From: dkarma@pro-nbs.cts.com (Druta Karma)
Subject: Re: Questions
Organization: ProLine [pro-nbs] San Diego (Tierrasanta), CA.  (619) 571-0152
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 92 03:20:09 GMT


In <1992Apr9.213626.19123@iitmax.iit.edu>
johnw@farside.eng.ready.com (John Wheeler) writes:

>I would like to propose the following questions for discussion.
>
>1) If someone asked you, What is enlightenment?, what would you tell them? 

Enlightenment is the the attainment of understanding oneself to be an eternal
personality different from the temporary material body, and further
understanding one's relationship with the supreme eternal personality,
Krishna, the reservoir of all pleasure. The ultimate enlightenment is to enter
into one's individual eternal loving relationship with Krishna, which can be
in one of five rasas (tastes): 1: passive adoration 2: reverential service 3:
friendship 4: parental affection 5: conjugal love.
>
>2) If someone asked you how they might practically go about discovering
>   such a realization for themselves, what advice would you give them?  

Theoretical understanding that one is not the body, etc., can be obtained by
logic, reason, etc. but actually experiencing it and understanding it requires
practice. The practice for understanding that one is not the material body but
an eternal soul with a loving relationship with Krishna is called bhakti-yoga,
the yoga of devotion. The principle practice of bhakti-yoga is meditation on
the Hare Krishna mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare
Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Right now we are in a
sleeping dreaming condition, and hearing this transcendental sound vibration
wakes the soul up to its eternal state. As much as you can concentrate your
mind on the mantra, to that extent the process of awakening and enlightment
takes place. Krishna is not different from the name Krishna.

>
>3) If someone asked you to honestly state your own current level of spiritual 
>   understanding or realization, what would be your answer?  

It is said that the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra proceeds in three
stages. The offensive stage, the clearing stage, and the perfect stage. I am
in the clearing stage. Other texts say the process of bhakti-yoga proceeds in
stages. The first is called sraddha, or initial faith. I had that or else I
wouldn't be practicing bhakti-yoga. The next stage is sadhu-sanga, which means
associating with people practicing bhakti-yoga. So at a certain point I did
that. The next stage is bhajana-kriya, which means taking up the practices. So
I have done that. Bhajana kriya includes becoming the disicple of a spiritual
master in the line of succession coming down from Krishna. So I have done
that. Next stage is called anartha-nivrtti, which clearing away unwanted
things from the heart, things that block love of Krishna. Principally, these
are intoxication, gambling, illicit sex, meat-eating. Then there are subtler
contaminations of the ego, which I am not completely freed from but which I
can see have diminished over the past 20 years. Next stage is nistha, or firm
faith, which means that because of one's experience, one becomes fully
convinced of the efficacy of the process. So I have such conviction. Next
stage is ruci, which means a positive taste for devotional service. So at
least I have some ruci, or positive taste. Beyond that there are further
stages, up to bhava and prema, the stage of pure love for Krishna. So I still
have quite a ways to go to attain that. I still have a lot of subtle material
attachments.

Your servant,



Druta Karma
>
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