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In this continuation of the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita series, we address the question “Is it all one?” examining whether various spiritual paths all lead to the same destination, and whether the goal of a spiritual undertaking is a singular experience or realization.We need to distinguish between practices that are truly spiritual versus those focused on seeking material benefits and appreciate that real spirituality involves self-realization and God-realization.Regarding whether God is ultimately an impersonal ocean of light or spiritual energy, with which I can merge and ‘become one,' the Vedic understanding is that the Absolute Truth manifests in three aspects: Brahman (impersonal spiritual energy), Paramatma (localized presence of God in all beings), and Bhagavan (a Supreme Personality). In relation to the ideal of ‘oneness,' the philosophical framework for understanding oneness is explained by the aphorism acintya-bhedābheda-tattva - the inconceivable simultaneous oneness and yet difference. While there is a spiritual oneness, individual distinction also exists eternally, and we need to be cautioned against the misinterpretation that one is God, which then leads to unfortunate consequences.Some texts I quoted in this talk:Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me. - Bhagavad-gītā 9.25The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 1.2.6 Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear. - Bhagavad-gītā 18.66 Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 1.2.11And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness, and which is immortal, imperishable and eternal. - Bhagavad-gītā 14.27O my Lord, sustainer of all that lives, Your real face is covered by Your dazzling effulgence. Kindly remove that covering and exhibit Yourself to Your pure devotee. - Śrī Īśopaniṣad mantra 15He is the eternal among all eternal entities, and the chief conscious being among all conscious beings. Among the many living entities, He is the chief, who fulfills their desires. - Śvetāsvatara Upaniṣad 6.13 and Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13Īśvara is a special Puruṣa, unlike other puruṣas, being untouched by afflictions, actions (material activity) and the fruit of actions, and latent impressions or material desires. In Him the seed of omniscience is unsurpassed (infinite). He is also the Teacher of all ancient teachers (sages), being not limited by time. The transcendental sound personifying Him is AUṀ. - Yoga Sūtra 1.24-27Arjuna inquired: Which is considered to be more perfect: those who are properly engaged in Your loving devotional service, or those who worship the impersonal Brahman, the unmanifested? - Bhagavad-gītā 12.1The Blessed Lord said: He whose mind is fixed on My personal form, always engaged in worshiping Me with great and transcendental faith, is considered by Me to be most perfect. - Bhagavad-gītā 12.2For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied. - Bhagavad-gītā 12.5One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the realm of God. - Bhagavad-gītā 18.55
We've been given full permission to give our complete attention to chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, talking about Kṛṣṇa, and worshiping Kṛṣṇa. And if somebody brings up another topic, you can say, 'I appreciate it very much. If it were any other lifetime, I would be happy to discuss it with you. However, in this lifetime, I no longer have time, because I have been given one business—and that is to chant about Kṛṣṇa, worship Kṛṣṇa, and spread the Holy Name to people all over the world. If it was any other lifetime, I would be happy to talk to you about it. But in this lifetime, I've dedicated myself to this project, and I don't have time. Like, you know, sometimes people say, "It was any other day," or "any other something." It's like, "It was any other lifetime, it was any other previous lifetime." I would have probably been happy to talk to you about this, but in this lifetime, I won't be able to, because I have one point of dedication: Tasmād ekena manasā Bhagavān sātvatāṁ patiḥ Śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca Dhyeyaḥ pūjyaś ca nityadā. (SB 1.2.14) This is the conclusion of the seminar, the 1000-Year seminar that took place at Naimiśāraṇya. They came up with a few mission statements, and one of them is "tasmād ekena manasā." Therefore, "tasmād ekena manasā" means to just point your mind in one direction. This has been the mission statement; it has been passed down from the top of the company. They already decided, and they gave it to us. So, if someone wants to bring your mind somewhere else, to some other conversation that doesn't sound like it's part of your mission, say, "Yeah, no problem. If it was some other previous lifetime, I would have definitely entertained it with you. But in this lifetime, I've been given 'tasmād ekena manasā bhagavān sātvatāṁ patiḥ.' I can only think of Bhagavān and do that kind of business and topic. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #makejapagreatagain #mantrameditation #chantharekrishnaandbehappy #soul #mantrameditation #spiritualawakening #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose
Ajahn Dhammasiha leads a guided Buddhist meditation on the subject of Buddhānussati, recollection of the Buddha and his unique qualities. Ajahn suggests to use his favourite Buddha-mantra, silently repeating: "Bhagavā, Araham, Buddho - Buddho Araham Bhagavā" Ajahn explains that it's not about the words that we're repeating, but that it's really about the emotion of faith / confidence / devotion / conviction that the words are meant to generate in our mind. This emotion is wholesome and uplifting, and connected with a very pleasant feeling. As the emotion of faith/confidence in the Buddha grows, the pleasant feeling gets stronger, developing into rapture and bliss. The expereince of rapture and bliss allows our mind to let go of the external senses und to unify internally in samādhi. Dhammagiri WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#meditation #buddhismeditation #guidedmeditation #samadhi #concentration #buddha #buddhanussati
We find in the case of Śiśupāla, a couple of things happen as he took birth. He was also extremely opulent. You may have noticed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śiśupāla was materially no slouch. He was practically described as more opulent than Kṛṣṇa. He had so much opulence he was killed by Rāmacandra in his next life. He had all these assets, and we all know that when he was a little child, he began saying the Lord's Names, and it's a chanting, but he was blaspheming Kṛṣṇa. He still had this hatred towards the Lord, and in his last act at the Rājasūya Yajña, where he tried to ruin the whole yajña, he waited till the perfect time to stand up and say, "Kṛṣṇa is not qualified," because previously, they could have taken back the yajña, but after it was already finished, and he said, if they had followed him and said Kṛṣṇa wasn't qualified to be the first one worshiped in this yajña, it would have nullified the whole rājasūya. So he was diabolical in his calculation, because he hated Kṛṣṇa so much, and he stood up in the assembly and began blaspheming Kṛṣṇa. So what happened there? Kṛṣṇa artfully cut off his head—artfully, I say because it was a yajña, he didn't want to spill any blood. So He's so precise in the way He chopped off his head. Sorry, I know it's a family show that no blood hit the ground. What's deeper and what's related to this conversation is that Śiśupāla, in the last moment before his head was severed, drank the beauty of the face of Lord Kṛṣṇa. What's more, he had been chanting Kṛṣṇa's names, and this I brought up at the Japa circle this morning, as mentioned by Rūpa Gosvāmī, there are two main ways that one becomes perfect in this life: one is by saying the names of the Lord, and the other is by seeing His beauty, because it's unparalleled. Rūpa Gosvāmī uses this as proof because Hiraṇyakaśipu saw Lord Nṛsiṁhadev, Rāvaṇa saw Lord Rāmacandra—no liberation. But when Śiśupāla saw Kṛṣṇa and chanted His names, he was liberated at that point. So there's a way in which Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān Svayam. We have the description of Lord Rāmacandra within the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but it's by way of comparison to take us through the rasas and bring us to the ultimate conclusion that Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all rasas. What's more, His beauty is incomparable even to His other forms. Let's not get it wrong. They're all Kṛṣṇa, but only Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa, and only those killed by Kṛṣṇa are completely liberated. (excerpt from the talk) ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #ramayan #rama #ramanavmi #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose
