The biggest secret about Advaita Vedanta

[dwai]

 

[old3bob]

"OM! That (the Invisible-Absolute) is whole; whole is this (the visible phenomenal); from the Invisible Whole comes forth the visible whole. Though the visible whole has come out from that Invisible Whole, yet the Whole remains unaltered.

OM! PEACE! PEACE! PEACE!"

[escott]

It does sound like he's revealed the secret in just 13 minutes. It seems like the understanding of it, though, is just beyond my grasp.

[dwai]

29 minutes ago, escott said:

It does sound like he's revealed the secret in just 13 minutes. It seems like the understanding of it, though, is just beyond my grasp.

Try this first -- 

 

[old3bob]

3 hours ago, escott said:

It does sound like he's revealed the secret in just 13 minutes. It seems like the understanding of it, though, is just beyond my grasp.

 

these concepts via intellect may more or less be grasped... but not the Self that the concept tries to point to, for it can never be grasped by or held down by powers of the mind which would make it a THING.  thus it is not us as human beings through powers of the mind and feelings that realizes the Self, for only the Self can realize the Self which it never forgot...a quandary for us identified as human beings yes - and I'm definitely not a  qualified guru about it, just someone dropping some reflections here and there.

[liminal_luke]

8 minutes ago, GSmaster said:

 

I am sorry for brutal truth.

 

 

Are you really sorry though?  I do think you owe Dwai an apology for saying his thread "reeks of idiotism."  If you´ve watched the videos and disagree, why not make a post explaining why?  Then people could debate, clarify ideas, educate themselves.      

[dwai]

1 minute ago, liminal_luke said:

 

Are you really sorry though?  I do think you owe Dwai an apology for saying his thread "reeks of idiotism."  If you´ve watched the videos and disagree, why not make a post explaining why?  Then people could debate, clarify ideas, educate themselves.      

Its just an ego bristling with self-importance that is making such posts. I've reported it, because this kind of commentary is disruptive and takes away from the intent of the practice and the threads related to it. 

[dwai]

Wow! Someone is mighty crotchety today.  

Thank goodness for the ignore list 

 

Edited January 17, 2020 by dwai

[Boerewors]

14 hours ago, GSmaster said:

 

 

No, I am not. Nor do I owe him anything.

 

I have zero tolerance towards fake spirituality and towards scammers.

 

 

I don't watch videos of losers or scammers on youtube.

The philosopher Ken Wilber says that authentic spiritual systems confirm to the three strands of objective knowledge that constitute science:

1) Injunction: try doing something
2) Apprehension: observe what happens
3) Falsification by a Community of the Adequate: present findings to people who have the requisite experience and to judge the observation and its implications. The reason it says falsification is because you can never really prove anything, because you would have to survey the totality of existence to make sure that there are no counterfactuals anywhere. You can, however, easily falsify claims by finding only one counterfactual.

 

You can't technically claim any tradition is fake and a scam, and be correct, if it's based upon what they claim to achieve spiritually when you haven't practiced and experienced. 

 

14 hours ago, GSmaster said:

qualified teacher

Refer to the above points regarding the objective knowledge that constitute science and apply once again. Taoism isn't the only way that works, in fact, in my short time here I've already met numerous people that, while they began their journey in Taoist practices, have moved on to the Western Esoteric or Buddhist practices. 

Edited January 18, 2020 by Boerewors

[Boerewors]

21 minutes ago, GSmaster said:

 

Scammers and fools are universal in any tradition or teaching, and represent a majority of people who are too stupid to understand things and usually go on teaching stuff.

I do agree, however what you seem to be doing a lot of the time is dismissing anything outside your realm of experience. Maybe I'm wrong about that, if so I apologize. 

 

23 minutes ago, GSmaster said:

I am not a taoist, daoist practice and cultivation is roughly 1% of my GS internal arts.

So you're eclectic as well, good to know. What does GS stand for?

 

26 minutes ago, GSmaster said:

We then have to deal with mental patients of those masters, who come on forum and talk nonsense like

Are you a psychologist or merely being bias? I doubt everybody you disagree with is mentally unstable, though I am aware of people going crazy from practices in the Western spherical systems, this is rare. 

 

1 hour ago, GSmaster said:

Practiced and experienced what?

What you claim is spiritually false and fraudulent. Prematurely judging anything is ignorant, no one person can know everything, we are limited by our limited vessels in this world, and there isn't only one way to any one destination. Systems are authenticated via feedback from those who have practiced and assessed it objectively.

