Thank you again, Sundari, for your detailed response, the two attachments you shared, and your honesty. This is one of the reasons I value Vedanta and Vedanta teachers—they are committed to truth rather than telling students what they want to hear.
Sundari: You are most welcome, Martin. It’s a pleasure hearing from you as you are a clear and honest thinker too. You are right, a true Vedanta teacher does not sugar coat anything because that is not helpful for the inquirer, assuming they are qualified. If you are not ready for nonduality, you will not like this and will look for something that does not challenge the ego identity. We tell you upfront who you are, but we also tell you what stands in the way of not only hearing that but actualizing it. There is a very big difference between the two.
Martin: I can see more clearly that I am in a hurry to remove beginningless ignorance. Or perhaps it is ignorance itself in the form of rajas, pretending to remove itself.
Sundari: This tendency to rush once you start understanding what the nondual teachings mean is very common. Ignorance is painful and one wants to be rid of it as soon as possible. But it’s not so easy, unfortunately.
Martin: Looking back, I recognize this same rajasic doer from my worldly life and later the Neo-Advaita phase. This tendency to rush for quick results has clearly followed me into my self-inquiry journey as well, and your response has helped me see it more clearly.
Sundari: It is very good that you acknowledge this tendency because it can be a very big obstacle to Self-actualization. Self-realization is a big deal for most inquirers, and with it comes the tendency to believe you are ‘done’. But that is rarely true. Usually, Self-realization is where the work of self-inquiry begins. The problem is always that the ego identity does not give up easily. The mind gets it, but ignorance is subtle and hardwired.
Martin: I would still like to speak with you after developing some qualifications and making the donation. However, I now understand my focus: to develop the four qualifications by cultivating sattva and reducing rajas through Karma Yoga and Tri Guna Vibhava Yoga, while continuing a steady and systematic study of Vedanta. This includes Ramji’s 300+ hours of videos, his books, and your trilogy, all without rushing. I can see that trying to force the process is itself the rajasic doer. The mind must be prepared before Self-knowledge can be assimilated.
Sundari: You are most welcome Martin, we are here to help you in any way we can.
Martin: Finally, I deeply appreciate your book What Is the Body? I need to study it more deeply. Your integration of modern hormone theory—especially insulin management—with Tri Guna Yoga was outstanding. I have not seen Vedanta and contemporary science combined in this way before.
It also made me reflect that while much attention is given to purifying the subtle body, comparatively little is given to the gross body beyond general dietary labels (veganism & vegetarianism). Your explanation of caring for the gross body through sound scientific principles and its role in supporting a sattvic mind, was both clear and valuable.
Sundari: Thank you. Purifying the body is a very important factor, as are all lifestyle issues. An unhealthy lifestyle or body impacts the mind, making peace of mind much more difficult.
Om
Sundari