Seeing partial truths in different spiritual traditions / we're trying to find absolute truth with subjective lenses / knowing the one Absolute Truth as Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān / as Krishna enters the wrestling arena he is seen in 10 different ways according to various rasas / how varieties of philosophers see Krishna through the lens of their philosophy / Shiva asks to see Vishnu's form of Mohini / Vishnu completely bewilders Shiva with His feminine beauty SB 8.12.9-37 ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 CONNECT ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/wisdom_of_the_sages
Seeing partial truths in different spiritual traditions / we're trying to find absolute truth with subjective lenses / knowing the one Absolute Truth as Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān / as Krishna enters the wrestling arena he is seen in 10 different ways according to various rasas / how varieties of philosophers see Krishna through the lens of their philosophy / Shiva asks to see Vishnu's form of Mohini / Vishnu completely bewilders Shiva with His feminine beauty SB 8.12.9-37 ********************************************************************* LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 CONNECT ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/wisdom_of_the_sages
People, both atheists and “believers,” hold a variety of concepts of God, or a higher transcendent truth or reality, which they either accept or, in the case of atheists, reject. If asked, “Is There a Concept of God in Yoga?” we would need to understand what the person means by God? Within Yoga or the sacred texts known as the Vedas, the understanding of God, is vast and extraordinarily complete understanding. There was also an appreciation of the fact that God can be experienced differently by different people. He is said to “reward” seekers according to the nature of their “surrender”. In the quest to find God, there was the recognition of the limitations of the mind and the severely limited external sense organs. It was recognized that spiritual reality is beyond the range of experimental knowledge. There is a Sanskrit word adhokṣaja which means "that which is beyond the measurement of our senses." The Vedas taught that despite the limitations of the body and mind, God is discoverable, but it requires a major change or purification of our consciousness. Arguments made on the “can you show me God” statement were considered ill-conceived and even childish. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa famously elucidates that the Absolute Truth or Godhead is experienced in three features, as; Brahman – brahmajyoti – the impersonal ocean of white light Paramātmā – the Supreme Soul who permeates all of material creation and sits within the hearts of all living beings. The personal feature of God. Bhagavān – the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is the highest object of love. The texts I quoted in this talk. As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā. Bhagavad-gītā 4.11 The atma/self is atomic in size and can be perceived by perfect intelligence. - Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (3.1.9) I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṇa Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love. - Brahma-saṁhitā 5.38 Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 1.2.11 Īśvara (God) is a special Puruṣa, unlike other puruṣas, untouched by afflictions, actions (material activity) and the fruit of actions, and latent impressions or material desires. - Yoga-sūtra 1.24 Kṛṣṇa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes. – Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā 5.1
Dans une série d'aphorismes métaphysiques, dont certains ont été directement composés par son maître Śrī Ramana Maharshi, Śrī Muruganar exprime la quintessence de l'expérience de la non-dualité (advaita) telle qu'elle s'est manifestée dans la personne du sage d'Aruṇācala. Śrī Muruganar fut un proche disciple de Śrī Ramana Maharshi, et à ce titre il propose un aperçu d'ensemble de son enseignement tout en apportant des éclairages sur des aspects parfois mal compris de ce dernier. Comme l'écrit Michael James dans la préface : « Bien que d'autres récits sur les enseignements oraux de Śrī Bhagavān, tels que les Talks et le Day by Day ont un charme et une valeur qui leur sont propres, ils véhiculent des opinions exprimées ad hoc et ad hominem. C'est seulement dans le Guru Vachaka Kovai que nous trouvons les préceptes définitifs et clairs de Śrī Bhagavān sur toute question spirituelle. » Cet ouvrage, à la manière de l'amṛta védique, ravira aussi bien les lecteurs du Maharshi que les adeptes les plus exigeants de l'Advaita Vedānta. Ce texte, originellement composé en Tamoul, a été ensuite traduit en anglais par Śrī Sādhu Om et Michael James. C'est de leur ouvrage que nous proposons ici la traduction française. Bibliographie: La guirlande de perles du guru (Guru Vachaka Kovai) de Sri Muruganar (https://www.babelio.com/livres/Muruganar-La-guirlande-des-paroles-du-guru-Guru-Vachaka-Kov/1544789) Musique: Ethereal Ephemera (https://etherealephemera.bandcamp.com/album/the-slow-movement) Narration et réalisation: Bruno Léger Production: Les mécènes du Vieux Sage Soutenez-nous sur PayPal et Tipeee !
God. Allah. Yahawe. Bhagavān. Dao. Brahma. Beloved. Holy Spirit. Shchina. Ruach Jakodesh. Nana Buluku. Rūḥ al-qudus. These words, the names of God and holy spirits, and what they evoke in different people. For some, they are completely void and overused. Others are filled with the ecstatic nectar of devotional love, while many feel fear or awe. Which is it for you? In this episode, I joined forces with one of my favorite eco-philosophers, Andreas Weber; together, we traversed the mystical ocean of the poetic realm within all beings. As always, you'll experience angelic music and vocals by Kristen Meyers, this time performing a magnificent piece from the saintly composer Hildegard of Bingen. I hope you'll enjoy this muse as much as I did creating it; please support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/emergentwisdom
Parāśara Muni explica la palabra Bhagavān de la siguiente manera: aquel que está colmado de seis opulencias, que tiene plena fuerza, plena fama, riqueza, conocimiento, belleza y renunciación, es Bhagavān, o la Suprema Personalidad de Dios. Mientras Kṛṣṇa se hallaba en esta Tierra, exhibió todas esas seis opulencias. Por consiguiente, grandes sabios tales como Parāśara Muni han aceptado todos a Kṛṣṇa como la Suprema Personalidad de Dios. Ahora Kṛṣṇa está instruyendo a Arjuna en un conocimiento más confidencial acerca de Sus opulencias y Su trabajo. Ya anteriormente, comenzando con el capítulo siete, el Señor explicó Sus diferentes energías y cómo éstas actúan. Pues bien, en este capítulo, Él le explica a Arjuna Sus opulencias específicas. En el capítulo anterior, Él ha explicado claramente Sus diferentes energías, para establecer la devoción con una convicción firme. En este capítulo, Él le habla a Arjuna de nuevo acerca de Sus manifestaciones y diversas opulencias. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ananta-rupa-das/message
Parāśara Muni explica la palabra Bhagavān de la siguiente manera: aquel que está colmado de seis opulencias, que tiene plena fuerza, plena fama, riqueza, conocimiento, belleza y renunciación, es Bhagavān, o la Suprema Personalidad de Dios. Mientras Kṛṣṇa se hallaba en esta Tierra, exhibió todas esas seis opulencias. Por consiguiente, grandes sabios tales como Parāśara Muni han aceptado todos a Kṛṣṇa como la Suprema Personalidad de Dios. Ahora Kṛṣṇa está instruyendo a Arjuna en un conocimiento más confidencial acerca de Sus opulencias y Su trabajo. Ya anteriormente, comenzando con el capítulo siete, el Señor explicó Sus diferentes energías y cómo éstas actúan. Pues bien, en este capítulo, Él le explica a Arjuna Sus opulencias específicas. En el capítulo anterior, Él ha explicado claramente Sus diferentes energías, para establecer la devoción con una convicción firme. En este capítulo, Él le habla a Arjuna de nuevo acerca de Sus manifestaciones y diversas opulencias. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ananta-rupa-das/message
