Body, dharma, mind
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
743
Swamiji reading and commenting to the renunciates [brahmacharis, monks, nuns]
A man who has given up all such relations for the sake of the dharma [righteousness, the path, duty]. . .
Swamiji comments: When we read the word dharma we must think, not only of the institution, but of dharma for one's real nature.
. . . and has no abiding place for either his body or his mind, he has become my disciple and is to be called a homeless brother.
Swamiji comments: The homeless brother [monk] says he has no relationship with the body. He knows this will perish one day. What's the use of putting on lipstick and powder or exercising it? It will die. But you exercise it only for it to serve your own purpose; for the sake of the mind, which is projected in the form of the body. What is this body if not mind? This body is nothing else but mind. Each minute cell, if you divide it, has a mind of its own.
If his mind is disturbed by greed, he is far from me. Though he dresses like a monk but does not accept the teaching, he does not see me.
The [gerrua, monastic] garb [of the sannyasi (monk) or sannyasini (nun)] is not all. If you practise the teaching then, even if you don't have the garb, you are still his disciple. Disciple means spiritual authority of owning a master. The word disciple to me means the spiritual authority to own a master. You own the master, nothing less. Just as a son who is born from a particular father owns the father.
But if he has removed all greed and his mind is pure and peaceful he is very close to me though he be thousands of miles away. If he receives the dharma he sees Me in it.
Dharma – the laws, the instructions – he sees Me in it. First we see the body and make out a man. The body is not the man. We say the soul is in this man. Similarly when we find a man practising spiritual laws and regulations we say he is a monk. So the visible expression of a monk is his obedience to the principles of the dharma.
1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.
There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.
Sri Ramakrishna Sri Sarada Devi Swami Vivekananda
Swami Nischalananda Swami Shivapadananda
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - read online
Reference websites – please mouse over the name and click to connect:
Ramakrishna Math and Mission Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa Ramakrishna Dham