Non-dualism

Vedantic Non-dualism

The forms and aspects of God

disappear when one discriminates

in accordance with the Vedanta philosophy.

 

The ultimate conclusion of such discrimination is that Brahman alone is real

and this world of names and forms illusory.  It is possible for a man

to see the forms of God, or to think of Him as a Person, only so long as

he is conscious that he is a devotee.  From the standpoint of

discrimination this ‘ego of a devotee’ keeps him a little away from God.

 

Do you know why images of Krishna or Kāli are three and a half cubits

high? Because of distance.  Again, on account of distance the sun

appears to be small.  But if you go near it you will find the sun so big

that you won’t be able to comprehend it.  Why have images of Krishna

and Kāli a dark-blue colour? That too is on account of distance, like

the water of a lake, which appears green, blue, or black from a

distance.  Go near, take the water in the palm of your hand, and you

will find that it has no colour.  The sky also appears blue from a

distance.  Go near and you will see that it has no colour at all.

 

Therefore I say that in the light of Vedantic reasoning Brahman has no

attributes.  The real nature of Brahman cannot be described.  But so

long as your individuality is real, the world also is real, and equally

real are the different forms of God and the feeling that God is a

Person.

 

Yours is the path of bhakti.

That is very good; it is an easy path.

Who can fully know the infinite

God? and what need is there of knowing the Infinite?

Having attained this rare human birth,

my supreme need is to develop love for the Lotus

Feet of God.

 

If a jug of water is enough to remove my thirst,

why should I measure the quantity of water in a lake?

I become drunk on

even half a bottle of wine-

what is the use of my calculating the

quantity of liquor in the tavern?

What need is there of knowing the

Infinite?

 

The various states of mind of the Brahmajnani

(Knower of the supreme truth) are described in the Vedas.

The path of knowledge

is extremely difficult.

One cannot obtain jnāna (supreme knowledge) if

one has the least trace of worldliness

and the slightest attachment to

‘woman and gold’.

This is not the path for the Kaliyuga.

 

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

 

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Tags: God, mind, Knowledge

Sanskrit glossary

HINDU

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