este capítulo, el Señor Kṛṣṇa responde diferentes preguntas de Arjuna, comenzando con la pregunta «¿qué es Brahman?». El Señor también explica el karma, las actividades fruitivas, el servicio devocional y los principios del yoga, y el servicio devocional en su forma pura. El Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam explica que a la Suprema Verdad Absoluta se la conoce como Brahman, Paramātmā y Bhagavān. Además, la entidad viviente, el alma individual, también recibe el nombre de Brahman. Arjuna también pregunta acerca del ātmā, lo cual se refiere al cuerpo, al alma y a la mente. Según el diccionario védico, ātmā se refiere a la mente, al alma, al cuerpo y también a los sentidos. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ananta-rupa-das/message
05. Dhajaggasuttam by Sayadaw U Kumarabhivamsa｜Pa Auk （Maymyo） Daily Chants Book (Second Edition) https://sites.google.com/pamc.org.sg/ebooktawyadailychant Introductory Verses Yassānussaraṇenāpi, antalikkhepi pāṇino, patiṭṭhamadhigacchanti, bhūmiyaṁ viya sabbathā. Sabbupaddavajālamhā, yakkhacorādisambhavā, gaṇanā na ca muttānaṁ, parittaṁ taṁ bhaṇāma he. The Safeguard Evaṁ me sutaṁ: ekaṁ samayaṁ Bhagavā Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati Jetavane Anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho Bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “Bhikkhavo!”ti. “Bhadante!”ti te bhikkhū Bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca: Bhūtapubbaṁ bhikkhave devāsurasaṅgāmo samupabyūḷho ahosi. Atha kho bhikkhave Sakko devānamindo deve Tāvatiṁse āmantesi: “Sace mārisā devānaṁ saṅgāmagatānaṁ uppajjeyya bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, mameva tasmiṁ samaye dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha. Mamaṁ hi vo dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā, lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati. No ce me dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha, atha Pajāpatissa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha. Pajāpatissa hi vo devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā, lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati. No ce Pajāpatissa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha, atha Varuṇassa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha. Varuṇassa hi vo devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā, lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati. No ce Varuṇassa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha, atha Īsānassa devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokeyyātha. Īsānassa hi vo devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā, lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissatīti. Taṁ kho pana bhikkhave Sakkassa vā devānamindassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ, Pajāpatissa vā devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ, Varuṇassa vā devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ, Īsānassa vā devarājassa dhajaggaṁ ullokayataṁ, yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyethāpi nopi pahīyetha. Taṁ kissa hetu? Sakko hi bhikkhave devānamindo avītarāgo avītadoso avītamoho, bhīru chambhī utrāsī palāyīti. Ahañca kho bhikkhave evaṁ vadāmi: Sace tumhākaṁ bhikkhave araññagatānaṁ vā, rukkhamūlagatānaṁ vā, suññāgāragatānaṁ vā, uppajjeyya bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, mameva tasmiṁ samaye anussareyyātha: “Itipi so Bhagavā Arahaṁ Sammāsambuddho, vijjācaraṇasampanno Sugato lokavidū, anuttaro purisadammasārathi, Satthā devamanussānaṁ Buddho Bhagavā”ti. Mamaṁ hi vo bhikkhave anussarataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati. No ce maṁ anussareyyātha, atha Dhammaṁ anussareyyātha: “Svākkhāto Bhagavatā Dhammo, sandiṭṭhiko, akāliko, ehipassiko, opaneyyiko, paccattaṁ veditabbo viññūhī”ti. Dhammaṁ hi vo bhikkhave anussarataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati. No ce Dhammaṁ anussareyyātha, atha Saṁghaṁ anussareyyātha: “Suppaṭipanno Bhagavato sāvakasaṁgho, ujuppaṭipanno Bhagavato sāvakasaṁgho, ñāyappaṭipanno Bhagavato sāvakasaṁgho, sāmīcippaṭipanno Bhagavato sāvakasaṁgho, yadidaṁ cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā, esa Bhagavato sāvakasaṁgho, āhuneyyo, pāhuneyyo, dakkhiṇeyyo, añjalikaraṇīyo, anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassā”ti. Saṁghaṁ hi vo bhikkhave anussarataṁ yaṁ bhavissati bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā, so pahīyissati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Tathāgato hi bhikkhave Arahaṁ Sammāsambuddho, vītarāgo, vītadoso, vītamoho, abhīru acchambhī anutrāsī apalāyī”ti. Idamavoca Bhagavā, idaṁ vatvāna Sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca Satthā: 01. Araññe rukkhamūle vā, suññāgāre va bhikkhavo, anussaretha Sambuddhaṁ, bhayaṁ tumhāka no siyā. 02. No ce Buddhaṁ sareyyātha, lokajeṭṭhaṁ narāsabhaṁ, atha Dhammaṁ sareyyātha, niyyānikaṁ sudesitaṁ. 03. No ce Dhammaṁ sareyyātha, niyyānikaṁ sudesitaṁ, atha Saṁghaṁ sareyyātha, puññakkhettaṁ anuttaraṁ. 04. Evaṁ Buddhaṁ sarantānaṁ, Dhammaṁ Saṁghañca bhikkhavo, bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā, lomahaṁso na hessati.
Ajahn Dhammasiha shares some info about Luang Por Tongdaeng, who will visit Dhammagiri in three weeks time 23rd to 25th April, including a one day retreat on Sun 23/04. Luang Por is the abbot of Wat Doi Phra Jao Ton Luang near Chiang Mai. He was born in Sakon Nakhon Province in the Northeast of Thailand in August 1954. At the young age of 13 he ordained as a novice with Luang Por Wan Uttamo. Some time later, he trained in the monastery of Luang Por Waen, Wat Doi Mae Pang. After his full ordination as a bhikkhu, Luang Por Tongdaeng's most important teachers were Luang Por Prasit, and Luang Por Plien of Wat Aranyavivek. Ajahn Dhammasiha relates the story how Luang Por Pien was the first senior monk visiting Dhammagiri, only days after we had aquired the top section of our property, and how he made some amazingly accurate predictions about the future development of Dhammagiri. Ajahn Dhammasiha mentions that Luang Por Tongdaeng talked about reciting "Iti pi so Bhagavā..." a lot when he saw him last January to invite him to Dhammagiri. He actually said that "Iti pi so Bhagavā..." is the most powerful mantra of all. It is how the Buddha described his unique qualities himself, and they apply not only to our Buddha, but to all Buddhas whenever or wherever they arise. We can recieve great benefit from chanting "Iti pi so..." regularly and frequently, like e.g. 108 times in sequence. "Iti pi so Bhagavā Arahaṃ Sammā-sambuddho Vijjā-caraṇa-sampanno Sugato Lokavidū Anuttaro Purisa-damma-sārathi Satthā Deva-manussānaṃ Buddho Bhagavā ti" "He, the Blessed One, is indeed the Pure One, the Perfectly Enlightened One; He is impeccable in conduct and understanding, the Accomplished One, the Knower of the Worlds; He trains perfectly those who wish to be trained; he is Teacher of gods and humans; he is Awake and Holy" (English translation as in Amaravati Chanting Book) Our Podcast on our own Dhammagiri Website, no need for any special app, just listen in any browser: https://www.dhammagiri.net/podcast More about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage: https://www.dhammagiri.net/news Our Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@dhammatalksatdhammagiri8724 Our email Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive Our Podcasts on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0SHWfWEGkO8OAtSWNJlqyD Our Podcasts on Apple/itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dhammagiri-buddhist-podcasts/id1534539834 ,
Vyāsa Pūjā Offering: HG Miśra Bhagavān Dāsa (ACBSP) || Śrī Māyāpur, IN by Jayapataka Swami
Ajahn Dhammasiha shares his joyful experience of meeting senior monks and monastic kalyāna mittas (spiritual friends) in various forest monasteries during his recent travels in Thailand and Malaysia. He reports from Wat Pah Nanachat, the international Forest Monastery founded by Ajahn Chah in 1975 Meeting Luang Por Liem, Ajahn Chah's successor as abbot of Wat Nong Pah Pong, currently the leading senior monk of the whole lineage of Ajahn Chah Visiting Ajahn Jundee's monastery Wat Ampawan Staying at Wat Marp Jan with Ajahn Anan Visiting Luang Por Tongdaeng at his monastery Wat Doi Phra Jao Ton Luang near Chaing Mai Two days with Ajahn Khantiko at his small hermitage Wat Doi Mongkolsathan in the mountains His one week stay at Wat Anandagiri with Ajahn Achalo And his time at SBS Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuaty in Malaysia In particular, he mentions some Dhamma advice he received from Luang Por Tongdaeng about dukkha vedana contemplation, and about repitition of the powerful mantra: "Iti pi so Bhagavā...". More about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage: https://www.dhammagiri.net/news Our Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJw Our email Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive Our Podcasts on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0SHWfWEGkO8OAtSWNJlqyD Our Podcasts on Apple/itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dhammagiri-buddhist-podcasts/id1534539834 .
