#141 , SHOULD N'T A MONK BE JOYFUL? SHOULD HE BE GLOOMY?
For the benefit of the readers of Vivekanandayb blog, I reproduce below comments exchanged at:
http://roopavathi2007.blogspot.com
Multisubj Yb TruthSeeker said...
This great spiritual genius sacrificed goat to propitiate Goddess Kali on 10th Nov. 1901. Like a layman relished turtles and shad fish and could not control his tongue before meat!
What is the use of preaching Advaita Vedanta?
February 22, 2008 6:51 AM
Shri Fairminded said...
Where does Advaita Vedanta contradicts? Sacrificing goats is an ancient tradition of shakta Hindus. Vedanta validates all these practices. Vivekananda as a monk naturally joyful in all his activities. Vedantin should be gloomy?
February 22, 2008 8:24 PM
HEADHEART JOURNAL said... To Shri Fairmind:
1. A philosopher need not be gloomy, but a balanced behavior is expected from a monk. 2. A preacher-cum-practitioner of Monistic philosophy can never follow a Saakteeya path which permits animal sacrifice because An Advaita philosopher is presumed to be free from Avidya and Maaya (Ignorance and Illusion). A person free from ignorance and illusion will not sacrifice animals to propitiate Gods and Goddesses. He knows that the spirit which resides within him and outside him i.e. the Universe is only one and if the sacrificed animal suffers, he suffers. The same applies to turtles and shad fish. An Advaita philosopher survives with minimum food which is necessary to keep him healthy and strong, without causing much damage to plants and animals. Thus he integrates in a friendly way with nature. On the other hand Vivekananda craved for meat even when he is seriously sick, overweight and under doctor's advice to avoid meat. It shows that he had little control over his sense organs. An Advaita philosopher and monk is expected to be a jitendriya (conquerer of his sensual organs both physically and mentally). Shaakteeya mode of Vamachara worship was primitive and barbaric and naturally it uses meat, mantra (chants), madyam (liquor), matsyam (fish) and another 'ma' called five "ma's". Ancient Vedic practices were also barbaric, though here and there some noble sentiments were expressed. For example: Atharvana Veda contains procedures for squeezing the genitals of an enemy whether male or female or attracting enemies wives to the worshipper. This type of verses from Atharvana Veda you can find at my blog: atharvanavedayb.blogspot.com.
In spite of his epicurean habits Vivekananda was not joyful and his gloom and misery you can see in his letters addressed to Christina Greenstidel and Mary Hale. If he was really joyful, his monkhood would have been fulfilled.
I have written 138 blog posts on Vivekananda and about 10 posts on his mentor Shri Ramakrishna. Since you have chosen an ID 'fairminded', I shall be grateful if you will please read all the 148 blog posts, everyone of which is supported by proof from Swamiji's Complete Works.
About vegetarianism for monks: Swamiji and his Guru performed Viraja Homams uttering the mantras and burning belongings while taking their monkhood. In one of the mantras, they assured safety to all living beings because their soul and the souls of other livings is the same! When they consume meat, turtles or fish, they broke their own vows of guaranteeing safety to other creatures. Monkhood is not just wearing ochre robes.
In the place of 'Shaakteeya path' Sankaracharya designed 'Samayachara' for the reformed Hindus, to overcome Buddhist competition. Sama = Equality, i.e. neither left (vaama) nor rightist (dakshina). This seems to have been a work of later Sankaracharyas and not Aadi Sankaracharya (the first). Anyway, even the Samayachara is inadequate for an Advaita philosopher because true Advaita does not envisage saguna worship (worship of forms and idols) not to speak of animal sacrifices.
Advaita philosophy is nearer to the original Buddhism as preached by Siddhartha Buddha.
A Vedantin need not be gloomy, but the monkhood expects discipline from top-level preachers of the World, who are regarded as uplifters of Nations!
http://roopavathi2007.blogspot.com
Multisubj Yb TruthSeeker said...
This great spiritual genius sacrificed goat to propitiate Goddess Kali on 10th Nov. 1901. Like a layman relished turtles and shad fish and could not control his tongue before meat!
What is the use of preaching Advaita Vedanta?
February 22, 2008 6:51 AM
Shri Fairminded said...
Where does Advaita Vedanta contradicts? Sacrificing goats is an ancient tradition of shakta Hindus. Vedanta validates all these practices. Vivekananda as a monk naturally joyful in all his activities. Vedantin should be gloomy?
February 22, 2008 8:24 PM
HEADHEART JOURNAL said... To Shri Fairmind:
1. A philosopher need not be gloomy, but a balanced behavior is expected from a monk. 2. A preacher-cum-practitioner of Monistic philosophy can never follow a Saakteeya path which permits animal sacrifice because An Advaita philosopher is presumed to be free from Avidya and Maaya (Ignorance and Illusion). A person free from ignorance and illusion will not sacrifice animals to propitiate Gods and Goddesses. He knows that the spirit which resides within him and outside him i.e. the Universe is only one and if the sacrificed animal suffers, he suffers. The same applies to turtles and shad fish. An Advaita philosopher survives with minimum food which is necessary to keep him healthy and strong, without causing much damage to plants and animals. Thus he integrates in a friendly way with nature. On the other hand Vivekananda craved for meat even when he is seriously sick, overweight and under doctor's advice to avoid meat. It shows that he had little control over his sense organs. An Advaita philosopher and monk is expected to be a jitendriya (conquerer of his sensual organs both physically and mentally). Shaakteeya mode of Vamachara worship was primitive and barbaric and naturally it uses meat, mantra (chants), madyam (liquor), matsyam (fish) and another 'ma' called five "ma's". Ancient Vedic practices were also barbaric, though here and there some noble sentiments were expressed. For example: Atharvana Veda contains procedures for squeezing the genitals of an enemy whether male or female or attracting enemies wives to the worshipper. This type of verses from Atharvana Veda you can find at my blog: atharvanavedayb.blogspot.com.
In spite of his epicurean habits Vivekananda was not joyful and his gloom and misery you can see in his letters addressed to Christina Greenstidel and Mary Hale. If he was really joyful, his monkhood would have been fulfilled.
I have written 138 blog posts on Vivekananda and about 10 posts on his mentor Shri Ramakrishna. Since you have chosen an ID 'fairminded', I shall be grateful if you will please read all the 148 blog posts, everyone of which is supported by proof from Swamiji's Complete Works.
About vegetarianism for monks: Swamiji and his Guru performed Viraja Homams uttering the mantras and burning belongings while taking their monkhood. In one of the mantras, they assured safety to all living beings because their soul and the souls of other livings is the same! When they consume meat, turtles or fish, they broke their own vows of guaranteeing safety to other creatures. Monkhood is not just wearing ochre robes.
In the place of 'Shaakteeya path' Sankaracharya designed 'Samayachara' for the reformed Hindus, to overcome Buddhist competition. Sama = Equality, i.e. neither left (vaama) nor rightist (dakshina). This seems to have been a work of later Sankaracharyas and not Aadi Sankaracharya (the first). Anyway, even the Samayachara is inadequate for an Advaita philosopher because true Advaita does not envisage saguna worship (worship of forms and idols) not to speak of animal sacrifices.
Advaita philosophy is nearer to the original Buddhism as preached by Siddhartha Buddha.
A Vedantin need not be gloomy, but the monkhood expects discipline from top-level preachers of the World, who are regarded as uplifters of Nations!
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