 

While I understand you have sheeple that blindly do as those around them do, or do as they are told, if somebody well-versed in similar practices adopts the practices for a period of time and reports success, it has thus been as authenticated as any spiritual system in the world currently can be.

 

1 hour ago, GSmaster said:

Why would I care what he says?)

Well I would hope that since you're a Master that you'd be willing to learn from others. But if you think you don't need to learn from others I guess you don't have to care at all.

 

Have a pleasant evening.

[Earl Grey]

The Hindu discussion form is usually quiet and I personally don’t have much to say since I have my own Vedic teacher for ten years now in the practice of mantra yoga and read the old texts casually. But, with Dwai, whose Taijiquan is still good here and an active thread going on, I think this warrants taking a look.
 

Okay, Dwai, so since we’ve heard a lot of criticism against this teacher, let’s change the channel and turn our attention to a serious question then: what is the appeal of this guy to you, how, and why? I personally am not drawn to his words, so as a fellow practitioner of IMA at least, I am curious to know how he passes your scrutiny, because the Dwai seal of approval means I can consider something I may not be able to see myself initially when someone else of merit gives the thumbs up.

[dwai]

5 minutes ago, Earl Grey said:

 

5 minutes ago, Earl Grey said:

Okay, Dwai, so since we’ve heard a lot of criticism against this teacher, let’s change the channel and turn our attention to a serious question then: what is the appeal of this guy to you, how, and why? I personally am not drawn to his words, so as a fellow practitioner of IMA at least, I am curious to know how he passes your scrutiny, because the Dwai seal of approval means I can consider something I may not be able to see myself initially when someone else of merit gives the thumbs up.

 thanks buddy. I know you, and like & respect you, so I’m responding in detail below. 
 

I’ve attended retreats and lectures in person with him — he is the real deal — —  an enlightened being. His approach is that of Jnana yoga, which relies heavily on logic and intellect to take one to the precipice of the unknowable. Then the truth is grasped directly, suddenly. we have to keep at it — Advaita way is direct, but we have to put in effort, until it is not needed. What is the effort in the Advaita way?  Listening to the teaching (like these YouTube Talks, If one can’t find a teacher in person), contemplating on them, and meditating on the pointers provided. Sort of like how one would meditate on a zen  koan. 
 

However,  Advaita Vedanta is not everyone’s cup of tea. So, caveat emptor.  

 

It takes a specific type of purification of the mind to understand it. It took me about 15 years of practice (taijiquan, Daoist meditation, yoga) before my mind cleared by the grace of my master. Once the mind cleared, the pointers of Advaita started to not only become clear, but also manifest spontaneously. I’ve written a bit about this in my ppf here, as well as in my novel. 

 

I do like to share it here, because some folks here already get it, some are on the right path and some others are seeking. Also it has been my direct experience and realization - both via taichi and yogic and Vedantic meditation.

 

Those who can understand it, or are on this  path will be benefited by it. Those who don’t, can do whatever works for them. If someone asked me with humility, I can guide them too. 
 

now when it comes to the issue at hand —

Usually when someone reacts so violently (as Gas Master did here), it means they have felt threatened at some subconscious level by it. The ego doesn’t like the truth — it makes it feel vulnerable and so it lashes out.
 

Usually, under normal circumstances , If someone doesn’t like what he has to say, they should just start their own thread and explain why, if it means so much to them.

 

Unfortunately all I saw is a belligerent bully trying to shout/drown another voice (maybe of a different opinion). That clearly is the handiwork of the ego. 
 

I don’t need to defend the Swami here — he is a renunciant — a monk who has given up his personal history at very young age, to become a voice for the truth. He won’t give two hoots about what someone hiding behind an internet alias thinks about him. He might feel sad for that person, but to each their own Karma. 

Of all the Vedantic teachers I’ve encountered (and I’ve seen many), Swami Sarvapriyananda is in my humble opinion, the best there is in the world today. But this takes a little “cup emptying” to realize. 

wrt Realization of the “truth” - only taiji or some internal martial art is seldom the answer. Neither is only doing yogic asanas and breathing etc. Even meditation is insufficient for most. Without the right pointers at the right time, one will remain blinded by the veil of maya. 
 

I hope that answers your question.  

[Earl Grey]

18 minutes ago, dwai said:

 thanks buddy. I know you, and like & respect you, so I’m responding in detail below. 
 

