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So?!!!

Discussion in 'Cheeniya's Senile Ramblings' started by Cheeniya, Sep 4, 2007.

  1. PriyaKat

    PriyaKat Silver IL'ite

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    Sir, your articles can never be so-so, but this one is so superb ! If a guru can set off deep introspection within a desciple's mind with a single word or gesture, I'd give less credit to the guru and more to the deciple because he has been a fit, ready- to -recieve receptacle for the fount of ideas that come welling up from within himself. Nothing comes from outside.
    Here's a virtual pat on your back from a devoted reader for the fine rumination, set off by a single word.
     
  2. Cheeniya

    Cheeniya Super Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Priya
    This is the advantage of senility. As we grow older and with other thoughts getting sidelined slowly, we have all the time in the world to ruminate even on a single word. Sometimes we don't even require a word! A child's mind is clean and ready to receive all the lessons of life. In our case, we get our mind clean again to the point where we began by deleting all the rubbish so that fresh lessons can be imprinted on it. That's the reason probably why old age is called second childhood.
    Take it from me. I am thoroughly enjoying it!
    Sri
     
    1 person likes this.
  3. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    The brevity has been practiced even by Avvayyar when she said: "Varappuyara" in response to a request to praise a King. In your thread you had mentioned about famous "Who am I?" by Ramana Maharishi. I have to bring another story about Ramana Maharishi about his brevity. One of the devotees spent every penny he had to visit Thiruvannamalai. He stayed for nearly 30 days hoping that Rishi would tell him something to get salvation. Finally, he lost his patience and angrily reacted about his spending every penny to come and see him hoping that he would give him liberation. Hearing to that patiently Rishi responded, "Find your way back home". The devotee got very angry at this stage and asked everyone around why Rishi is so insensitive to his needs. One of the devotees told him that Rishi was giving him an important lesson that he should find the way where he had come from to achieve liberation.

    Viswa
     
  4. Cheeniya

    Cheeniya Super Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Viswa
    I am avid follower of Sri Ramana Maharshi's teachings and when I was a five year old boy, he had kept me on his lap. At the material time, I did not think much of it but as I grew older, I realised what a great fortune it was. I am a regular visitor to the Ashram and when I tell the people about this incident, they look at me as if I am a blessed one. Malgudi Subha has given a musical album called 'Ramana Geetham'. It is so soothing to the spirits and has a terrific calming effect on me.

    I do not know if you have read Paul Brunton's 'A search in Secret India'. His recapitulation of his meeting with Ramana is indeed very inspiring and makes me feel proud that I belong to a country of such high mystical values.
    Sri
     
  5. iyerviji

    iyerviji IL Hall of Fame

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    So my dear Anna you did not notice my fb to your post I think. By now you must have found the answer to So. So now I am waiting for your reply. I also second Priya that your ramblings are superb and now everyone is missing it. So when are you going to post a new one.
     
  6. Cheeniya

    Cheeniya Super Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    My dear Viji
    So you are back digging into my old threads! The days when I could write my Ramblings regularly were the most enjoyable period of my association. But with my need to be on my toes acknowledging the nominations in the FP Forum, I am not getting enough time to start rambling afresh. But to some extent, I am able to satisfy my urge to ramble through my long responses to nominations in the FP Forum. I also write long FBs to threads in Snippets for the same reason.
    But I'll certainly resume my Rambling though in a limited way. I want to give some relief to my folks at home from my incessant rambling and shift my action to IL!
    Sri
     
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  7. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    So, have you found the answer sir? I was amused when I came to the last paragraph where you say "I am not prepared to dismiss his "So" with a "So what" for I was about to start my response with a "So what". If you hadn't written that, my response would have begun with a "So what if I have missed this thread earlier, thanks to Viji aunty I am here, now". So, it is even more important that you part with your wisdom sir now, trust me it is!

    I am reminded of two things when I read this rambling of yours. The old Zen saying which goes like this "Before Enlightenment chop wood carry water, after Enlightenment, chop wood carry water." I was told this when I had asked an enlightened person with a "So" intending to get answer for what it means to be enlightened! I will never forget that! And yes, I have learnt not to ask such questions.

    The second thing I am reminded of, of course is Patanjali. All that he wants to say is said in the first sutra "Yogashchitta vritti nirodhah." But for us to come to that aha moment, we do have to go through the entire work of this great sage! And So you are absolutely right sir when you say

    So, off I go to be in that meditative state for I am now curious about "Agni Meele" and Max Muller and what not! Yes, yes to seek those Kah: kim questions. This morning incidentally I came across this -"In one's daily life, there comes a time when one realizes that there is some kind of an inner pain that cannot be explained. It is a personal pain, nothing to do with the body. There's something wrong with this thinking process. You ask yourself, 'Why do I think this way?'. The pain is sometimes related to your relationship with others, and at other times, it appears when you are alone." It touched me with a melancholy that I cannot describe and now after reading this I feel, perhaps these can be answered with contemplation and rumination! Of course the author goes on to explain but I am in a mood to ruminate, not read.

    Dear sir, as always enjoyed reading this thread. It is always a wonderful feeling to come to your ramblings, see a rambling out there to which I have not yet responded. So once again thank you for that!
     
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  8. Cheeniya

    Cheeniya Super Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    My dear Srama
    So you have written so much about my So! And with such profundity too.
    Let us start with your Zen quote that really gave some fresh perspective to my dull banking life and made me start liking it. There is a similar Zen saying 'It is not what you eat; it is who is doing the eating'. This saying gave me the clue that why rich food had no effect on some people while on others, it had such disastrous effect. It is all in the mind. If the mind accepts what we eat or whatever we do, then body willingly accepts it too.

    In the chopping wood example, the first scenario of before enlightenment shows the person who is burdened with a work or thinks he is burdened with the work. It is almost certain that he would try to avoid it by trying to find some excuses. He may not put his best endeavour in it. Most of our regular daily chores belong to that category. The enlightenment we talk about here is to find a way of looking at what we are doing in a greater perspective. If you want an example, let us take our own Chitvish as an example. She is an enlightened cook. She loves what she is doing and her cooking has made her famous worldwide. This is what enlightenment does to a person. Chopping wood and carrying water become the most cherished activity!

    The Zen statements are brief. They do not give us any explanation but let us think and perceive issues in our own way. Questions become valid only when they provoke speculation. That is what Zen specialises in.
    Sri
     
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  9. shyamala1234

    shyamala1234 Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Sri,

    I read the book "Secret life of India" by Paul Brunton. His meeting with Ramana Maharshi is superb! It is too difficult for people like me to understand and analyse the brief quesions and statements by great people. I bow to them but cannot understand.

    With all the "sos" by so many of our friends I have another "so" to add. When conversation with someone doesn't move.....So, what's going on or how are things is an expression....especially with people not well known.

    A simple two letter word "so" can have so many expressions!!! When I read your ramblings first time I thought....So, these are the ramblings, beautiful they are!!! I thought something else! This one is one of the most beautiful one.

    Syamala
     
  10. kelly1966

    kelly1966 Platinum IL'ite

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    Phew Cheeniya Sir...this is a very heavy discussion on a small little "so"...
    well I not being a very knowledgeable person on vedas or such topics can give you a very lame FB..
    So???!!!!.. took me back to my youth when my brother would always tease me by replying to every of my conversion.. with a "So???...".. and then I remember very often being candid with my friends by replying "So??".. and sometimes I do look straight in the eye of my junior who tries to give me some story as to why they couldn't complete a task and at the end all I ask is "SO???"...
    well thanks for making me realise the power of SO!!
    kerman
     

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