo as a Maharshi and Ramakrishna as an Avatara! Different people revere them differently, as per their faith. I sometimes ask myself what do I think about them? Frankly, I feel at this stage I'm not competent even to think about measuring their Divinity? Avatara is usually understood to be the highest manifestation of the Divine that is possible within a human body. Was Sri Ramakrishna an Avatara then? I don't know. Realisation, as I understand, has many levels of attainment ranging from a non-Avatara (Asura may be!) to an Avatara. My conviction for now is that the above trio were at definitely much, much higher levels of realisation when compared to average human beings. Would I disseminate their spiritual contributions?

First of all, I will never claim or help spread anything with exclusivity. I'll only talk to others about them only to the extent I'm convinced through direct experience, sound reasoning, and intuition in that order. I believe that the methods which work right for me may not be well-suited for another person. I also believe there are many ways to approach the same Truth. My idea of Truth is that by which one knows everything, fears nothing, becomes free of all limitations. I theoretically have problems with anybody fanatically professing just one path, who endorses and/or accepts blind faith, and who follows intolerance and discrimination of any kind. posted by Jiva at 1:16 AM