I’ve attended retreats and lectures in person with him — he is the real deal — —  an enlightened being. His approach is that of Jnana yoga, which relies heavily on logic and intellect to take one to the precipice of the unknowable. Then the truth is grasped directly, suddenly. we have to keep at it — Advaita way is direct, but we have to put in effort, until it is not needed. What is the effort in the Advaita way?  Listening to the teaching (like these YouTube Talks, If one can’t find a teacher in person), contemplating on them, and meditating on the pointers provided. Sort of like how one would meditate on a zen  koan. 
 

However,  Advaita Vedanta is not everyone’s cup of tea. So, caveat emptor.  

 

It takes a specific type of purification of the mind to understand it. It took me about 15 years of practice (taijiquan, Daoist meditation, yoga) before my mind cleared by the grace of my master. Once the mind cleared, the pointers of Advaita started to not only become clear, but also manifest spontaneously. I’ve written a bit about this in my ppf here, as well as in my novel. 

 

I do like to share it here, because some folks here already get it, some are on the right path and some others are seeking. Also it has been my direct experience and realization - both via taichi and yogic and Vedantic meditation.

 

Those who can understand it, or are on this  path will be benefited by it. Those who don’t, can do whatever works for them. If someone asked me with humility, I can guide them too. 
 

now when it comes to the issue at hand —

Usually when someone reacts so violently (as Gas Master did here), it means they have felt threatened at some subconscious level by it. The ego doesn’t like the truth — it makes it feel vulnerable and so it lashes out.
 

Usually, under normal circumstances , If someone doesn’t like what he has to say, they should just start their own thread and explain why, if it means so much to them.

 

Unfortunately all I saw is a belligerent bully trying to shout/drown another voice (maybe of a different opinion). That clearly is the handiwork of the ego. 
 

I don’t need to defend the Swami here — he is a renunciant — a monk who has given up his personal history at very young age, to become a voice for the truth. He won’t give two hoots about what someone hiding behind an internet alias thinks about him. He might feel sad for that person, but to each their own Karma. 

Of all the Vedantic teachers I’ve encountered (and I’ve seen many), Swami Sarvapriyananda is in my humble opinion, the best there is in the world today. But this takes a little “cup emptying” to realize. 

wrt Realization of the “truth” - only taiji or some internal martial art is seldom the answer. Neither is only doing yogic asanas and breathing etc. Even meditation is insufficient for most. Without the right pointers at the right time, one will remain blinded by the veil of maya. 
 

I hope that answers your question.  

So in essence, self-study and rational analysis for the Self in order to understand. Not bad.
 

Gleaning that it is akin to zen koans for people just watching a YouTube video, then it is a different experience compared to you personally interacting with him. How was that attending his retreats and your personal interaction? I think that is valuable and can probably answer a lot more than just taking apart what appears in a picture or from a video.

 

I haven’t had much time with my Vedic teacher Thomas Ashley-Farrand or his successor, his wife, outside of online communication, but his material was easy for me without a background in Vedic teachings and in turn allowed me to appreciate the source when I got to the Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita.
 

So usually, while I can criticize (and I tend to be more critical when someone pissed me off, haha), the real test is understanding based on what one writes or speaks, skill in what they demonstrate in form, and actual power in display of their accomplishments from a martial perspective. For spiritual comparison, it is their writing, their acts and what they’ve accomplished, and how they treat you, people of status, people who can give them money, the homeless, the critics, and service workers.

 

So when you’re able to and comfortable sharing your personal experiences with him, please do let us know.

Edited January 19, 2020 by Earl Grey

[dwai]

1 minute ago, Earl Grey said:

So in essence, self-study and rational analysis for the Self in order to understand. Not bad.
 

Gleaning that it is akin to zen koans for people just watching a YouTube video, then it is a different experience compared to you personally interacting with him. How was that attending his retreats and your personal interaction? I think that is valuable and can probably answer a lot more than just taking apart what appears in a picture or from a video.

 

I haven’t had much time with my Vedic teacher Thomas Ashley-Farrand or his successor, his wife, outside of online communication, but his material was easy for me without a background in Vedic teachings and in turn allowed me to appreciate the source when I got to the Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita.
 

So usually, while I can criticize (and I tend to be more critical when someone pissed me off, haha), the real test is understanding based on what one writes or speaks, skill in what they demonstrate in form, and actual power in display of their accomplishments from a martial perspective. For spiritual comparison, it is their writing, their acts and what they’ve accomplished, and how they treat you, people of status, people who can give them money, the homeless, the critics, and service workers.

