Upanishads Authenticity & Why Everything is Brahman (4)

Teaching notes: www.yesvedanta... | Source: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2. Credit given to James Swartz & Chinmaya Mission.

[@sanketkelkar1378]

I have discovered a gold mine of knowledge:):) Thank you Andre.

[@Tarunc78]

Thank you Andre !! Am looking for this self knowledge!! You are great !! Thank you!!

[@shoo1963]

The explanation for the Fat Buddha , and Ganesha were awesome . Continue the good work !!

[@YesVedanta]

Noted with thanks. :)

[@seanmc83]

Thank you so much for sharing these teachings in such a clear way.. I am also reading dayanandas 9 volume book set on the gita and also read the shining world website regularly. These all complement each other so well.

[@nanditagupta9161]

I thank god that i found you😊😊

[@AereForst]

Fantastic lecture series. Thank you. This lecture would have been even better were it not for the too frequent interruptions...

[@Dramko]

I absolutely love the mind map. Thank you so much. Prem

[@cadearcher8887]

I am very grateful. Thank you.

[@exstazius]

I think - the thinker of the thought is just a thought.

[@utna90]

Namaste teacher Andre. You asked "who doesn't want to be the whole" and I think your students answered promptly without thinking about it a lot. I mean, if I am the whole, that means I am also all that is included in Maya, I am the healer but also the killer, the rapist, and all the evil that one can think and imagine there is on Earth. Is that so easy for a simple human being to accept? Even if it knows that all that is an illusion. I mean how easy can it be to absorb all that? Thanks!

[@YesVedanta]

Hope this was sent via email also. The "I am" is parā-prakṛti. All else is aparā-prakṛti. This will become clear in chapter 7 of videos. Yes, you are everything, but everything is not you. EG: When person dreams, the person pervades the entire dream world of healers/killers/etc. Meaning the entire dream world is made out of the waker in bed. While the waker remains free of the dream world throughout during of dream time-space. EG: If "you" die in dream, what "you" has died? The dream character. The real you as waker is releved to know the dream world had nothing to do with YOU. Much more will be explained in CH7.

[@Kintiino]

Greetings teacher Andre. I require clarification on a couple of points mentioned on this video. Since Ishwara knows everything... and the real nature of Ishwara is non different from the real nature of any given individual, that would imply that the knowledge of a Self-realized individual and Ishwara would be equal. However, you state that "only Ishwara knows everything" and that "a Jiva will always remain a Jiva, regardless of whether the individual has realized his/her true Self". Does this mean that: 1) Ishwara does knows EVERYTHING, in the sense of knowing both the true nature of the Self (which pervades everything) and ALSO every specific aspect of the manifested universe, whereas the Self-realized individual knows his/her true nature ONLY, with no knowledge about the specifics? or 2) Both Ishwara and the Self-realized individual know the same- namely everything, but only in the sense of the knowledge of the nature of the Self, excluding the specifics. Thank you!! Namaste.

[@YesVedanta]

Please to resolve indeed. Person (realized or not) can only know relative knowledge. EG: You know physics but don't know geography. I know painting, but don't know drawing. Etc... Meaning it's same for Self-Realized person, in terms of material world. What the self-realized knows is "I and Isvara enjoy the one same Truth, Brahman". Meaning, such person knows there is no difference between jiva (body-mind), Isvara and Brahman. Just like there's no difference between Wave (person), Ocean (Isvara), Brahman (Water). Meaning, all is WATER only appearing as Ocean and Wave. The Ocean (Isvara) has knowledge of all the Waves (realized or ignorant people). However the self-realized wave knows "All that is here is Me (Water)". Whereas the ignorant wave only focuses on the wave, and neglects the Ocean and the Water, thus suffers because one thinks "That's a much more handsome wave then I, I wish I could be that wave!". All this is explained in much more detail in following videos. :-)

[@Kintiino]

@@YesVedanta Thank you, thank you, thank you for the clarification 🙏

[@lindamckenzie1537]

Question: You say "you do exactly what you're doing now, but you change your attitude." How does this apply when the nature of the work one does may be socially acceptable and in some cases even socially lauded, but is nevertheless immoral by virtue of being harmful? Obvious examples would be owning a slaughterhouse or butcher shop; being CEO or senior executive of a tobacco company, a fossil fuel company, a junk foods company or a predatory bank or other financial institution, etc. The nature of capitalism is that many jobs are not just "bullshit jobs" as David Graeber has called them, but also that many jobs involve exploitation, manipulation, dishonesty and predation as intrinsic to the business model, in order to maximise profits for shareholders. There's no amount of having a good attitude that will change the anti-social nature of these occupations. It would seem to me that karma yoga would require finding an occupation that at least has some element of doing something socially useful and genuinely serving others, in addition to having the right attitude. Otherwise, I'm reminded of the "McMindfulness" phenomenon of meditation being used to help relieve stress and gain focus to make a killing on Wall St. while ignoring the moral context that pertains in a traditional Buddhist approach. I realise it may be very difficult for some people to change their occupation, but surely there's a whole range of occupations in neoliberal capitalism that are just not compatible with dharma because they *inherently* are himsic. How can we overlook this to make it only about attitude? What good is a positive attitude while doing something that's inherently harmful?

