Thank you for your unpretending and illumining viewpoints. I think
you have no idea how much your limpid essays are helping or will
help seekers everywhere.
I fully support your inner conviction that we should fight for our
rights, to paraphrase Bob Marley, and not let the "spitwad throwers"
feel they have carte blanche in harassing a bona fide spiritual
teacher. Like Sri Krishna said in the Bhagavad Gita, it is man's
dharma or duty to do good and to fight against evil. True humanity
will never criticise or scandalise others. That is invariably a sign
of an unlit, undeveloped and undivine consciousness.
However, I do not think, as you write, that seekers can
"graduate to a level of bliss and detachment where they are
unaffected" when others speak ill of their spiritual guide. If a
seeker has genuine love for his Master, how can he remain unaffected
when others are criticising him mercilessly? Only a stone-hearted
person will remain unaffected. If a child hears somebody speaking
ill of his father or mother, he will be very upset.
I found an illumining story on "srichinmoylibrary.com" about
harassment of a spiritual Master. It's a story of one of Sri
Ramakrishna's disciples with a personal comment of Sri Chinmoy at
the end. Sri Chinmoy writes:
"In our Indian scriptures, it is written that if you hear somebody
speaking ill of your Master and you do not rise to his defence, then
you are committing the greatest sin.
God alone knows which one is the right attitude. In my own case, I
have told my disciples (...) only [to] pray to the Supreme to
illumine that person. Let each human being take his own time to
realise the Truth."
And in the same book Sri Chinmoy comments on devotion:
"Inner devotion does not have to be displayed in outer gestures.
Devotion is something pure and deep inside your heart. At the same
time, if you have pure devotion, then in most cases outwardly you
will also behave well. There will be a balanced life. If one has
genuine devotion, then outwardly one will be very humble. And if we
can see goodness in others, that will also help us to improve our
devotion."
Dear A.M.,
Thank you for your unpretending and illumining viewpoints. I think
you have no idea how much your limpid essays are helping or will
help seekers everywhere.
I fully support your inner conviction that we should fight for our
rights, to paraphrase Bob Marley, and not let the "spitwad throwers"
feel they have carte blanche in harassing a bona fide spiritual
teacher. Like Sri Krishna said in the Bhagavad Gita, it is man's
dharma or duty to do good and to fight against evil. True humanity
will never criticise or scandalise others. That is invariably a sign
of an unlit, undeveloped and undivine consciousness.
However, I do not think, as you write, that seekers can
"graduate to a level of bliss and detachment where they are
unaffected" when others speak ill of their spiritual guide. If a
seeker has genuine love for his Master, how can he remain unaffected
when others are criticising him mercilessly? Only a stone-hearted
person will remain unaffected. If a child hears somebody speaking
ill of his father or mother, he will be very upset.
I found an illumining story on "srichinmoylibrary.com" about
harassment of a spiritual Master. It's a story of one of Sri
Ramakrishna's disciples with a personal comment of Sri Chinmoy at
the end. Sri Chinmoy writes:
"In our Indian scriptures, it is written that if you hear somebody
speaking ill of your Master and you do not rise to his defence, then
you are committing the greatest sin.
God alone knows which one is the right attitude. In my own case, I
have told my disciples (...) only [to] pray to the Supreme to
illumine that person. Let each human being take his own time to
realise the Truth."
The whole story can be found here:
http://www.srichinmoylibrary.com/god-intoxicated-man/13.html
And in the same book Sri Chinmoy comments on devotion:
"Inner devotion does not have to be displayed in outer gestures.
Devotion is something pure and deep inside your heart. At the same
time, if you have pure devotion, then in most cases outwardly you
will also behave well. There will be a balanced life. If one has
genuine devotion, then outwardly one will be very humble. And if we
can see goodness in others, that will also help us to improve our
devotion."
http://www.srichinmoylibrary.com/god-intoxicated-man/19.html
Best regards,
Abhinabha
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