Practical Vedanta

Practical Vedantafulfilled. The Jiva lives there, having enjoyment after enjoyment, and so forgets allabout its real nature. Still there are some higher worlds, where in spite of allenjoyments, its further evolution is possible. Some dualists conceive of the goal asthe highest heaven, where souls will live with God for ever. They will havebeautiful bodies and will know neither disease nor death, nor any other evil, andall their desires will be fulfilled. From time to time some of them will come backto this earth and take another body to teach human beings the way to God; and thegreat teachers of the world have been such. They were already free, and wereliving with God in the highest sphere; but their love and sympathy for sufferinghumanity was so great that they came and incarnated again to teach mankind theway to heaven.Of course we know that the Advaita holds that this cannot be the goal or the ideal;bodilessness must be the ideal. The ideal cannot be finite. Anything short of theInfinite cannot be the ideal, and there cannot be an infinite body. That would beimpossible, as body comes from limitation. There cannot be infinite thought,because thought comes from limitation. We have to go beyond the body, andbeyond thought too, says the Advaita. And we have also seen that, according toAdvaita, this freedom is not to be attained, it is already ours. We only forget it anddeny it. Perfection is not to be attained, it is already within us. Immortality andbliss are not to be acquired, we possess them already; they have been ours all thetime.If you dare declare that you are free, free you are this moment. If you say you arebound, bound you will remain. This is what Advaita boldly declares. I have toldyou the ideas of the dualists. You can take whichever you like.The highest ideal of the Vedanta is very difficult to understand, and people arealways quarrelling about it, and the greatest difficulty is that when they get hold ofcertain ideas, they deny and fight other ideas. Take up what suits you, and letothers take up what they need. If you are desirous of clinging to this littleindividuality, to this limited manhood, remain in it, have all these desires, and becontent and pleased with them. If your experience of manhood has been very goodand nice, retain it as long as you like; and you can do so, for you are the makers ofyour own fortunes; none can compel you to give up your manhood. You will bemen as long as you like; none can prevent you. If you want to be angels, you willbe angels, that is the law. But there may be others who do not want to be angelseven. What right have you to think that theirs is a horrible notion? You may befrightened to lose a hundred pounds, but there may be others who would not evenwink if they lost all the money they had in the world. There have been such menand still there are. Why do you dare to judge them according to your standard?You cling on to your limitations, and these little worldly ideas may be yourhighest ideal. You are welcome to them. It will be to you as you wish. But thereare others who have seen the truth and cannot rest in these limitations, who havedone with these things and want to get beyond. The world with all its enjoymentsis a mere mud-puddle for them. Why do you want to bind them down to yourfile:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/Chitra%20Selva...oksBySwami/PracticalVedanta/PracticalVedantaPDF.html (35 of 113)2/26/2007 12:24:33 AM