 

So when you’re able to and comfortable sharing your personal experiences with him, please do let us know.

Oh I’m comfortable sharing my experience - he is a loving, Kind, gentle and brilliant exemplar of the Truth. What else does one require? 

 

The order he belongs to does selfless service wherever they go. He used to train novice monks of that order - Hence he has the same spirit of selfless service. Can you imagine how boring and monotonous it must be for a teacher to travel constantly, teaching the same subject over and over again? Yet, I’ve never once seen him be tired or exasperated — I’ve seen him in person many times. Always with loving kindness, a sweet sense of humor and the kind of clarity that makes you go “wow!” each time you hear his words (no matter in person or on a video or a podcast). 
 

Remember, these are profound spiritual truths, and they have the power of absolute reality behind them — the medium is irrelevant. Only, the clarity of the mind listening to the teaching matters. 
 

The truth he teaches won’t give one psychic powers, or the ability to bend the laws of nature. He only points to the true nature of each and every individual who thinks they are separate beings in a materialistic universe. And that true nature is The pure nondual consciousness, which manifests as the universe and its members. Like waves of an ocean are made of water. Knowing this, takes one beyond craving and avoiding — Which is the root of suffering. By transcending what we call rāga-dvésha (like-dislike/craving-avoiding), we can transcend suffering. What is more liberating than that?
 

This teaching is something that will attract the Individual when the time is right. For some it might take a few more roundabouts  

 

[Earl Grey]

4 minutes ago, dwai said:

Oh I’m comfortable sharing my experience - he is a loving, Kind, gentle and brilliant exemplar of the Truth. What else does one require? 

 

The order he belongs to does selfless service wherever they go. He used to train novice monks of that order - Hence he has the same spirit of selfless service. Can you imagine how boring and monotonous it must be for a teacher to travel constantly, teaching the same subject over and over again? Yet, I’ve never once seen him be tired or exasperated — I’ve seen him in person many times. Always with loving kindness, a sweet sense of humor and the kind of clarity that makes you go “wow!” each time you hear his words (no matter in person or on a video or a podcast). 
 

Remember, these are profound spiritual truths, and they have the power of absolute reality behind them — the medium is irrelevant. Only, the clarity of the mind listening to the teaching matters. 
 

The truth he teaches won’t give one psychic powers, or the ability to bend the laws of nature. He only points to the true nature of each and every individual who thinks they are separate beings in a materialistic universe. And that true nature is The pure nondual consciousness, which manifests as the universe and its members. Like waves of an ocean are made of water. Knowing this, takes one beyond craving and avoiding — Which is the root of suffering. By transcending what we call rāga-dvésha (like-dislike/craving-avoiding), we can transcend suffering. What is more liberating than that?
 

This teaching is something that will attract the Individual when the time is right. For some it might take a few more roundabouts  

 

Interesting. Reminds me of Om Namo Narayanaya, a mantra stolen by a student because it would bring peace and end conflict, which was a secret test of character too, as the teacher glowingly approved of his actions and is also chanted when someone dies.

 

Another aspect of that mantra is that it summons teachers to the chanter if they are ready to learn.

 

Good show, old friend.

[rideforever]

Then there are 3 things, table wood and understanding.

The table and wood were there before.

The understanding is new.

Standing around and discussing why "I am so everything" ... is a bit pathetic.

Perhaps you can try to become more new and contribute to either yourself or the world.

[dwai]

11 hours ago, Earl Grey said:

Interesting. Reminds me of Om Namo Narayanaya, a mantra stolen by a student because it would bring peace and end conflict, which was a secret test of character too, as the teacher glowingly approved of his actions and is also chanted when someone dies.

 

Another aspect of that mantra is that it summons teachers to the chanter if they are ready to learn.

 

Good show, old friend.

The Swami gives an interesting example of how different people approach knowledge/a teacher. 
 

1. An upside down pot — this pot is closed effective, and you can’t fill it with water. 
2. A full pot — it is already full, no matter what you put in it, will flow out 
3. a leaky pot — whatever you put into it, leaks out.
4. a dirty pot - the inside of the pot is dirty, even the purest water you put into it will become dirty. 
5. an empty pot - this is a clean, empty, non-leaky pot which is set up in the right direction — so it can receive the water.

Our minds are like one of these many types of pots. If you want to learn something, be an empty pot. 
 

It is easy to criticize a teacher or a tradition when you don’t agree with it. But in order to properly critique it, you have to understand what and why it teaches something in a certain way. 

