Sage Sri, Sankara's wisdom
(Advaita) —Without a Parallel Sage Sri
Sankara's wisdom is lofty, sublime and unique. It is highly interesting,
inspiring and elevating. No other wisdom can stand before it in boldness, depth
and subtle thinking. Sage Sri, Sankara’s
philosophy is complete and perfect
Sage Sri Sankara was a
mighty, marvelous genius. He was a profound thinker of the first rank. He was
a sage of the highest realization. His wisdom has brought solace, peace and
illumination to countless persons in the world. The Western thinkers bow their
heads at the lotus-feet of Sri Sankara. His wisdom has soothed the sorrows and
afflictions of the most forlorn persons, and brought hope, joy, wisdom,
perfection, freedom and calmness to many. His wisdom commands the admiration of
the whole world.
Biographical
anecdotes about his childhood about the crocodile story and the story in Sage
Sri, Sankara's life of going to Benares and
occupying the body of another man and then having sex intercourse with his
wife, is a myth created by orthodoxy hiding the real fact the reason best-known
to the orthodoxy. Sage, Sri, Sankara had the scientific spirit and when told by
Saraswathi the woman that he was talking emptily about sex, being a Sanyasi, he
at once went to learn the truth by having actual intercourse himself and thus
learning by experiment and observation.
Thus all the myth about Sage Sri, Sankara is nothing to do with
the seeker of truth because the seeker is concerned only with the wisdom of the
Sage Sri, Sankara.
Sage Sri, Sankara: - "Though I wear these
robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread." (Select Works of Sage Sri, Sankara"
also his commentary on Brihad)
Sage Sri, Sankara: - The
Gnani "should pass through life", not run away from life and should
take a middle course between seeking worldly honor and worldly abasement. (Chap.3.4.50; Sankara's commentary to
Brahma Sutras)
Sage
Sri, Sankara's work has got two aspects: the practical and the spiritual. He
gave religious, ritual or dogmatic instruction to the populace but pure wisdom
only to the few who could rise to it. Hence the interpretation of his writings
by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus
they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.
Sage
Sri, Sankara varied his practical advice and doctrinal teaching according to
the people he was amongst. He never told them to give their particular religion
or beliefs or metaphysics completely; he only told them to give up the worst
features of abuse: at the same time he showed just one step forward towards the
truth.
Sage
Sri, Sankara was extremely precise and careful in his choice of words. He was
no fool in writing. Sage Sankara did
more than write books or initiate Sanyasin: He brought India into a unity as a
nation. He told people to Worship what they wish, remain in their particular
religion, caste and creed, but remember also you are part of a larger whole.
The look of an object will depend upon the medium through the
observer views it. In fact our mental and intellectual conditions will
determine the phenomenal world observed and experienced. The orthodox pundit seeing Sage Sri, Sankara will see
differently from the A Gnani seeing the same Sage Sri, Sankara. Each one of them interprets the world that
they see in terms of their existing knowledge.
The orthodox sees Sri, Sankara as founder of their religion and also as
a guru of Advaitic orthodox sect. A man
of truth sees Sage Sri, Sankara not as a guru but as a Gnani. The orthodoxy
believes their experience of the birth, life, death and rebirth and the world
as reality. Whereas a Gnani sees the world is mere illusion created out of
consciousness. Thus Gnani sees no second
thing other than consciousness. The one who treads the path of wisdom gains the
knowledge of the reality beyond form, time and space. A Gnani has delved into and he transcended
consciously all identification with the experience form, time and space.
Similarly orthodoxy has to be bifurcated from philosophy. To
know Non-dualistic wisdom of Sage Sri, Sankara one has to be free from all
superstitions and dogmas and orthodoxy and scriptural knowledge. The seeker has to be more rational and
scientific in his attitude.
According to Advaita Vedanta, the Veda addresses itself to two
kinds of audiences - the ordinary ones who desire the transitory heaven and
other pleasures obtained as a result of ritual sacrifices, and the more
advanced seeker who seeks to know Brahman. Thus, the purva mimam.sa, with its
emphasis on the karma kanda of the Vedas, is meant for the first audience, to
help lead its followers along the way. However, the Vedanta, with its emphasis
on the Jnana Kanda, is meant for those who wish to go beyond such transient
pleasures.