Maṅgalasuttaṁ The Discourse on the Blessings Introductory Verses Yaṁ maṅgalaṁ dvādasahi cintayiṁsu sadevakā, What a blessing is was thought about by gods and men for twelve (years), sotthānaṁ nādhigacchanti; aṭṭhatiṁsañ-ca maṅgalaṁ but they did not attain (true) safety; the thirty-eight blessings desitaṁ devadevena sabbapāpavināsanaṁ. which were preached by the god of gods make all that is bad perish. Sabbalokahitatthāya maṅgalaṁ parittaṁ taṁ bhaṇāmahe. For the whole world's benefit and welfare we will recite that blessed safeguard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ: ekaṁ samayaṁ Bhagavā Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati Jetavane Anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho aññatarā devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā, abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ Jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā, yena Bhagavā tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā Bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā, ekam-antaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekam-antaṁ ṭhitā kho sā devatā Bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi: “Bahū devā manussā ca maṅgalāni acintayuṁ ākaṅkhamānā sotthānaṁ: brūhi maṅgalam-uttamaṁ.” “Asevanā ca bālānaṁ, paṇḍitānañ-ca sevanā, “Not associating with fools, but associating with the wise, [1] pūjā ca pūjanīyānaṁ: etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. honouring those worthy of honour: this is the supreme blessing. [2] Patirūpadesavāso ca, pubbe ca katapuññatā, Living in a suitable place, formerly having done good deeds, attasammāpaṇidhi ca: etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. aspiring in a right way oneself: this is the supreme blessing. [3] Bāhusaccañ-ca sippañ-ca, vinayo ca susikkhito, Having great learning and craft, and being disciplined and well trained, subhāsitā ca yā vācā: etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. and whatever words are well spoken: this is the supreme blessing. [4] Mātāpitu-upaṭṭhānaṁ, puttadārassa saṅgaho, Attendance on one's mother and father, looking after one's wife and children, anākulā ca kammantā: etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. with works that are not agitating: this is the supreme blessing. [5] Dānañ-ca Dhammacariyā ca, ñātakānañ-ca saṅgaho, Giving, and living by the Dhamma, and looking after one's relatives, anavajjāni kammāni: etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ. (performing) actions that are blameless: this is the supreme blessing. [6] Ārati virati pāpā, majjapānā ca saṁyamo, appamādo ca dhammesu: etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ.[7] Gāravo ca nivāto ca, santuṭṭhī ca kataññutā, kālena Dhammassavaṇaṁ: etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ.[8] Khantī ca sovacassatā, samaṇānañ-ca dassanaṁ, kālena Dhammasākacchā: etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ.[9] Tapo ca brahmacariyañ-ca, ariyasaccānadassanaṁ, nibbānasacchikiriyā ca: etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ.[10] Phuṭṭhassa lokadhammehi, cittaṁ yassa na kampati, asokaṁ virajaṁ khemaṁ: etaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ.[11] Etādisāni katvāna, sabbattha-m-aparājitā, sabbattha sotthiṁ gacchanti: taṁ tesaṁ maṅgalam-uttamaṁ.”[12] * Unable to put all translation due to limitation. Please search from Google.
Join Secrets of Success on Telegram: https://t.me/rasajnadas Join LIVE session on SAVAJI ONLINE YouTube Channel every Sunday at 11am (IST) All material activities in the world are being conducted under the three modes of material nature. Although these material modes of nature are emanations from the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, He is not subject to them. For instance, under the state laws one may be punished, but the king, the lawmaker, is not subject to that law. Similarly, all the modes of material nature – goodness, passion and ignorance – are emanations from the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa is not subject to material nature. Therefore He is nirguṇa, which means that these guṇas, or modes, although issuing from Him, do not affect Him. That is one of the special characteristics of Bhagavān, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All material activities in the world are being conducted under the three modes of material nature. Although these material modes of nature are emanations from the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, He is not subject to them. For instance, under the state laws one may be punished, but the king, the lawmaker, is not subject to that law. Similarly, all the modes of material nature – goodness, passion and ignorance – are emanations from the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa is not subject to material nature. Therefore He is nirguṇa, which means that these guṇas, or modes, although issuing from Him, do not affect Him. That is one of the special characteristics of Bhagavān, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has innumerable energies, and all these energies are divine. Although the living entities are part of His energies and are therefore divine, due to contact with material energy their original superior power is covered. Being thus covered by material energy, one cannot possibly overcome its influence. As previously stated, both the material and spiritual natures, being emanations from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are eternal. The living entities belong to the eternal superior nature of the Lord, but due to contamination by the inferior nature, matter, their illusion is also eternal. The conditioned soul is therefore called nitya-baddha, or eternally conditioned. No one can trace out the history of his becoming conditioned at a certain date in material history. Consequently, his release from the clutches of material nature is very difficult, even though that material nature is an inferior energy, because material energy is ultimately conducted by the supreme will, which the living entity cannot overcome. Inferior, material nature is defined herein as divine nature due to its divine connection and movement by the divine will. Being conducted by divine will, material nature, although inferior, acts so wonderfully in the construction and destruction of the cosmic manifestation. The Vedas confirm this as follows: māyāṁ tu prakṛtiṁ vidyān māyinaṁ tu maheśvaram. “Although māyā [illusion] is false or temporary, the background of māyā is the supreme magician, the Personality of Godhead, who is Maheśvara, the supreme controller.” (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 4.10)
At our Robe Offering Ceremony at Dhammagiri, Ajahn Saeng leads our Sangha of eight monks in the recitation of Paritta. Paritta are teachings of the Buddha with particular auspicious or protective content, which are chanted by the Buddhist monks at special occasions. The 8 monks chanting are, in order of seniority: Luang Por Kalyano, abbot of Buddha Bodhivana Monastery, Warburton near Melbourne Ajahn Saeng, Bodhisaddha Monastery, Wilton near Sydney Ajahn Dhammasiha, abbot of Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage, Brisbane Ajahn Dta Candavaṃso, Wat Nong Pah Pong, Ubon, Thailand / Buddha Bodhivana Monastery Ajahn Varadhammo, abbot of Bodhisaddha Monastery, Wilton near Sydney Ajahn Khantiko, Wat Doi Mongkonsathan Hermitage, Chiang Mai Ajahn Moneyyo, Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage Tan Niddaro, Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage / Amaravati Buddhist Monastery Sequence of Chants Minutes:Seconds of recording, and page numbers of Amaravati Chanting Book, Volume 2: 00:01 Requesting Paritta Chanting (Dr Mallik) p125 (this is the only one in Volume 1) 00:31 Invitation to Devas, Spirits, Angels, Ajahn Varadhammo, p32 00:55 'Namo tassa...' (Homage to the Buddha) p33 02:39 Going for Refuge p33 03:37 'Yo cakkhumā...' p34 06:16 'Namo arahato...' p35 07:32 Mangala Sutta (Highest Blessings) p38 10:49 Mora Paritta (Protetion of the Peacock) p45 12:50 Ratana Sutta (The Jewels - Shortened Version) p36 15:58 Mettā Sutta (Discourse on Loving Kindness - End Only) p41 16:58 Khandha Paritta (Snake Protection - 2nd Half Only) p43 17:43 Āṭānāṭiya Paritta, 'Vipassissa nam'atthu...' (Demon Protection - Introductory Verses Only) p47 19:26 Abhaya Paritta 'Yan-dunnimittaṃ...' (Fear/Anxiety Protection) p46 20:32 Qualities of Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha 'Iti pi so Bhagavā...' p44 22:19 Jaya Mangala, 'Bahuṃ sahassam...' (Verses of Victory) p50 26:11 Devatā Uyyojana, 'Dukkhappattā...' (Sharing with Devas/Angels)p51 27:17 Jaya Paritta, 'Mahā Kāruṇiko...' (Victory Protection) p52 28:55 'Bhavatu sabba-mangalaṃ...', Concluding Blessing p53 You can view or download the Amaravati Chanting Books Volume 2 and Volume 1 for free here: Volume 2: https://cdn.amaravati.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/30/Chanting-Book-Vol-2-Web.pdf Volume 1: https://cdn.amaravati.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/30/Chanting-Book-Vol-1-Web.pdf More about Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage: https://www.dhammagiri.net Our Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJw Our email Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive Our Podcasts on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0SHWfWEGkO8OAtSWNJlqyD .
