non-duality

There is no Duality in Non-duality | Self-knowledge

~ Tom Das ~ 1 Comment

[Sri Ramana Maharshi writes in] Upadesa Undiyar verse 26, “Being Self is itself knowing Self, because Self is that which is devoid of duality…“.

Therefore it follows that the very nature of Self is itself knowledge, though it is a knowledge which is devoid of the act of knowing.

That is why Sri Bhagavan says in verse 12 of Ulladu Narpadu, “ … That which knows cannot be [true] knowledge … “.

The same truth is also expressed by Sri Muruganar in verse 831 of Mey Tava Vilakkam, where he says, “The real ‘I’ is such a knowledge which knows neither other things nor itself”.

Since Self-knowledge is non-dual, it is a knowledge which shines without the triad [triputi] – the knower, the act of knowing and the object known – and hence it is quite different from other kinds of knowledge, all of which involve the act of knowing.

~ Sri Sadhu Om, commentary on Guru Vachaka Kovai verse 1038

Attend for FREE – Tom Das speaking at ‘Many Paths, One Self’ conference this Saturday 22nd April 16:30pm UK time

~ Tom Das ~ Leave a comment

This Saturday 22nd April I’ll be speaking at the ‘Many Paths, One Self’ conference at 16:30pm UK time.

Please use this afffiliate link to register and attend for free.


Ramana Maharshi on those who ridicule idol-worship or image-worship | Non-duality | Bhakti

~ Tom Das ~ 4 Comments

Also see:

Does Jnana (or Self-Enquiry) lead to Bhakti (or Self-Surrender) or the other way round?

Non-dual devotion, worship and prayer

Here we see Sri Ramana Maharshi’s teaching on those who ridicule and denounce idol-worship or image-worship as follows in Guru Vachaka Kovai verse 208:


208

O you that ridicule idol-worship, having not discovered through heart-melting love its secret, how is that you [daily] worship the filthy idol of your body as ‘I’?


Commentary on this verse by Sri Sadhu Om:

It is generally believed that idol worship is to mistake an idol as God and to treat it accordingly, offering it a bath, cloth, food, and all hospitality; but to mistake a body as Self, and to treat it accordingly, is also a form of idol worship. Indeed to treat and love a body as ‘I’ is the primal mistake which leads to all other forms of idol worship. So it is clear that we are all idol-worshippers, even if we take pride in scorning those that worship temple idols.

As long as one takes one’s body as ‘I’, there is no wrong in also worshipping an idol as God, and until one feels that it is wrong to treat one’s body as ‘I’, one should not be scornful and criticize others for treating an idol as God.

If one first roots out and destroys the ‘I am the body’ notion, one is then in a position to criticize idol worship, if such criticism is necessary [in the light of Jnana such criticism will of course be clearly seen as unnecessary].

Online Satsang with Tom Das | Advaita with loving devotion to Sri Ramana Maharshi | Online Non-duality meetings | Advaita Vedanta

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See here for more details

Please join us – all are welcome and no prior knowledge is required.

We meet ONLINE twice every week (every Thursday 8pm and Sunday 3pm UK time).

We meet IN-PERSON on the first Sunday of every month at 2pm UK time and this meeting is also livestreamed on Zoom.

Meetings often start with some Silence followed by some readings, a talk and some questions. The initial silence is a wonderful opportunity for stillness and to put the teachings into practice.

After the meeting there is an opportunity to stay and connect with other people attending the meeting.

To join or find out more please see this link.