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Post by Reefs on Dec 11, 2020 4:24:18 GMT -5
Parable of the salt doll
RK: In samadhi one attains the knowledge of Brahman - one realizes Brahman. In that state reasoning stops altogether, and man becomes mute. He has no power to describe the nature of Brahman. Once a salt doll went to measure the depth of the ocean. It wanted to tell others how deep the water was. But this it could never do, for no sooner did it get into the water than it melted. Now who was there to report the ocean's depth?
Q: Suppose a man has obtained the knowledge of Brahman in samadhi. Doesn't he speak any more?
RK: Sankaracharya retained the 'ego of knowledge' in order to teach others. After the vision of Brahman a man becomes silent. He reasons about It as long as he has not realized It. If you heat butter in a pan on the stove, it makes a sizzling sound as long as the water it contains has not dried up. But when no trace of water is left the clarified butter makes no sound. If you put an uncooked cake of flour in that butter it sizzles again. But after the cake is cooked all sound stops. Just so, a man established in samadhi comes down to the relative plane of consciousness in order to teach others, and then he talks about God.
The bee buzzes as long as it is not sitting on a flower. It becomes silent when it begins to sip the honey. But sometimes, intoxicated with the honey, it buzzes again. An empty pitcher makes a gurgling sound when it is dipped in water. When it fills up it becomes silent. But if the water is poured from it into another pitcher, then you will hear the sound again.
Mahendranath Gupta, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Chapter 3
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Post by Reefs on Dec 12, 2020 6:04:44 GMT -5
Parable of the wood-cutter
RK: A wood-cutter once entered a forest to gather wood. A brahmachari said to him, 'Go forward.' He obeyed the injunction and discovered some sandal-wood trees. After a few days he reflected, 'The holy man asked me to go forward. He didn't tell me to stop here.' So he went forward and found a silver-mine. After a few days he went still farther and discovered a gold-mine, and next, mines of diamonds and precious stones. With these he became immensely rich.
Through selfless work, love of God grows in the heart. Then, through His grace one realizes Him in course of time. God can be seen. One can talk to him as I am talking to you.
Mahendranath Gupta, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Chapter 3
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Post by Reefs on Dec 17, 2020 11:20:31 GMT -5
Many names of one God
RK: You may say that there are many errors and superstitions in another religions. I should reply: Suppose there are. Every religion has errors. Everyone thinks that his watch alone gives the correct time. It is enough to have yearning for God. It is enough to love Him and feel attracted to Him. Don't you know that God is the Inner Guide? He sees the longing of our heart and the yearning of our soul. Suppose a man has several sons. The older boys address him distinctly as 'Baba' or 'Papa', but the babies can at best call him 'Ba' or 'Pa'. Now, will the father be angry with those who address him in this indistinct way? The father knows that they too are calling him, only they cannot pronounce his name well. All children are the same to the father. Likewise, the devotees call on God alone, though by different names. They call on one Person only. God is one, but His names are many.
Mahendranath Gupta, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Chapter 4
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Post by Reefs on Dec 18, 2020 8:07:04 GMT -5
Spiritual disciplines are necessary at the beginning
RK: A little spiritual discipline is necessary in order to know what lies within.
Q: Is it necessary to practice discipline all through life?
RK: No. But one must be up and doing in the beginning. After that one need not work hard. The helmsman stands up and clutches the rudder firmly as long as the boat is passing through waves, storms, high wind, or around the curves of a river; but he relaxes after steering through them. As soon as the boat passes the curves and the helmsman feels a favorable wind, he sits comfortably and just touches the rudder. Next he prepares to unfurl the sail and gets ready for a smoke. Likewise, the aspirant enjoys peace and calm after passing the waves and storms of 'woman and gold'.
Mahendranath Gupta, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Chapter 4
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Post by Reefs on Dec 23, 2020 7:57:07 GMT -5
God and worldly duties
Q: Sir, may I make an effort to earn more money?
RK: It is permissible to do so to maintain a religious family. You may try to increase your income, but in an honest way. The goal of life is not the earning of money, but the service of God. Money is not harmful if it is devoted to the service of God.
Q: How long should a man feel obliged to do his duty toward his wife and children?
RK: As long as they feel pinched for food and clothing. But one need not take the responsibility of a son when he is able to support himself. When the young fledgling learns to pick its own food, its mother pecks it if it comes to her for food.
Q: How long must one do one's duty?
RK: The blossom drops off when the fruit appears. One doesn't have to do one's duty after the attainment of God, nor does one feel like doing it then.
If a drunkard takes too much liquor he cannot retain consciousness. If he takes only two or three glasses, he can go on with his work. As you advance nearer and nearer to God, He will reduce your activities little by little. Have no fear.
Finish the few duties you have at hand, and then you will have peace. When the mistress of the house goes to bathe after finishing her cooking and other household duties, she won't come back, however you may shout after her.
Mahendranath Gupta, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Chapter 4
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Post by Reefs on Jan 2, 2021 7:41:23 GMT -5
Neti-neti & God-vision
Q: Sir, what is the meaning of the realization of God? What do you mean by God-vision? How does one attain it?
RK: According to the Vaishnavas the aspirants and the seers of God may be divided into different groups. These are the pravartaka, the sadhaka, the siddha, and the siddha of the siddha. He who has just set foot on the path may be called a pravartaka. He may be called a sadhaka who has for some time been practising spiritual disciplines, such as worship, japa, meditation, and the chanting of God's name and glories. He may be called a siddha who has known from his inner experience that God exists. An analogy is given in the Vedanta to explain this. The master of the house is asleep in a dark room. Someone is groping in the darkness to find him. He touches the couch and says, 'No, it is not he.' He touches the window and says, 'No, it is not he.' He touches the door and says, 'No, it is not he.' This is known in the Vedanta as the process of 'Neti, neti', 'Not this, not this'. At last his hand touches the master's body and he exclaims, 'Here he is!' In other words, he is now conscious of the 'existence' of the master. He has found him, but he doesn't yet know him intimately.