MindGeek, the secretive owner of Pornhub, RedTube YouPorn, and Brazzers, employs around sixteen hundred people, and received approximately 4.5 trillion visits each month in 2020, according to a company spokesperson—almost double Google and Facebook combined. Research by the British Board of Film Classification in 2019 suggested 51% of children aged 11 to 13 had seen pornography, rising to 66% of 14- to 15-year-olds. This has since risen. So is there a cost to our happiness, health and wellbeing? We examine the topic from a spiritual perspective. Some of the quotes I used: Lust vs. Love Lust and love have different characteristics, just as iron and gold have different natures. – Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta - Ādi-līlā 4.164 Thus, a person's pure consciousness is covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire. - Bhagavad-gītā 3.39 Arjuna said: O descendant of Vṛṣṇi, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force? - Bhagavad-gītā 3.36 Śri-Bhagavān said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world. – Bhagavad-gītā 3.37 As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, the living entity is similarly covered by different degrees of this lust. - Bhagavad-gītā 3.38 Thus, a person's pure consciousness is covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.- - Bhagavad-gītā 3.39 The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the sitting places of this lust, which veils the real knowledge of the living entity and bewilders him. - Bhagavad-gītā 3.40 Therefore, O Arjuna, best of the Bhāratas, in the very beginning curb this great symbol of sin [lust] by regulating the senses, and slay this destroyer of knowledge and self-realization. - Bhagavad-gītā 3.41 While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises. - Bhagavad-gītā 2.62 There are three gates leading to this hell -- lust, anger and greed. Every sane person should give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the soul. - Bhagavad-gītā 16.21 One who accepts material sense objects as desirable certainly becomes attached to them. From such attachment lust arises, and this lust creates quarrel among men. -Bhāgavata Purāṇa 11.21.19 Nonviolence, truthfulness, honesty, desire for the happiness and welfare of all others and freedom from lust, anger and greed constitute duties for all members of society. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 11.17.21
Ajahn Moneyyo leads the community at Dhammagiri on the Full Moon Practice Day in chanting the 'Ādittapariyāya Sutta' / 'Fire Sermon' in the original Pali language. This is a stereo recording, and you can get quite an immersive experience if you switch on 'surround sound' / '3D' on you loudspeakers, or use good around-the-ears headphones
20220718 Bhagavān Ācārya Deports His Brother After Being Rebuked by Svarūpa Dāmodara Mayapur, India © JPS ARCHIVES 2022
Bruce Springsteen famously sang – “Everybody has a Hungry Heart”. It explores the search to fill that inner emptiness most people experience at different times and to different degrees. A few of the lines in the song go: “Everybody needs a place to rest, Everybody wants to have a home, Don't make no difference what nobody says, Ain't nobody like to be alone” In this talk we examine how this inner hunger may manifest and what is its real cause, and how it is driven by a deep and almost unconscious desire to reconnect with our eternal soulmate, to find and experience (in multiple ways) the highest perfection. Some of the verses I quote are: Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendor. - Bhagavad-gita 10.41 ‘One who possesses all these six divine and inconceivable excellences known as “bhaga” to the utmost degree, namely opulence, power, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, thus known as Bhagavān.' - Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47 Only the purified soul can attain the perfection of associating with the Personality of Godhead in complete bliss and satisfaction in his constitutional state. Whoever is able to renovate such devotional perfection is never again attracted by this material world, and he never returns. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 2.2.31 Formerly, great sages, through the sacrifice of Vedic knowledge and spiritual enlightenment, worshiped Me within themselves, knowing Me to be the Supreme Lord of all sacrifice and the Supreme Soul in everyone's heart. Thus coming to Me, these sages achieved the supreme perfection. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 11.19.6 My devotees always see the smiling face of My form, with eyes like the rising morning sun. They like to see My various transcendental forms, which are all benevolent, and they also talk favorably with Me. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 3.25.35 By chance, two birds have made a nest together in the same tree. The two birds are friends and are of a similar nature. One of them, however, is eating the fruits of the tree, whereas the other, who does not eat the fruits, is in a superior position due to His potency. The bird who does not eat the fruits of the tree is the Supreme Soul, who by His omniscience perfectly understands His own position and that of the conditioned living entity, represented by the eating bird. That living entity, on the other hand, does not understand himself or the Lord. He is covered by ignorance and is thus called eternally conditioned, whereas the Personality of Godhead, being full of perfect knowledge, is eternally liberated. – Bhāgavata Purāṇa 11.11.6-7 Upon seeing the charming forms of the Lord, smiling and attractive, and hearing His very pleasing words, the pure devotee almost loses all other consciousness. His senses are freed from all other engagements, and he becomes absorbed in devoted and loving transcendental service. Thus in spite of his unwillingness, he attains liberation without separate endeavor. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 3.25.36
In this guided meditation, Ajahn Dhammasiha uses the Mantra:"Bhagavā Arahaṃ Buddho,Buddho Arahaṃ Bhagavā"as a form of 'Buddhānussati' = Recollection of the Buddha.Remembering the Buddha with the help of a Mantra is an easy and very straightforward method of establishing one's Samatha/Samādhi meditation.Many of the great Ajahns of the Forest Tradition used Buddhānussati as their foundational meditation object ('Parikamma') with good effect.Remembering the Buddha brings up the qualities of faith, confidence, conviction and devotion is our mind; and generates a wholesome form of happiness, even rapture and bliss.https://www.dhammagiri.nethttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJINt0JJBfFm_x0FZcU9QJwhttps://tinyletter.com/dhammagiri/archive
In this final talk in the series, we continue the exploration of the famous mantra: asato mā sad gamaya tamaso mā jyotir gamaya mṛtyor māmṛtaṁ gamaya Oh Lord, lead me from illusion into the eternal reality. Lead me from darkness into the light. Lead me from the realm of death into the nectar of immortality. - Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.3.28 We have previously examined the two sets of opposites; sat/asat (ultimate reality or truth/untruth or illusion) and tamas/jyotis (darkness/light). Now we examine mṛtyu/amṛta or death/immortality. In this world the only thing you can guarantee – death. Yet people don't like to discuss or consider death and naturally there is little or no preparation for our own death. Some of the authoritative and enlightening Vedic texts I quoted: Yudhiṣṭhira Questioned by Dharmaraja - What is the most wonderful thing? The most wonderful thing is that although every day innumerable creatures go to the abode of death, still a man thinks he is immortal. - Mahābhārata Only one who can learn the process of nescience and that of transcendental knowledge side by side can transcend the influence of repeated birth and death and enjoy the full blessings of immortality. - Śrī Īśopaniṣad mantra 11 From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again. Bhagavad-gītā 8.16 In a dream one can see his