Category: <span>Philosophy (Jnana)</span>

Category: Philosophy (Jnana)

Philosophy (Jnana)

Pointings from the Kena Upanishad

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The famous Danish physicist and Nobel Prize winner, Laureate Niels Bohr said, “I go into the Upanishads to ask questions.” Bohr as well as other physicists like Erwin Schrödinger and Werner Heisenberg were avid readers of the Vedic texts and observed that their experiments in quantum physics were consistent with what they had read in the Vedas. The 19th century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer was so impressed by the Upanishads that he called them “the production of the highest human wisdom”.
The Kena Upanishad begins with enquiry into the Self and contains the most profound wisdom and direct pointings towards Brahman, the Absolute.

Philosophy (Jnana)

Meaning of Diwali

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The ‘light’ has always been associated in Indian culture with wisdom and joy, with our higher Self – such references can be found in the Upanishads, ancient mantras and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras to name a few.
Shruti Bakshi delves into the meaning of Diwali – from the traditions associated with the five days of Diwali, to the deeper spiritual significance – in the very first LWP Digest released at this auspicious time of Diwali.

Philosophy (Jnana)

Where Science and Metaphysics Fall Short

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Sri Aurobindo’s words on the limitations of science and metaphysics in explaining the world. As he writes, “Metaphysics seeks to tell us What the Universe is and Why it is; in other words to explain the Inexplicable; but the end of this process is inevitably a juggling with words which must repel all clear-minded thinkers”. The approach of Hinduism is altogether different.

Philosophy (Jnana)

Ramana Maharshi on Birthdays

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Should we be happy to remember our birth day or sorry for it? These wise words of Sri Ramana Maharshi (or Bhagavan as he was called by his disciples), show a different perspective and make one think about whether being reborn into ‘samsara’ life should really be a celebration or rather be a reminder for us to enquire into our real nature.

Philosophy (Jnana)

Brahma’s Lie and the Delusion of Certainty

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“Brahma’s lie marks the first act of fundamentalism on the planet. The flower is punished for bearing witness and offering tacit support to the fundamentalist impulse. To claim a limited end to a limitless process, to reduce the infinite to the finite, to draw borders across the borderless, to make measurements of the unfathomable – this is the beginning of the human impulse to create certainty where none exists. It is the birth of pain, of suffering, of delusion.”
– Read more of the excerpt from the book Adiyogi: The Source of Yoga by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev.

Featured, Philosophy (Jnana)

Vivekananda’s Message to the West and the Historic September 11 Speech

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In 1893, Swami Vivekananda gave some of the most powerful speeches in history at the Parliament of World Religions. The speeches were an instant hit in America and still remembered the world over today. The article includes the text of his September 11 opening address at the conference.

Featured, Philosophy (Jnana)

When Vivekananda Met Tesla: Modern Physics’ Earliest Trysts with Vedanta

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What’s the connection between Vivekananda, Tesla and ‘akasha’? Professor Subhash Kak explains, describing some of the earliest attempts at searching for a scientific basis for Vedantic concepts.

Philosophy (Jnana)

Life Advice from Dr Radhakrishnan

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“Religion is what we do with ourselves when we are alone. In every one of us is a secret shrine where no one could intrude, to which we must retire as often as possible and discover what our true self is as distinct from the appearance we present to the world outside. Most of us are self-deceivers and constant examination alone can save us….”
5 September has been celebrated as Teacher’s Day in India since 1962 in honour of the great scholar and philosopher Dr S. Radhakrishnan who became President of India in 1962. In this excerpt from this essay ‘My Search for Truth’, Dr Radhakrishnan gives valuable advice not only for teachers but all people in general.

Philosophy (Jnana)

Indian Monk Says to Rise Above Thought and Reason (Swami Vivekananda)

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Are there limits to our reason or is reason all we must rely on?
Swami Vivekanda said: “The really difficult part to understand is that this state, the Absolute, which has been called the highest, is not, as some fear, that of the zoophite, or of the stone. That would be a dangerous thing to think. According to these thinkers there are only two states of existence, one of the stone, and the other of thought. What right have they to limit existence to these two? Is there not something infinitely superior to thought?” Read more in the article.

Philosophy (Jnana)

From Vedanta to Plato: the Deep Links between India and Europe (Part 2)

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Part 2 in this two-part series in which Professor Subhash Kak explores the deep historical connections between India and Europe in art, astronomy, civilisational ideas, language, literature and mythology. Here Professor Kak looks at some examples from Graeco-Roman art wherein Indic elements appear prominent.

