I Question: “Certainly that Brahman == self-awareness == Atman is also a matter of direct experience, not of intellectual reasoning?” Let me first begin with reason and then drift towards…
Read moreAtman, Witness, and Experience
Some Swamiji claims: “One cannot experience the Atman[, the Atman] is the witness, it is what experiences.” Obviously, this is a very rough and approximate formulation. This statement is both wrong…
Read moreShakti vs. Natural Sciences
You say that you experienced Shakti as an emanation of a force that is overpowering and palpable; you also say that you felt the ‘presence’ of Shakti strongly. These two sentences make one think…
Read more‘Grotesque’ nature of Murtis
Consider the fact that the Indian ‘gods’ are portrayed in at least two ways. First, there is their portrayal with four arms (say) and there is their portrayal in completely…
Read moreExamples of Real vs. Existence
Two points should be kept in mind before using these examples: (a) the examples illustrate that the distinctions are not unknown to an English language-user (b) the distinction does not…
Read morePara vs. Apara
Question: I have some problems understanding apara, para, existence, and presence. Apara exists, but is not present; para is present but does not exist. Are you saying that what is…
Read moreAccessing ‘Para’ (Real)
It would be a good thing to narrow-in on the ‘spookiness’ of the accessing ‘Real’. However, because there is a very great danger that ‘access’ can be conceptualised as an…
Read moreTattvadarshi, Gyaani, and Bullshitter
Let us agree on the proposed division into two categories: “1) That which exists or could exist (2) That which could not and does not exist but is present (therefore…
Read moreGovernment Control of Temples
For more, check this post: Freeing the Indian Traditions? Government Control of Temples in India and Freedom of Religion
Read moreSwacch Bharat, Public Interest and Corruption
[Transcribed from Balu’s talk at World Hindu Congress Dec 2014 ] Chairman Sir, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Morning. Actually I’m the odd man out. We have success stories. We have…
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