own head being cut off and thus understand that his actual self is standing apart from the dream experience. Similarly, while awake one can see that his body is a product of the five material elements. Therefore it is to be understood that the actual self, the soul, is distinct from the body it observes and is unborn and immortal. Bhāgavata Purāṇa 12.5.4 A person does not actually take birth out of the seed of past activities, nor, being immortal, does he die. By illusion the living being appears to be born and to die, just as fire in connection with firewood appears to begin and then cease to exist. Bhāgavata Purāṇa 11.22.46 Because the conditioned soul is always disturbed by the bodily necessities such as hunger and thirst, he has very little time to cultivate attachment to hearing the nectarean words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhāgavata Purāṇa 4.29.41 Even a moment's association with a pure transcendentalist (devotee) cannot be compared to being transferred to heavenly planets or even merging into the Brahman effulgence in complete liberation. For living entities who are destined to give up the body and die, association with a pure transcendentalist is the highest benediction. Bhāgavata Purāṇa 4.30.34 O ultimate truth, one without a second, You are realized as Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān and are therefore the reservoir of all knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. Bhāgavata Purāṇa 6.16.19 There are three kinds of spiritual processes for understanding the Absolute Truth—the processes of speculative knowledge (jñāna), mystic yoga (yoga) and bhakti-yoga (bhakti). According to these three processes, the Absolute Truth is manifested as Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān. Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 20.157 Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself is the one undivided Absolute Truth, the ultimate reality. He manifests Himself in three features—as Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi 2.65 The great sage Maitreya said: O warrior, the inquiry made by you is just befitting a saintly person because it concerns the incarnation of the Personality of Godhead. He is the source of liberation from the chain of birth and death for all those who are otherwise destined to die. Bhāgavata Purāṇa 3.14.5 See Youtube for full description.
Last week's talk “Nature is not Spiritual” had some people objecting to that truth and insisting that ultimately nature is an energy of Krishna and so is spiritual and that it's all “one”. So, I thought I need to address these points as they are very important. Some of the verses I quote are as follows: ‘Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—all together these eight constitute My separated material energies.' - Bhagavad-gītā 7.4 ‘Besides these, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is another superior energy of Mine, which comprises the living entities who are exploiting the resources of this material, inferior nature.' - Bhagavad-gītā 7.5 ‘All created beings have their source in these two natures. Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world, know for certain that I am both the origin and the dissolution.' - Bhagavad-gītā 7.6 One who is enlightened in self-realization, although living within the material body, sees himself as transcendental to the body, just as one who has arisen from a dream gives up identification with the dream body. A foolish person, however, although not identical with his material body but transcendental to it, thinks himself to be situated in the body, just as one who is dreaming sees himself as situated in an imaginary body. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 11.11.18 vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 1.2.11 ahaṁ brahmāsmi “‘I, jīva soul, am of the same nature as Brahman.' - Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad, 1.4.10 nityo nityānām cetanaś cetanānām “‘The Supreme Lord is the one supreme eternal entity amongst all eternal entities, and the fundamental conscious being amongst all conscious beings.' - Śrī Kaṭhopaniṣad, 2.2.13
“Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.” The Absolute Truth appears to neophytes as impersonal Brahman and to advanced mystic yogīs as Paramātmā, the Supersoul, but devotees, who are further advanced, understand the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu.
Sometimes we are asked what exactly Nirvana is and whether it is the highest spiritual state or whether there is anything beyond it. The short answer is that there are spiritual realizations and experiences beyond Nirvana. The word Nirvana in Sanskrit means 'blown out' as in, to blow out a candle or lamp. It refers to the extinguishing of material existence but does not refer to anything beyond that. It is most often associated with the experience of merging into what is referred to as 'the white light' or the ocean of light known as the 'brahmajyoti'. This is the stage known as brahma-bhūta realization. The most ancient and authentic Vedic teachings speak of 3 stages of God-realization, Brahman-realization, Paramātmā-realization and Bhagavān-realization. वदन्ति तत्तत्त्वविदस्तत्त्वं यज्ज्ञानमद्वयम् ब्रह्मेति परमात्मेति भगवानिति शब्द्यते ११ Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān. - Bhāgavat Pūraṇa 1.2.11
It is important to appreciate what “Bhakti” actually is, and is not. Bhakti has been defined and explained by the greatest of spiritual authorities, Srila Vyasadeva, the empowered incarnation who compiled the entire Vedas over 5,000 years ago. Bhakti is not some emotion emanating from the body nor a mental expression. It is a product of the highest spiritual realization. Bhakti is the natural and transcendental expression of the soul itself. It is the eternal serving mood exhibited by the jiva-atma (the individual soul) towards the Supreme Soul, in the deepest love and devotion. Understanding Bhakti is not an academic exercise, a mental undertaking, but rather the culmination of all yoga. One realizes this under the tutelage of a self-realized teacher or guru, coming in an authorized lineage. Such a teacher is a devout practitioner and master of the path of devotion (Bhakti Marga) himself. God-Realization, the realization of the Highest Truth, is experienced in three features; Brahman (the Ocean of Spiritual Light), Paramatma (the Supreme Soul seated within the heart of all beings), and Bhagavan (the beautiful personal feature of God who is Supremely loveable – the Lord of my heart, the Lord of Love). The Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavat Purana) states: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.11 Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.
I was asked to speak on this unusual topic at the ASMY Center in Brisbane on 19th Oct 2018. The Vedas are a repository of vast information about the different aspects of the Highest Truth or God. Since ancient times, countless great yogis have had personal realizations of these different features of the Absolute Truth and were, therefore, able to make authoritative commentaries on both the journey towards these realizations and the resultant experience when one arrived at the transcendental destination. The ancient Vedic understanding of God is so vastly different from the speculative and anthropomorphic theories often found in the development of theology in the “Western” world. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa states: वदन्ति तत् तत्त्वाविदस्तत्त्वं यज्ज्ननामद्वयं ब्रह्मेति परमात्मेति भगवानिति शब्द्यते ११ " Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān."
“Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.” Consideration of the Paramātmā and impersonal Brahman arose after the creation; before the creation, only the Supreme Personality of Godhead existed. As firmly declared in Bhagavad-gītā (18.55), the Lord can be understood only by bhakti-yoga. The ultimate cause, the supreme cause of creation, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can be understood only by bhakti-yoga.
