"The very first step in understanding what this is all about is giving up the concept of an active, volitional 'I' as a separate entity and accepting the passive role of perceiving and functioning as a process." - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Avatar and Jnani

Sri Ramana Maharshi

D.: The avatars are said to be more glorious than the self-realised jnanis. Maya does not affect them from birth; divine powers are manifest; new religions are started; and so on.

M.: (1) “Jnani tvatmaiva me matam.”
(2) “Sarvam khalvidam brahma.”

How is an avatar different from a jnani; or how can there be an avatar as distinct from the universe?

D.: The eye (chakshu) is said to be the repository (ayatana) of all forms; so the ear (srotra) is of all sounds, etc. The one Chaitanya operates as all; no miracles are possible without the aid of the senses (indriyas). How can there be miracles at all? If they are said to surpass human understanding so are the creations in dreams.

Where then is the miracle?

The distinction between Avataras and Jnanis is absurd. “Knower of Brahman becomes Brahman only” is otherwise contradicted.

M.: Quite so.

No comments:

Post a Comment

सर्वभूताधिवासं यद्भूतेषु च वसत्यपि।
सर्वानुग्राहकत्वेन तद्स्म्यहं वासुदेवः॥

That in whom reside all beings and who resides in all beings,
who is the giver of grace to all, the Supreme Soul of the universe, the limitless being:
I AM THAT. -- Amritabindu Upanishad