[@YesVedanta]

Most in CEO position, like mining company or in business of explotation of people's psychological weaknesses for sake of shareholder profits, or even car sales man who applies fake rapport/trust-tactics for agenda of buyers wallet... won't even arrive to karma yoga stage. Thus we can not speak on behalf of others. What difference will it make when the "other" is not directly involved in the conversation. Vedanta isn't about "What about others who violate morality?". It's about you and your personal life, the very student who is learning and wishing to improve. Hence question changes to "How can I apply karma yoga in-and-through my own actions and thoughts?". It has nothing to do with positive/negative attitude. Only an attitude which is most appropriate right now, now, now, now, now. EG: If someone is playing excessively loud music in neighbour, we don't pretend and say "Let them be. They are expression of divinity". Rather, TAKE ACTION on behalf of the community, go over and politely say "Please consider the wellbeing of the neighbours. Please turn it down at least a half because __". Thus Karma yoga is responding approrpriately in every moment, backed by virtues of non-hurting (doing best we can to NOT directly/indirectly cause unpleasentness in another, even though we will unintentionally hurt, but at least we're attempting consciously to not injure).

[@YesVedanta]

I hope we are going through this course properly and seeing extended/important text notes at: www.yesvedanta.com/advaita-vedanta-melbourne/

[@lindamckenzie1537]

@@YesVedanta Okay, thanks for responding and point taken. The examples I gave of harmful or exploitative occupations were at the more extreme end and I accept that those engaged in these occupations are not going to arrive at the point of practising karma yoga, so the question is irrelevant as far as they are concerned. However, many people in such positions profess an interest in spirituality and even some in nonduality, which has become fashionable. So if they were to ask the question as to how to practice karma yoga, would your advice involve changing to a more ethical occupation? It's a reality that, aside from the fact that so many jobs in modern capitalist society are basically useless and meaningless (see David Graeber's 'Bullshit Jobs'), many involve some degree of exploitation even if they are not at the more extreme end of the scale. For example, even low-paid call centre workers often have to shade the truth or try to sell people things they don't need and don't really want, using manipulative sales tactics, if they want to eat and have a roof over their heads. A vegan retail worker may have no choice but to sell items made of leather or wool, etc. which involve great suffering and death for animals. Or as a restaurant worker may have to serve meat, fish, dairy and eggs, all of which involve violence. They need to do this for the sake of making a living, in the absence of other options, even though it conflicts with their own value of ahimsa. I'm not critical of these workers; I sympathise with their plight. It's not always easy or possible to find a better option. These jobs are not generally considered unethical, but to the morally discerning person with a well-developed conscience, they are. In these cases, how would you advise such a person to incorporate karma yoga into their work life? I accept that it's impossible to avoid all harm while living in this world, however much we may try. This question is relevant to me personally because I've been in a similar situation in the past to the ones I refer to, and may well be again in the future. I know others who are interested in AV who are in this situation right now. The fact is that it can be very hard to avoid unless you are financially independent. I very much appreciate your response so far and accept what you are saying.

[@lindamckenzie1537]

@@YesVedanta Thank you, no, I hadn't seen those and will definitely look at them. I see now that you've included this information in your notes here. Thanks for offering this course for free, greatly appreciated.

[@YesVedanta]

@@lindamckenzie1537 "even some in nonduality, which has become fashionable." > This is painful truth to hear. Same thing happend to Yoga in West, and it turned into money and lifestyle. That's very purpose of my existence, to seperate kindergarten Western non-duallity from traditional Sanskrit based Advaita. -- "So if they were to ask the question as to how to practice karma yoga, would your advice involve changing to a more ethical occupation?" > At the beginning only change the attitude towards the occupation. Let's face it, few will actually change occupation, even if told. In contrast to spiritual growth, attachment to worldly security is more powerful. EG: If one loses a job, their mind will be on money almost 24/7. Spirituality will become the least of worries. -- "In these cases, how would you advise such a person to incorporate karma yoga into their work life? " > In short: Karma Yoga is about simplifying your life. Ask "How can I have LESS going on?". Initially, Karma Yoga is not about changing, adding, subtracting any action. It's entirely an attitude change towards all daily transactions. Including transactions with own thoughts. Why is it an attitude change? Because all this belongs to Lord, which I am not separate from. This is a vision of highest maturity. Next 20+ videos will explain in detail. -- "This question is relevant to me personally because I've been in a similar situation in the past to the ones I refer to, and may well be again in the future. I know others who are interested in AV who are in this situation right now. The fact is that it can be very hard to avoid unless you are financially independent. " > Karma Yoga in modern life is, "Sort out (if any) issues with parents. Sort out financial issues. Sort out relationship conflicts which agitate the mind. Recreate the external environment to reflect what you stand for. While purusing spirituality/dharma ". Otherwise, worldly distractions (Netflix, entertainment, movies, mindless conversations without depth, news) will steal, like a theif, any sufficient and worthwhile time for sādhana. If one doesn't assertively PROTECT their vision in life, life will be: One step forward, One step back. One step forward, one step back. Feels like progress, but only in saṃsāra (non stop cycle of birth-death). In short: Define the vision of life (course will help with this). Protect the vision from worldly distractions.