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Date Posted: 04:07:00 05/15/04 Sat
Author: Hendrik - 14 Apr 2004
Subject: Re: Chapters 6&7
In reply to: knonymous - 13 Apr 2004 's message, "Re: Chapters 6&7" on 04:06:18 05/15/04 Sat


Please consider me a hopeless case or a simpleton. Here is one passage from your first post:

If you are convinced that this world is merely an illusion, you need not even undertake Sadhana ["discipline"]. Live a happy and contented life, believing that there is an Absolute Supreme Power. There is vibration in the Supreme Power which produces life. This life plays its role in different forms and ends. This is the Truth. Understanding and realization of this Truth is known as Jeevanmukta state ["Living at His will" state]. But this state cannot be easily attained, because we are very much dominated by worldly desires and cravings. To those who are too much with the world, Sadhana does not prove very useful.

Therefore, Sadhana is not for everybody. Such people must have maximum Sat Sang, so that their samskars ["impressions or suggestions of the mind"] be changed. Those who have no desire, or who have developed dispassion for the worldly life must undertake Sadhana.

He distinguishes between three kinds of people here: illusionist-minded, worldly (samskaric) and dispassionate people.

My reading is that the first type does not need to perform sadhana because he has attained to its object already. The third type being a hopeless case does not need either. The second type is a man frustrated with the world, having thus attained dispassion, being fit for sadhana.

My problem is with the first type. "Being convinced" that the world is an illusion means nothing. There are any number of people who are thus convinced.

Lately I met a man - I must have mention this in another post already - who was just considering to embark on the Kriya path when he came to read books by Nisargadatta and lesser known contemporary Advaitic people. He felt 'blasted' by their message and at once decided against Kriya, because he got the idea that both Guru and Sadhana are unnecessary, because "what is, IS" and "I am That". So why Sadhana?

But he was just a nice fellow, an ordinary man, and he frankly admitted that he was not a saint, nor yogi, nor man of spiritual realization. He was contented with his conviction and enjoying himself. He had a girlfriend, he had hobbies, he was traveling around.

So what is Faqir talking about? Does he say, "Well, you are convinced that the world is an illusion and have attained the goal already. You do not need to aspire for anything further." Or does he say, "Well buddy, you are a hopeless case. You are contented with a mental conviction of illusionism but by virtue of it at least do not suffer like wordly people, as you take things easy. Just live your life and be happy the way you are. But remain honest and believe in God the Almighty in order to get due reward in the beyond life. Realization is so difficult to attain that you better don't try."

I really do not get it though I would tend to accepting the first version as Faqir's original intention. Perhaps you can enlighten me about it because I simply cannot follow his argument.

Did Faqir simply want his devotees to lead a happy life, preferably earned by moral conduct? Or what else was his message?

Hendrik

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