Jnana and Vijnana, dual and non-dual
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
636
Tota Puri [pictured above – the Advaita Vedanta 'teacher' of Sri Ramakrishna] gave Sri Ramakrishna nirvakalpa samadhi, the experience of God without form. Sri Ramakrishna, on the other hand, was a worshipper (in the beginning) of God with form and after realisation he was 'still making chapatti,' in the words of Tota Puri. But if Sri Ramakrishna did not make that chapatti how would we 'eat' it today? We must eat. This refers to the time when Sri Ramakrishna was clapping his hands and saying 'Hari Om, Hari Om, Hari Om, Kali Om, Kali Om, Hari Om,' and Tota Puri, seeing this said, 'What's all this?' Master said, 'I'm praying to my Mother.' Tota Puri said, 'Don't you know this is all maya [delusion/illusion] – nothing exists?' Sri Ramakrishna said, 'Saru, the favoured one, (Ramakrishna favoured him with [dualistic – with form] realisation later on) my [Divine] Mother exists, I am telling you.' Tota Puri again said, 'Nothing exists.'
Later that night Tota Puri had severe stomach trouble. But when he tried to go and drown himself [conscious leaving of the body in water – called Jal Samadhi] he found that he could not do it because the water in the Ganga [river Ganges] was not deep enough [he was unknowingly walking on a sandbank]. And then he saw Mother Maya standing there smiling at him. When he went back to Sri Ramakrishna, Master looked at him and said these very beautiful words: 'Maharaj, you are very calm today, you are looking like a complete man.' [Sri Ramakrishna referred to that state as 'vijnana' – one who knows both sides of the same coin – with form and without form].
Before this, he [Tota Puri] was not complete. Then Tota Puri said, 'Now I know your Mother Maya [saguna Brahman] exists and that which is nirguna [Brahman] also exists. That is why the Mother brought me here.'
Instead of staying at Dakshineswar for three days [his normal time at a holy place] Tota Puri stayed for eleven months. So you can see that we have to accept both the shakti [creative 'nature' power of Brahman] and the purusha [spirit], and then go beyond them.
When the avatars [Incarnations] come they show the gurus [spiritual preceptors] what to do. And this is the greatness of Sri Ramakrishna: he taught all the gurus. He did not leave any out. He taught them and took them higher and higher. He made a bridge between one called maya and another called Satchidananda [Existence, Knowledge, Bliss, Absolute].
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 Puri, Swami Shivapadananda
Click Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to read online…
Reference websites (please mouse-over
the name to connect): Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of SA, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa,
Ramakrishna Dham, Swami Shivapadananda 2