Vijnana – know both sides of the coin
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
[now a Centre of the international Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission]
DAILY READINGS
Selected from Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji.
Day 837
Swamiji speaking at the end of a Yoga spiritual retreat
My guru [Swamiji's beloved spiritual preceptor His Holiness Swami Nischalananda Puri, 1st President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa] told me, 'If you want to find out anything, my son, you must go and find out for yourself, first hand.' It is the mind that is the obstacle not God; and it is not the Lord's dhootas and bhutas [messengers]. It is this mind that can make a heaven of this Earth and it is this mind that can make hell of this Earth.
I feel blessed that Gurudev [Swami Nischalananda] led us this far. I know I am indebted to him.
Sri Ramakrishna says, 'Ma, Ma [Divine Mother], all is your grace. I am the machine and Thou art the operator.' Sometimes there is oneness [monism – advaita vedanta] and sometimes duality [thinking we are one consciousness and God another – dvaita]. You must go beyond duality and non-duality then you are God-realised. Otherwise you are stuck in duality and non-duality. Yogis were stuck in that before Sri Ramakrishna's time. [Sri Ramakrishna taught that 'Vijnana' was the key. i.e. Understanding both the duality and non-duality sides of the coin].
Through the whole year cultivate one particular spiritual virtue. Take a resolution: 'I will be a good sadhaka [spiritual aspirant or practitioner], Lord. I will cling to Your lotus feet. I will take this resolution as worship to Thee.' Then gradually you go to a higher virtue. For example, 'I will give up jealousy'. And give it up. But do not hate the other person, love them. This is humanly possible. Think like this: Even if God makes me sick this year, even if God does not fulfil my prayer, I will keep my resolution. Do it with seriousness. With God's love let us fly to God's love.
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.
For more about the Holy Trinity, and also the founding Swamis of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, please mouse over their names below:
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