In the fourth and final part of this series, Acharya das delves into the topic of God. In particular, he addresses the question, “Is there a God or Absolute Truth?” From the ancient Vedas and the yoga perspective, he explains the three experiences of God realization, namely Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan, and describes the experience and consciousness that result from these different types of spiritual realization. Verses quoted: Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 1.2.11 "Although the two birds are in the same tree, the eating bird is fully engrossed with anxiety and moroseness as the enjoyer of the fruits of the tree. But if in some way or other he turns his face to his friend who is the Lord and knows His glories—at once the suffering bird becomes free from all anxieties." Mundaka Upanisad, 3.1.2 & Svetasvatara Upanisad 4.7 The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy. - Bhagavad-gītā 18.61 The Lord's beauty resembles a dark cloud during the rainy season. As the rainfall glistens, His bodily features also glisten. Indeed, He is the sum total of all beauty. The Lord has four arms and an exquisitely beautiful face with eyes like lotus petals, a beautiful highly raised nose, a mind-attracting smile, a beautiful forehead and equally beautiful and fully decorated ears. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 4.24.45-46 Yogis meditate upon the localized Paramatma situated in the heart, jnanis worship the impersonal Brahman as the Supreme Absolute Truth, and devotees worship Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose transcendental body is described in the sastras. - Bhāgavata Purāṇa 5.7.7 https://acharyadas.com/series/yoga-spirituality-enlightenment-god
La Bhagavad-gita es un importante texto sagrado hinduista. Se le considera uno de los clásicos religiosos más importantes del mundo. Es parte del texto épico Majabhárata (posiblemente del siglo III a. C.). Consta de 18 capítulos y 700 versos. Su contenido es la conversación entre Krishna a quien los hinduistas consideran una encarnación de Visnú (mientras que los Krisnaístas lo consideran el origen de Visnú) y su primo y amigo Arjuna en el campo de batalla en los instantes previos al inicio de la guerra de Kurukshetra. Respondiendo a la confusión y el dilema moral de Arjuna, Krishna explica a éste sus deberes como guerrero y príncipe, haciéndolo con ejemplos y analogías de doctrinas yóguicas y vedánticas. Esto ha hecho que el Bhagavad-gita sea considerado un resumen breve de las doctrinas hinduistas. Durante su discurso, Krishna revela su identidad como el ‘mismísimo Dios' (suaiam Bhagaván), bendiciendo a Arjuna con una impresionante visión de su divina forma universal.
Yaśodā's love remained unrestricted in spite of seeing Kṛṣṇa's powers and hearing about the Lord's powers from the scriptures such as the three Vedas which glorify Kṛṣṇa as the yajña puruṣa (Lord Viṣṇu, the personal beneficiary of all sacrifices). Kṛṣṇa is glorified as the puruṣa (Supreme Lord) in the Sāṅkhya śāstras; the Paramātmā in the Yoga-sūtras, and as Bhagavān in the Pañcarātra writings (Sātvata).
Yaśodā's love remained unrestricted in spite of seeing Kṛṣṇa's powers and hearing about the Lord's powers from the scriptures such as the three Vedas which glorify Kṛṣṇa as the yajña puruṣa (Lord Viṣṇu, the personal beneficiary of all sacrifices). Kṛṣṇa is glorified as the puruṣa (Supreme Lord) in the Sāṅkhya śāstras; the Paramātmā in the Yoga-sūtras, and as Bhagavān in the Pañcarātra writings (Sātvata).As the fruitive workers think of the Lord as the yajña puruṣa according to the Vedas, similarly, Yaśodā thought of the Lord has her son due to her vātsalya prema. Just as Kṛṣṇa gives results to the karmīs who worship Him, He reciprocated with Yaśodā's maternal affection. But Kṛṣṇa could not respond fully to the amount of affection offered by Yaśodā.One should take this verse as a paribhāsa sūtra of Kṛṣṇa-līlā. As a lamp sits in one place in a dark room and lights up the whole room, so that statement in the scriptures which can reveal the meaning of all scriptures or regulate the meaning of the scriptures is called a paribhāsa-sūtra. This verse stands as a regulator for all of the pastimes related to aiśvarya (displays of power and opulence) shown during Kṛṣṇa's kaumāra and kaiśora (childhood and youthful) ages in Mathurā, Kurukṣetra and elsewhere.
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī offered a description of the puruṣāvatāras in Anucchedas 1–5, and of the līlāvatāras in Anucchedas 6–26. In Anuccheda 27, he outlined the vibhūtis of Bhagavān. In Anucchedas 28 and 29, he analyzed the first quarter of verse 1.3.28, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, and established Kṛṣṇa as the original Bhagavān, the source of all avatāras. In Anuccheda 29, he dealt with scriptural affirmations that seem to contradict the above conclusion. Then in Anucchedas 30–43, he cited various statements from the Bhāgavata Purāṇa that support the above conclusion. Now, beginning from this anuccheda up to 73, he will analyze the dialogues of the major teachers and students cited in the Bhāgavata to show that they too are all intent exclusively upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa Is the Subject of the Bhāgavata's Major DialogueŚrī Jīva Gosvāmī offered a description of the puruṣāvatāras in Anucchedas 1–5, and of the līlāvatāras in Anucchedas 6–26. In Anuccheda 27, he outlined the vibhūtis of Bhagavān. In Anucchedas 28 and 29, he analyzed the first quarter of verse 1.3.28, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, and established Kṛṣṇa as the original Bhagavān, the source of all avatāras. In Anuccheda 29, he dealt with scriptural affirmations that seem to contradict the above conclusion. Then in Anucchedas 30–43, he cited various statements from the Bhāgavata Purāṇa that support the above conclusion. Now, beginning from this anuccheda up to 73, he will analyze the dialogues of the major teachers and students cited in the Bhāgavata to show that they too are all intent exclusively upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
In this way, the formal declaration (pratijñā), “Kṛṣṇa, however, is Svayaṁ Bhagavān,” like a great heroic emperor, single-handedly overrules hundreds of opposing statements, assimilating them unto itself. Yet, just to augment the pleasure of the audience by a display of unique splendor, I will now cite other verses as well that are like the emperor's supporting fourfold army. First, in their prayers to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the devas speak of His agency in the matter of the līlāvatāras:O Almighty Lord (Īśa), reverence unto You. Just as [in the past] You have protected us as well as the three worlds through Your avatāric descents as a fish (Matsya), a horse [Hayagrīva], a tortoise [Kūrma], a man-lion (Nṛsiṁha), a boar (Varāha), a swan (Haṁsa), a kṣatriya [Śrī Rāma], a brāhmaṇa [Śrī Paraśurāma], and a deva [Śrī Vāmana], O Best of the Yadus, please now remove the burden of the earth. (SB 10.2.40)
In this way, the formal declaration (pratijñā), “Kṛṣṇa, however, is Svayaṁ Bhagavān,” like a great heroic emperor, single-handedly overrules hundreds of opposing statements, assimilating them unto itself. Yet, just to augment the pleasure of the audience by a display of unique splendor, I will now cite other verses as well that are like the emperor's supporting fourfold army. First, in their prayers to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the devas speak of His agency in the matter of the līlāvatāras:O Almighty Lord (Īśa), reverence unto You. Just as [in the past] You have protected us as well as the three worlds through Your avatāric descents as a fish (Matsya), a horse [Hayagrīva], a tortoise [Kūrma], a man-lion (Nṛsiṁha), a boar (Varāha), a swan (Haṁsa), a kṣatriya [Śrī Rāma], a brāhmaṇa [Śrī Paraśurāma], and a deva [Śrī Vāmana], O Best of the Yadus, please now remove the burden of the earth. (SB 10.2.40)
In this way, the formal declaration (pratijñā), “Kṛṣṇa, however, is Svayaṁ Bhagavān,” like a great heroic emperor, single-handedly overrules hundreds of opposing statements, assimilating them unto itself. Yet, just to augment the pleasure of the audience by a display of unique splendor, I will now cite other verses as well that are like the emperor's supporting fourfold army. First, in their prayers to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the devas speak of His agency in the matter of the līlāvatāras:O Almighty Lord (Īśa), reverence unto You. Just as [in the past] You have protected us as well as the three worlds through Your avatāric descents as a fish (Matsya), a horse [Hayagrīva], a tortoise [Kūrma], a man-lion (Nṛsiṁha), a boar (Varāha), a swan (Haṁsa), a kṣatriya [Śrī Rāma], a brāhmaṇa [Śrī Paraśurāma], and a deva [Śrī Vāmana], O Best of the Yadus, please now remove the burden of the earth. (SB 10.2.40)The meaning here is self-evident.