Featured, Philosophy (Jnana)

From Vedanta to Plato: the Deep Links between India and Europe (Part 1)

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Vedanta and Plato. Mahabharata and Homeric poems. Venus and Vena. Kupros and Shukra. What’s behind the fascinating parallels?

Professor Subhash Kak delves into the deep connections between India and the Graeco-Roman world which show up not only in language, but civilizational ideas, philosophy, mythology, astronomy and art. This is Part 1 in a two-part series.

Newsletters, Philosophy (Jnana)

From Darkness to Light – Guru Purnima Blessings

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Newsletter No.6

Dear LWP Readers,

This newsletter contains news about the much awaited exclusive LWP interview with Maj Gen GD Bakshi as well as Guru Purnima blessings for one and all.  As usual, the weekly digest is included further below.

From Darkness to Light – Guru Purnima Blessings

The full moon following the summer solstice is of great significance to spiritual seekers, being the day of Guru Purnima. In ancient India, Guru Purnima was one of the most important days of the year.

The word “Guru” comes from the Sanskrit roots “gu” which means darkness and “ru” which means dispeller. The Guru is the light that dispels the darkness of ignorance. That moves one from untruth to truth. As the ancient verse from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad goes:

Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya |
Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya |
Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Lead me from unreality to reality. From darkness to light. From death to immortality. Let there be peace. Om.

In Indian culture, the first Guru, Adi Guru, is considered to be Shiva, who first gave the tools of yoga to the seven rishis (saptrishis) who then passed them down to humanity. Since that time, many gurus have walked the land of India and still do, showing the way of liberation to humanity.

And yet, the Guru is not in the essence, a person with a teaching. A guru is not someone who preaches morality, a man of principle. The Guru is the principle – the Guru Tattva – inside the heart of all sentient beings. The Guru is the universal Self. The Guru is the silence that quietens the mind.

“Guru is the Self. Sometimes in his life a man becomes dissatisfied and, not content with what he has, he seeks the satisfaction of his desires through prayer to God. His mind is gradually purified until he longs to know God, more to obtain his grace than to satisfy his worldly desires. Then, God’s grace begins to manifest. God takes the form of a Guru and appears to the devotee, teaches him the truth and, moreover, purifies his mind by association. The devotee’s mind gains strength and is then able to turn inward. By meditation it is further purified and it remains still without the least ripple. The calm expanse is the Self. The Guru is both external and internal. From the exterior he gives a push to the mind to turn it inwards. From the interior he pulls the mind towards the Self and helps in the quieting of the mind. That is the Guru’s grace. There is no difference between God, Guru and the Self.”

– Sri Ramana Maharshi (Be as you are, The teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, p. 91)

We don’t need to strategize about ways to dispel the different forms of darkness  – we just have to let the light of Grace shine. Guru Purnima is the time when it is easiest for humans to experience Grace. It is therefore believed to be a day that we must try to spend in contemplation, meditation and fortifying our spiritual aspirations.

How much Grace we allow into our lives is completely up to us because Grace itself is always ‘on’, always flowing.

May everyone experience the Grace of the Guru this full moon day – Guru Purnima Blessings!

 

 

Updates

My conversation with GD Bakshi on ‘Soldiers & Spirituality’ was personally very interesting and enlightening. The first part of this video interview was released on LWP yesterday. In this part, GD Bakshi spoke about his guru, a fitting topic for this Guru Purnima! Many viewers of the video expressed their surprise at this heretofore hidden side to GD Bakshi who is more popular for talking about all things war and defence!

I think you will find the upcoming parts of this conversation even more interesting – revolving around GD Bakshi’s peronal meditation experiences and a broader discussion about the role of spirituality in the lives of soldiers (an apparently obvious connection given that soldiers constantly face death, but yet not a much discussed/explored one). Look out for these videos on the LWP website and YouTube channel.

Below is the Part 1 video incase you missed it.

Weekly Digest

Here’s some other important highlights from the past week on LWP:

– Glimpses of the Rath Jatra 2017 in pictures. This annual festival of Lord Jagannath (Lord of the Universe) is enigmatic, colourful and a true display of universality in which people from all walks of life (including tribals and Muslims) participate.

– Beloo Mehra shared with us a touching piece in memory of her late mother. Sometimes a person’s cooking feeds not only the stomach but also the soul as this beautiful piece shows.

– If you’re thinking of visiting Korea, know that it is a meat obsessed society but there’s ways of getting by on a healthy vegetarian diet. Danielle Oakes shared some survival tips for going ‘Meatless in Korea’.

