http://www.mayyam.com/talk/showthrea...l=1#post937665
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There is a massive difference between religion and faith.
Religion makes you do, Faith makes you want to.
Religion is man made, Faith is spiritual.
Religion you are taught, Faith you are born with.
Religion is a standard for you to follow, Faith is something you feel.
Religions were started, Faith is infinite.
Religion kills, Faith heals.
God has no religion as long as we have faith.
Hinduism is a matter of faith for me, not a religion, it is not an ism. I believe it because I feel it not because I am told to.
Many people that I have spoken to of other faiths feel the same way, There is only One God after all.
Anyone can have any beliefs they want to, including you, Sunilji. Truth, unfortunately, is never easily seen, simple though it might be. It requires a tremendous exercise of intellect, perhaps requiring the whole of our lifetime. If we are interested in Truth, even in a basis sense, the very least we can do is to have the humility to accept that we may be wrong (completely and absolutely), that we are confused, and we indeed do need guidance from those that have already gone along the path.
Love and Light.
Avaru eppO irunthu Ji aanar ? :lol:
Very true!
with due respect to these "Mahans" , I disgaree with this, spiritual awakening needs happen from where you are at the moment, I feel it is lost cause, if we try to start from where the period where such mahans existed, we will be lost for ever, one should start from wher he is now :)
Hehe.. avarOda pEru "ji" pOdrathukku vasadiyaa irukku.
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with due respect to these "Mahans" , I disgaree with this, spiritual awakening needs happen from where you are at the moment, I feel it is lost cause, if we try to start from where the period where such mahans existed, we will be lost for ever, one should start from wher he is now :)
I was talking about "Truth" (as in that which cannot be contradicted at any time) and not spiritual awakening. Spiritual awakening is not any discrete event, unless you further supply it with a very precise definition. A person who tries to live a moral and ethical and compassionate life, without bothering about religion, is also a spiritual person. As for the "Mahaans", the characteristics of such people are mentioned in the scriptures and without doubt such people always exist. One merely has to keep the flame of spiritual life alive by ones thoughts words and deeds. Sooner or later one will find oneself led to them. "Truth" is to be found only from such persons.
Love and Light.
When did I ever mention 'priests' ? Priesthood is an occupation, like any other occupation. There is no established correlation between priesthood and spirituality. I was only talking about those who who have studied under a teacher themselves, who have learnt the real nature of their own self, and are therefore free from anger, fear, jealousy, hatred, attachment, etc. It is not necessary that priests be such people or that people be such priests.
Both the seeker and the guider find each other, really. The seeker has to have the thirst, though. By the continual performance of one's duty selflessly, by living a prayerful, ethical and moral life, by mentally renouncing the desire for worldly pleasures, by yearning to be free from sorrow once and for all, by all these the seeker comes into contact with a teacher, who then quenches all the seeker's desires and frees him from his sorrow once and for all by his teaching.
Correct!
Very well said, the initial thirst for spirituality must come from deep within, the pain of ignorance should tear one apart, this will lead you to seek the truth, and in this journey you would find the guru to lead you in the correct path! But it is also possible to attain spirituality without a guru.
You didn't... I wasn't sure what you meant by, "those that have already gone along the path" hence I wanted to clarify my assumption.
:thumbsup: but I strongly think no one is free from anger, fear, jealousy, hatred, attachment, etc. I've also read that there is no one who is equally wealthy, powerful, famous, beautiful, learned and scholarly yet renounces order of life unattached to material possessions as someone who has all these six qualities is understood to be the supreme personality of godhead.
I feel that material possessions is a blanket term i.e. if you want to want to devote your life to god then do you seriously have to give up material possessions. I believe when "Mahans" say that one should give up material possessions, they are actually referring to greed.
One can think he is ethical and moral in every way possible but it's always external influences that shape us a people, hence if we want to attain "Moksha" it's not in our hands even if we choose a simple and ascetic lifestyle. A person who makes himself oblivious to the world and is immersed completely in "jaap" 24/7 either is a reformed character or sociopath. If god showers wealth, power, fame on an individual then he/she should acknowledge it instead of giving it up! Is it a test from god to see how that individual will respond i.e. stay humble or become a show off either way god is always testing each and everyone of us but before they prove anything to god they need to first prove to themselves who they actually are. Hence some people might not even need guidance :)