T…..: Are your writings about Trump mithya or dharma?
Ram: l’ll assume that you are trying to learn something and not just defend your political orientation. The answer is both. It is both mithya and dharma. Dharma and adharma are mithya as the Gita says. Do you know why? You must not know because the question reveals the fact that you don’ know what the purpose of Vedanta is, which is to remove the necessary all-important satya/mithya teaching with reference to your identity, once it has done its job, which it obviously hasn’t, or you would not have asked the question. Like Krishna in the Gita, I have been trying to get you to understand satya/mithya since you first came because it is crucial.
Why do you fail to see its importance? Because you see me as Ramji or James or whatever, and you think that person is teaching you. It would be very different if you saw both the teaching and James as Isvara. It makes sense, however, because that T…… person is getting a lot of benefit from Vedanta. Good for him!
But the next thing that must happen to your understanding is to discover the downside of a much-improved T…… Now you are a good moral spiritual person with spiritual practice, but so what? You are just back to normal, and suffering continues. I’m sure you think it is illogical to be asked to master satya/mithya only to throw it away.
I happen to agree with you that Trump is a very unhealthy demonic person and a very bad role model. Society was deteriorating to the degree that he got elected in the first place. He hastened the process. It seems to be disintegrating even with good old Joe at the helm. The crisis in American democracy is a spiritual crisis masquerading as a social/political conflict. The good news is that he would be a lame duck if elected and Republican knives would be out, and complacent arrogant liberals would be more highly motivated to elect a moral candidate. The worst thing that could happen to him personally is re-election. It should inspire tears of compassion in even hardcore liberal progressives. Keep in mind that in a democracy both the right and the left need to wield the levers of power or there will be revolution. In fact, democracy is alive and kicking. The Republican whiners are now taking power at the local and state levels as we speak and governance is log-jammed, which will make the bi-partisan legislation more attractive. Every cloud has a silver lining.
Anyway, the whole Trump issue is a non-starter for people like us. The question of your obsession with politics and society raises the question of why you are interested in Vedanta apart from the self-improvement issue? It’s fine with me if you aren’t. It’s fine with me too as I have nothing to gain except the appreciation of seeing a dim bulb start to sparkle with Self knowledge. But fixing yourself, which Karma Yoga does, is just a means to an end, which is freedom.
I teach moksha, not Vedanta, T……. Moksha is freedom from T…… The only way you are going to get free of that guy is to discover you aren’t him. And to do that you have to stand in awareness as awareness, which you demonstrate by maintaining your freedom by constantly discriminating satya (yourself) from mithya, the conceptual person person named T…… Swamiji said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.” Let others worry about the state of democracy or get into politics and put their money where their mouths are. A Vedanta person is seeking freedom.
I don’t think I’m the right teacher for you. I tell the truth, whether it is convenient or not, but I’m not itching to tell it…only when my duty as a teacher demands it. One of our big donors…we were friends…left the sanga recently because I said a few very truthful things as his friendly guru. And although he was a great karma yogi in theory, he was unable to take what I said to heart. He steamed off in a huff, caught himself and parted company gracefully. He is now looking for another Vedanta teacher who presumably will agree with him and prove me wrong. But any Vedanta teacher worth his salt will say the same thing. One thing most people can’t see is the lies they tell themselves. That’s why a guru comes with the rest of the package.
Perhaps my view that you don’t understand the purpose of Vedanta and the relative importance of the satya/mithya teaching will generate a similar reaction in you. I hope not, but let’s see how you deal with it. The only appropriate reaction is “OK, what should I do now? I doubt that will be your reaction because I don’t see you as a particularly humble person. You’re a bit Arjuna-like, a chip on the shoulder and looking for a fight. Apart from its value as a learning experience, a fight with me would definitely be humbling because I’m a lot more well-informed on both politics and Vedanta by Isvara’s grace. If you fall silent, I will understand the silence as a kind of tacit agreement that you still have something to learn. If you do, nothing needs to change. Take advantage of the resources ShiningWorld provides (without donating of course) and soldier on.
I’m in an enviable position by no fault of my own. I can pick and choose who I want to teach. That would be humble people who are not afraid to acknowledge their Self ignorance. Fortunately, there are plenty of them in the ShiningWorld sanga and growing by the day. My posts are read daily by several thousand people. One recent post garnered over 11,000 views with many upvotes, commentaries and shares. Vedanta works, no doubt about it. So, think about it and let me know. I wish you well no matter what.
Love,
Ram
Here’s an example of the right attitude. It just came in today.
Dear Ramji and Sundari,
I wasn’t expecting anything to occur today in satsanga. I intentionally submitted a question in chat rather than verbalizing my question. I was attempting to fly under the radar asking about point (5) What is trust? Is it dangerous?. As a result of my question, I was somehow initiated into the Shiningworld Sampradaya with Ramji’s ever present intuitive gaze and directed truth. It was miraculous to be told (in so many words) to settle down.
Advaita Vedanta, as you teach it, provides the complete teachings. I love studying scriptures and am shining with what I know and what I don’t know. Shiningworld has been a foundational presence in my life for many years.
My ashram-life-guru is no longer my guru, for obvious reasons that I have shared with you. I never imagined being open to trust a spiritual teacher again. I have been content studying with many teachers. I hadn’t settled with you, Ramji, as my Guru. I hadn’t settled anywhere. I wasn’t looking to settle. I thought the guru-shishya tradition was behind me.
Your teachings in the last three Snday satsangas, along with Sundari’s, and Rory’s, and the group dynamics, embraced my values and wrapped me in safety. Honoring both of you, and my closeness with Rory, allowed me to receive your guidance open heartedly today. I am more aligned with Shiningworld than ever. I believe a healing of a rift, a crack, a fissure, a schism occurred deep in my soul.
Thank you both for your impeccable values: attentiveness to Consciousness, to each other, to the teachings, to your students, and to the sampradaya.
I am blessed.
Ishvara done me good today!