– LWP shared Dr David Frawley’s piece on Guru Purnima – the Full Moon of the Universal Guru – an enlightening piece on the significance of this day tracing back to ancient times.

– Last Sunday’s newsletter included Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev’s video on the #RallyforRivers initiative being led by the Isha Foundation to save and rejuvenate the badly depleted Indian rivers. Do watch and share the video and pledge your support for the cause (a missed call to the number: 80009 80009  registers as a support to the petition for saving the rivers which will be placed before the Indian government in October 2017). LWP supports this cause and will be sharing much more information, knowledge and support in the coming weeks.

 

As always, I look forward to your comments, feedback, suggestions and article contributions. Do share this with those you think may be interested so that they can also and join the wiser-living movement!

Wishing you a lovely Sunday wherever in the world you are and may you have a truly blessed Guru Purnima!

Warm regards,
Shruti Bakshi
Editor, the LivingWise Project

Philosophy (Jnana)

Guru Purnima: Full Moon of the Universal Guru

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Who or what is a guru?

Many religions honour their founder or great teacher in various ways. Hindu dharma is perhaps unique in honouring the guru or spiritual master as a principle in itself beyond any particular personality, philosophy or revelation.

The true guru is a position of spiritual guidance, the illuminating presence of a higher awareness. The guru is not limited to any physical person, however exalted he or she may be.

The guru is an inner institution, an authority rooted in an experiential wisdom, not in any mere human convention. The guru works to awaken us to our own Divine potential beyond the limitations of time and space, fear or desire.

Great souls who hold the position of the guru have a special honour and immense responsibility that can only be served in a selfless manner. The true guru is not conscious of being a guru to others, but of simply sharing the light of truth to dispel the darkness of ignorance.

The guru is a powerful conduit to the universal flow of knowledge. As such, there is only one true guru in all gurus. The guru is the guiding intelligence of the universal and eternal dharma that assumes many names and forms.

The importance of having a guru resides in being able to connect with the transcendent realm through a human representative. We should emphasise the guru’s teachings, rather focusing on outer appearances.

It is the ability to surrender the human mind and its opinions that makes for a true guru. The true guru teaches a path of self-realisation, giving us back our own true nature, not making us weak or dependent.

Guru Purnima – the full moon of the universal guru

Guru Purnima is the day of the Hindu lunar calendar established for honouring the guru in every form, all the teachers, educators and teachings that help us in life, through various rituals, mantras and meditation performed in their honour.

Yet it is the spiritual master as the cosmic guru that is the main focus. On this day, one should dedicate oneself to following the guru’s instruction and putting it into practice. The guru principle is most active at this time, and we can more easily connect with notable gurus past or present.

Guru Purnima marks the birthday of Veda Vyasa, who structured the four Vedas, composed the epic of the Mahabharata, and created the foundation for the many Puranas, the vast encyclopedias of Hindu sacred lore.

As such, Veda Vyasa developed the foundation for Hindu dharma as it endures to the present day, with its main deity forms, philosophies and yogic paths. Yet Veda Vyasa stayed in the background and never made himself into an object of worship.

Veda Vyasa is said to have used Ganesha as his scribe. What this means is that his teachings were embedded in the cosmic mind, not simply composed at a human level. Ganesha rules over the organisation of all higher knowledge.

Adi Guru, Shiva with the Saptrishis (Image credit: ishafoundation.org)

Guru Purnima represents the date on which Lord Shiva as the Adi Guru or original guru taught the seven rishis who were the seers of the Vedas. This reflects the fact that Shiva is Omkara and all the higher teachings arise out of Om as the Divine Word and cosmic sound vibration.

In the Yoga Sutras, Ishvara as Pranava or Om is said to be the Adi Guru of Yoga. Lord Buddha was said to have delivered his first sermon on this day at Sarnath, reflecting the power of this sacred time.

India’s most important gift to the world is its many great gurus. Since Swami Vivekananda in the late 19th century, a galaxy of monumental teachers has inspired humanity, and awakened India to its true role as the guru among nations.

Today, a new generation of gurus is arising to continue the process of sharing the universal knowledge in this new era of global communication.

While not all gurus are great, great gurus are always present, particularly in India, some prominent in public activities, others known only to a few.

Guru Purnima falls on 9 July in 2017

read also: Bhagavad Gita – the essence of India and its profound message for the world

This article was first published in the DailyO and has been republished here with permission.