 

I find anonymous internet handles sniping at genuine teachers and traditions to be worthy of contempt, because there is nothing more cowardly than that. Such people, to be taken seriously,  should put their money where their mouth is, not hide behind internet handles - share their credentials, lineage and first prove their caliber.
 

Otherwise they don’t deserve anymore attention or response than a summary dismissal. 

Edited January 19, 2020 by dwai

[Earl Grey]

1 minute ago, dwai said:

The Swami gives an interesting example of how different people approach knowledge/a teacher. 
 

1. An upside down pot — this pot is closed effective, and you can’t fill it with water. 
2. A full pot — it is already full, no matter what you put in it, will flow out 
3. a leaky pot — whatever you put into it, leaks out.
4. a dirty pot - the inside of the pot is dirty, even the purest water you put into it will become dirty. 
5. an empty pot - this is a clean, empty, non-leaky pot which is set up in the right direction — so it can receive the water.

Our minds are like one of these many types of pots. If you want to learn something, be an empty pot. 
 

It is easy to criticize a teacher or a tradition when you don’t agree with it. But in order to properly critique it, you have to understand what and why it teaches something in a certain way. 

 

I find anonymous internet handles sniping at genuine teachers and traditions to be worthy of contempt, because there is nothing more cowardly than that. Such people, to be taken seriously,  should put their money where their mouth is, not hide behind internet handles - share their credentials, lineage and first prove their caliber.
 

But they don’t deserve anymore attention or response than a summary dismissal. 

 

I'm probably somewhere between 3 and 5 here.

[dwai]

15 minutes ago, Earl Grey said:

 

I'm probably somewhere between 3 and 5 here.

The “dirty” or “clean” has as much to do with intention as it does with what we’ve been feeding the mind. 
 

If the intention is sincere and pure, half the battle is won. Success is only a matter of time and effort. If the intention is insincere and with the sole objective of putting someone or someone’s tradition down, the end result is that of a dirty pot. 

[idiot_stimpy]

On 1/18/2020 at 9:16 AM, GSmaster said:

This thread reeks of idiotism.

 

I am here to represent my people

[neti neti]

On 1/19/2020 at 10:38 AM, GSmaster said:

 

The one who seeks freedom is not free by the definition.

 

And neither is the one seeking liberation from bondage, bound.

[neti neti]

2 hours ago, GSmaster said:

Those who are free, are not seeking liberation.

 

They may merely have replaced a rusty set of handcuffs for some golden ones.

 

And yet, they remain free to seek as if needing to be convinced.

 

 

2 hours ago, GSmaster said:

Those who are healthy no longer require medicine.

 

Without being well, one would never know the agony of sickness. Without sickness, one would never know the relief of well-being.

 

There are those grateful enough to pay both the dis-ease and its healing proper hommage.

 

 

2 hours ago, GSmaster said:

Human teaching will never make someone a God.

 

And yet, even divine revelation will not teach one how to be a human.

[thelerner]

14 minutes ago, neti neti said:

And yet, even divine revelation will not teach one how to be a human.

Sad, but true,

humanity is all the worse for it. 

 

I don't need people to be saints,

It'd be enough if we realized, we're all.. family. 

[dwai]

1 hour ago, neti neti said:

 

They may merely have replaced a rusty set of handcuffs for some golden ones.

 

And yet, they remain free to seek as if needing to be convinced.

 

 

 

Without being well, one would never know the agony of sickness. Without sickness, one would never know the relief of well-being.

 

There are those grateful enough to pay both the dis-ease and its healing proper hommage.

 

 

 

And yet, even divine revelation will not teach one how to be a human.

Differences are a result of karma and constitution that manifests in different names and forms. One might choose to remain in a mountain cave, another amidst the hustle and bustle of a city. 
 

The veracity of one’s realization is first manifest in the life of the body-mind unit. 
 

The thought “I am in bondage” and the thought “I am liberated”, the one who knows them both to be just appearances in the mind, is the One who is ever free.  

 

It’s true that this kind of “riddle-talk” can drive the materialist crazy. 🤪

And trigger waves of beatitude in some others. 
 

 

And yet, the One who understands is present in all — the materialist, the alchemist, the idealist. 😇

 

 

[neti neti]

On 1/20/2020 at 5:34 PM, GSmaster said:

How do you know without third eye what is the real world - ?

 

When you listen to the blind one's description of outside reality, it will sound different in many ways.

 

.

Edited August 30, 2020 by neti neti