By such an assertion from Śrīmad Bhāgavata, statements to the contrary from other Purāṇas are superseded. This is to be understood in the same manner as the overruling of one injunction by another [in the ritual portion of the Vedas], such as the statement “We shall drink soma and become immortal” (Ṛg Veda 8.48.3)72 being overridden by the contravening statement “Just as in this world the objects acquired through diligent effort (karma) are subject to decay, so also in the next world [i.e., heaven], the results acquired through virtue will also wither away” (CHU 8.1.6). Here also, the logic [quoted above] is seen to be applicable: “But those who speak in this illogical manner contradict themselves, having forgotten their own prior statements” (SB 10.77.30).Therefore, what [the senior] Sūta expressed in that regard [in Skanda Purāṇa, concerning Kṛṣṇa's being the keśāvatāra of Viṣṇu] was merely his own doubt [pertaining to Bhagavān's inconceivable nature], such [logical uncertainty] being indicated in statements such as: “One should not strive through reason [alone] to apprehend the transrational” (Mahābhārata, Bhīṣma Parva 5.12).
Here, Śrī Jīva takes up the task of reconciling similar conflicting statements found in other Purāṇas. Among such descriptions, the most prominent are those that depict Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma as avatāras of the black and white hairs of Viṣṇu. This notion is found not only in Mahābhārata (Ādi-parva 197.32–33), but also in Viṣṇu Purāṇa (5.1.59), Nṛsiṁha Purāṇa (53.32), and even the Bhāgavata Purāṇa (2.7.26) itself. If, however, one carefully examines the complete narration presented in these Purāṇas, one will recognize that such a conclusion is simply without cogency.The story behind the keśa (hair) avatāra is that when the Earth Goddess felt overburdened by the proliferation of unrighteous kings, she approached the host of devas headed by Brahmā. Hearing her plea, Brahmā advised the devas to accompany him to the Milk Ocean to supplicate Bhagavān Viṣṇu. Being pleased with their prayers, Śrī Viṣṇu appeared to Brahmā. In response to the report of the Earth's plight, He plucked out two hairs from His head and announced that these hairs would descend to the earth and rid her of this burden.
The story behind the keśa (hair) avatāra is that when the Earth Goddess felt overburdened by the proliferation of unrighteous kings, she approached the host of devas headed by Brahmā. Hearing her plea, Brahmā advised the devas to accompany him to the Milk Ocean to supplicate Bhagavān Viṣṇu. Being pleased with their prayers, Śrī Viṣṇu appeared to Brahmā. In response to the report of the Earth's plight, He plucked out two hairs from His head and announced that these hairs would descend to the earth and rid her of this burden.
Direct statements are called śruti. They are independent utterances (nirapekṣa-ravā śrutiḥ, Artha-saṅgraha 16) that convey their meaning without any intermediate steps, as is the case with indirect instruction. A direct statement of this sort is supremely powerful and can override any indirect means of interpretation. The hermeneutics of textual analysis is the subject matter of Jaimini-sūtra 3.3.14, which has been cited in this section. The declaration kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam is taken as a śruti statement, direct and unambiguous. The statement of Mahākāla, on the other hand, is not direct.Mahākāla's statement, therefore, should be taken as a liṅga, or inferential mark, and not as śruti. The power of words is called liṅga. A liṅga is always overridden by śruti, because to apply the former, something has to be assumed. In this case, we have to suppose that Mahākāla is specifying the difference between Himself as Bhagavān and Kṛṣṇa as His aṁśa. Such an assumption, however, contradicts the śruti statement and is therefore rejected.
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī refers to various statements that seem to contradict the paribhāṣā of Kṛṣṇa being Svayaṁ Bhagavān. These statements are found both in the Bhāgavata as well as in other Purāṇas, but Jīva begins by interpreting verses from the Bhāgavata in the light of the paribhāṣā principle that Kṛṣṇa is Svayaṁ Bhagavān.
In this way, it has been concluded that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān, whereas the Puruṣa, being immanent in all beings, is the Paramātmā. A doubt is now raised in this regard. This single statement establishing Kṛṣṇa as the aṁśī is in contradiction with many other statements confirming Him as an aṁśa. Should it not then be interpreted as guṇānuvāda, or eulogy?This is answered as follows [by first redefining the question]: Are these statements [that Kṛṣṇa is an aṁśa] taken from Śrīmad Bhāgavata or from some other scripture? If the former, then this third chapter of the First Canto, called Janma-guhyādhyāya, “The Mystery of [Bhagavān's] Appearances,” is itself the sūtra for all the statements describing the avatāras, because it informs us of them and because all subsequent elaborated descriptions [of the avatāras] made later on in the Bhāgavata are amplifications of this first account alone.
In this way, having ascertained [the identity of] Paramātmā along with His parts, Śrī Sūta now identifies Śrī Bhagavān by His form [(ākāra), i.e., by the explicit display of His complete power] after summarizing what he has already stated: “All these are either portions (aṁśas) or minute portions (kalās) of the Puruṣa, but Kṛṣṇa alone is Bhagavān Himself” (SB 1.3.28).Some are portions due to being infused by other portions, whereas others are kalās, or in other words, vibhūtis (displays of lesser power). Śrī Kṛṣṇa, however, who has been counted as the twentieth avatāra in this list, is Bhagavān. He alone is that [very same] Bhagavān who is the original source (avatārī) even of the Puruṣa [as mentioned in SB 1.3.1].
eagerness is everything / rapture / Dhruva / spiritual form /The Absolute Truth can be understood in three features — impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, and Bhagavān / the personal feature is the last word in understanding the Absolute Truth / untie the knot in the heart / becoming materially exhausted / nothing in the material world will satisfy your heart / its what can I give, not what can I get SB 3.15.46-48
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam specifically propounds the supreme dharma of humanity, which is love for Bhagavān — our very source and refuge. To be infused with transcendental love for Bhagavān, authentic and unambiguous knowledge about Him and His essential being is of utmost importance. Since Bhagavān has innumerable forms, such as Viṣṇu, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, and Nṛsiṁha, the question must be asked, are They all equiprimordial in Their constitutional status or is there some hierarchy of being among Them? To address this question, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī wrote this book, Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha.The conventional and for the most part unexamined point of view is that Kṛṣṇa is simply an avatāra of Viṣṇu. In Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī uproots this misconception, demonstrating that Bhagavān Viṣṇu, being ontologically related to the play of creation and hence to immanence, is Himself implicitly included within a more complete transcendent Whole (avatārī), technically known as Svayaṁ Bhagavān, who is clearly identified in the text as Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam specifically propounds the supreme dharma of humanity, which is love for Bhagavān — our very source and refuge. To be infused with transcendental love for Bhagavān, authentic and unambiguous knowledge about Him and His essential being is of utmost importance. Since Bhagavān has innumerable forms, such as Viṣṇu, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, and Nṛsiṁha, the question must be asked, are They all equiprimordial in Their constitutional status or is there some hierarchy of being among Them? To address this question, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī wrote this book, Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha.The conventional and for the most part unexamined point of view is that Kṛṣṇa is simply an avatāra of Viṣṇu. In Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī uproots this misconception, demonstrating that Bhagavān Viṣṇu, being ontologically related to the play of creation and hence to immanence, is Himself implicitly included within a more complete transcendent Whole (avatārī), technically known as Svayaṁ Bhagavān, who is clearly identified in the text as Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
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