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chrisparis
Registered User
(9/11/02 8:07 am)
Reply 		Re: Thank you redpurusha
(This message was left blank)

Edited by: chrisparis at: 11/22/02 7:43:59 am
LotusLeaf
Registered User
(9/11/02 11:15 am)
Reply 		Re: Thank you redpurusha
Why make comparisons between the householder or monastic path? I've known people who have become monastics in both SRF and catholic monestaries. I almost went into one myself. People enter for a variety of reasons--not functioning in the world well, wanting intense contemplation, feeling a "calling"--but what does that matter? Everyone has to do what inwardly feels right to them even though outwardly to others in may seem simplistic or cowardly, or....whatever. We have no way of really knowing another's inner self, karmic patters, lessons they need to learn, etc. Sometimes I have inwardly felt to do something that seemed almost ridiculous on the surface, but later revealed some very needed lesson, or some good came of it in a seemingly "coincidental" way. I think this is intuition at work, and each person must find his or her own way to come to terms with those inward suggestions.

But, for the record, PY wrote in the AY in a discussion of which is the higher path--yogi householder, or swami (1st Edition--which an elderly friend of mine has in the very original published):

"To fulfill one's earthly responsibilities is indeed the higher path, provided the yogi, maintaining a mental uninvolvement with egotistical desires, plays his part as a willing instrument of God."

SRF changed this to read:

"Fulfilling one's earthly responsibilities need not separate man from God, provided he maintains mental uninvolvement with egotistical desires and plays his part in life as a willing instrument of the Divine." My oldest copy is from 1974, my newest from 1981. Perhaps SRF has changed this quote more since then, I'm not sure.

This is in the chapter that SRF titles, "I Become a Monk of the Swami Order."

As usual, SRF has watered down this passage for the householder, implying thereby that the monastic path is the highest.

Edited by: LotusLeaf at: 9/11/02 11:18:17 am
redpurusha
Registered User
(9/11/02 11:54 am)
Reply 		Re: Thank you redpurusha
"And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.
"But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, (35) an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. " -Luke 12

chrisparis, being a householder (I presume) you take the side of the householder and put down the lifestytle of the monastics, as if one was right and the other was a wrong way of living. In reality however, people have different needs at different times in their evolution. In truth there are successful stories of people living both types of lifestyles. You have a good point about the mistake of taking the bible too literally -many of the things Jesus and the bible say have been gravely misunderstood in history. As hard as I have tried to understand the gospel in the metaphysical and spiritual, and deeper way - I admit I don't understand all of it.
Yogananda does go into great detail and if ever the "Second Coming" ever comes out (from the SRF vaults) it could prove to be very helpful in this subject.

As it is an allegory in the Bhagavad Gita that "friends" and "relatives" are spoken of as representing the "senses" and other aspects dealing with inner psychological warfare, it is very likely that the "family, friends, brothers" etc are also representing in a deeper metaphysical way something else to leave behind, to abandon -in order to establish a bodily kingdom ruled by king soul. I have found great interest in this deeper metaphysical inerpretation, as given in the Gita, and how it relates to the christian gospel. I just am not sure how exactly, what particular verses of Jesus about family and friends, correspond to particular aspects dealing with the inner war. In the letters by the disciples of Jesus, and in the gospel, many times there is reference to a call for war and division.

"Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. "They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." -Luke 12

I think this is cool stuff. I believe it has to do with the inner battle, not to be taken literally, but I am not sure of the precise interpretation. However, I don't believe what PigMa is doing is taking this verse literally, but placing herself in an enviroment she thinks is most comfortable and helpful in her spiritual progress. I guess it would be best if her husband shared similar views and they could live there together... that it is a dilemma and she has to decide what is best for her.

Edited by: redpurusha at: 9/11/02 11:59:47 am
redpurusha
Registered User
(9/11/02 12:17 pm)
Reply 		Re: Thank you redpurusha
Thats interesting Lotusleaf, how Yogananda wrote in the original aubiobiography that the householder path or fulfilling one's earthly responsibilities is "indeed the higher path" as opposed to just being a swami (monastic). Now that I think about it, inner success (finding God) in addition to outer success (earthly responsibilities) does sound like a bigger challenge (or higher) than just finding God within (attained through living in a monestary). But perhaps this is a good reason for some to enter an ashram, to create an environment that makes it easier to find God's kingdom. This cannot, as chrisparis says, be considered cowardly however. There are different paths for everyone, the most important thing is that we are all heading in the right direction -towards God's kingdom.

parabastha
Registered User
(9/11/02 1:45 pm)
Reply 		Re: Thank you redpurusha

I don't think that Yogananda was saying that the householder life is a higher path than the monastic one. After all, both householders and monastics (at least in SRF) have a plent of "earthly responsabilities" to fulfill. As we can note, he didn't wrote "worldly" but "earthly" responsabilities. I think we could read in that passage, "To fulfill one's earthly responsibilities, whether as a monastic or a householder, is indeed the higher path, provided the yogi, maintaining a mental uninvolvement with egotistical desires, plays his part as a willing instrument of God." SRF could have edited that passage that way. It would prevent one of thinking that one way of life is higher than the other one.

caliyogi
Registered User
(9/20/02 8:04 pm)
Reply 		Hi Piggy ma!
PigMa - nice to hear that you are having a nice time at ananda. i left you an email on your cox account, not sure if you read it.

Many Blessings from Caliyogi

Pigga Mata
Registered User
(10/2/02 4:21 am)
Reply 		Re: Hi Piggy ma!
Hi Calyogi!

I'm so sorry it took this long to get back to you. I asked Jeff to send them, and he says they were not on my San Diego email account.


Joyfully,

Jackie, aka Pigga mata, aka Pig Ma

Edited by: Pigga Mata at: 11/22/02 10:48:31 pm
MastersChela
Registered User
(12/3/02 9:21 pm)
Reply 		Message deleted
Message deleted

Edited by: MastersChela at: 12/4/02 8:31:16 pm
GregsBrother
Registered User
(12/28/02 7:15 pm)
Reply 		Re: Message deleted
As a reader of this board I would enjoy an update on life at Ananda.

(and what is up with these blank "message deleted" messages?)

srfwalrus
ezOP
(1/1/03 8:15 pm)
Reply
Re: Message deleted
For some reason I don't understand this board company does not allow posters to delete their own messages. They can edit them but not delete them. Therefore if you want to remove a message you just blank it out.

GregsBrother
Registered User
(1/1/03 10:39 pm)
Reply 		Re: Message deleted
Thanks SRFwalrus


I figured that much. I just wonder why people are so careful about what they post here.

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