There is another type, known as the siddha of the siddha, the 'supremely perfect'. It is quite a different thing when one talks to the master intimately, when one knows God very intimately through love and devotion. A siddha has undoubtedly attained God, but the 'supremely perfect' has known God very intimately.
Mahendranath Gupta, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Chapter 4
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Post by Reefs on Jan 6, 2021 21:58:40 GMT -5
Seeing God everywhere
Q: When one sees God does one see Him with these eyes?
RK: God cannot be seen with these physical eyes. In the course of spiritual discipline one gets a 'love body', endowed with 'love eyes', 'love ears', and so on. One sees God with those 'love eyes'. One hears the voice of God with those 'love ears'. One even gets a sexual organ made of love. With this 'love body' the soul communes with God. But this is not possible without intense love of God. One sees nothing but God everywhere when one loves Him with great intensity. It is like a person with jaundice, who sees everything yellow. Then one feels, 'I am verily He'. A drunkard, deeply intoxicated, says, 'Verily I am Kali!' The gopis, intoxicated with love, exclaimed, 'Verily I am Krishna!' One who thinks of God, day and night, beholds Him everywhere. It is like a man's seeing flames on all sides after he has gazed fixedly at one flame for some time."
M: But that isn't the real flame.
RK: One doesn't lose consciousness by thinking of Him who is all Spirit, all Consciousness. Shivanath once remarked that too much thinking about God confounds the brain. Thereupon I said to him, 'How can one become unconscious by thinking of Consciousness?'
Mahendranath Gupta, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Chapter 4
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Post by Reefs on Jan 17, 2021 11:21:02 GMT -5
The master's attitude toward women
RK: Women are, all of them, the veritable images of Shakti. In northwest India the bride holds a knife in her hand at the time of marriage; in Bengal, a nut-cutter. The meaning is that the bridegroom, with the help of the bride, who is the embodiment of the Divine Power, will sever the bondage of illusion. This is the 'heroic' attitude. (I never worshipped the Divine Mother that way. My attitude toward Her is that of a child toward its mother) The bride is the very embodiment of Shakti. Haven't you noticed, at the marriage ceremony, how the groom sits behind like an idiot? But the bride - she is so bold!
Mahendranath Gupta, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Chapter 4
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Post by laughter on Jan 17, 2021 16:54:17 GMT -5
The master's attitude toward women
RK: Women are, all of them, the veritable images of Shakti. In northwest India the bride holds a knife in her hand at the time of marriage; in Bengal, a nut-cutter. The meaning is that the bridegroom, with the help of the bride, who is the embodiment of the Divine Power, will sever the bondage of illusion. This is the 'heroic' attitude. (I never worshipped the Divine Mother that way. My attitude toward Her is that of a child toward its mother) The bride is the very embodiment of Shakti. Haven't you noticed, at the marriage ceremony, how the groom sits behind like an idiot? But the bride - she is so bold! Mahendranath Gupta, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Chapter 4 heh heh .. humans do humaning regardless of culture. 
Mrs. Webb: Goodness! You frightened me! Now, George, you can come in a minute, but you know I can't ask you in. George: Why not? (Mr. Webb enters.)Mrs. Webb: George, you know's well as I do: the groom can't see his bride on his wedding day, not until he sees her in church. George: Aw, that's just a superstition. Good morning, Mr. Webb. Mr. Webb: Good morning, George. George: Mr. Webb, you don't believe in that superstition, do you? Mr. Webb: There's a lot of common sense in some superstitions, George. Mrs. Webb: Millions have folla'd it, George, and you don't want to be the first to fly in the face of custom. George: How is Emily? Mrs. Webb: She hasn't waked up yet. I haven't heard a sound out of her. George: Emily's asleep!!! Mrs. Webb: No wonder! We were up 'til all hours, sewing and packing. Now I'll tell you what I'll do; I'll go upstairs and see she doesn't come down and surprise you. (Mrs. Webb exits.)
Mr.Webb: Well, George, how are you? George: Oh, fine, I'm fine. Mr. Webb, what sense could there be in a superstition like that? Mr. Webb: Well, you see,; on her wedding morning a girl's head's apt to be full of...clothes and one thing and another. Don't you think that's probably it? George: Ye-e-s. I never thought of that. Mr. Webb. A girl's apt to be a mite nervous on her wedding day.I wish a fellow could get married without all that marching up and down. Mr. Webb: Every man that's ever lived has felt that way about it, George; but it hasn't been any use. It's the womenfolk who've built up weddings, my boy. For a while now the women have it all their own. A man looks pretty small at a wedding, George. All those good women standing shoulder to shoulder making sure that the knot's tied in a mighty public way. George: But...you believe in it, don't you, Mr. Webb? Mr. Webb: Oh, yes; oh, yes. Don't you misunderstand me, my boy. Marriage is a wonderful thing; wonderful thing. And don't you forget that, George.
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Post by Reefs on Dec 20, 2023 8:02:23 GMT -5
God says...
RK: Says God, "I am the snake that biteth and the charmer that healeth; I am the judge that condemneth and the executioner that whippeth."
God tells the thief to go and steal, and at the same time warns the householder against the thief.
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Post by Reefs on Jan 4, 2024 11:42:48 GMT -5
Nirguna/Saguna Brahman
RK: As at one time I am clothed, and at another time naked, so Brahman is at one time with attributes and at another without.
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