Vedanta Society of Toronto (Ramakrishna Mission) 120 Emmett Ave. Toronto, ON M6M 2E6 CANADA Tel.: 416-240-7262; Email: toronto@rkmm.org; Website: www.vedantatoronto.ca Newsletter April 2018 Words to Inspire Numerous ordinary people are born and die. The greatest souls accompany an incarnation of God, in order to do His work. --- Sri Sarada Devi We have seen various instances of Mathur s generosity in relation to Ramakrishna. This was the most praiseworthy because Mathur was by nature somewhat miserly; his devotion to Ramakrishna overcame his natural tendencies. As for Ramakrishna he had, as we know, no sense of money whatsoever. This he demonstrated when he went with Mathur to watch the Yatra; the folk-plays, usually based on some sacred story, which were performed by companies of travelling players in any courtyard or open place, with the audience sitting all around them. Mathur would give Ramakrishna a hundred rupees at a time, arranged in stacks of ten so that he could reward the various actors with a stack each. But Ramakrishna would simply push the whole hundred rupees over to the first actor who pleased him by a song or a dance. Mathur would replace the money. Ramakrishna would give it all away again. Then, wishing to reward another actor and finding no money laid out for him, he would take off the cloth he was wearing and give the actor that, even though it left him naked. Mathur used to beg Ramakrishna to communicate ecstasy to him by a touch. Ramakrishna tried to dissuade him from this desire, telling him he would do much better to wait and be patient, and that, anyhow, he should keep his life balanced between devotion to God and worldly obligations; that being his dharma. But Mathur persisted, until Ramakrishna said, very well, I ll ask Mother about it; she will do as she thinks best. A few days later, Mathur went into the lower form of samadhi at his house in Calcutta. This is how Ramakrishna would describe what happened next. He sent for me; and when I went there I found him altogether changed he wasn t the same man. Whenever he spoke of God, he shed floods of tears; his eyes were red from weeping. And his heart was pounding. When he saw me, he fell down and clasped my feet. Father, he said, I admit it I m beaten! I ve been in this state for the past three days. I can t apply my mind to worldly affairs, however hard I try. Everything is going wrong. Please take back the ecstasy you gave me. I don t want it. But you begged me for ecstasy, I said. I know I did. And it is indeed a blissful state but what s the use of bliss, when all my worldly affairs are going to pieces? This ecstasy of yours, Father it only suits you. The rest of us don t really want it. Please take it back! Then I laughed and said, that s what I told you, all along. I know you did, Father. But what I didn t understand was that this thing like a spirit would possess me, and that I d have to take every step and do everything exactly as it told me to, twenty-four hours a day! So then I just rubbed his chest with my hand. Thus was Mathur relieved of the unwanted gift he had imagined he so earnestly desired. In July 1871, Mathur caught typhoid fever and died, after a short illness. Ramakrishna was not physically present at his deathbed. But Saradananda believes that, while apparently remaining in his room, he went forth in the subtle body to join Mathur and guide him through the death-experience. At five o clock that afternoon, Ramakrishna came out of samadhi and said, Mathur s soul has ascended to the sphere of the Mother. And this was, in fact, the exact hour of Mathur s death in his home in Calcutta. Some time after this, a friend of Mathur s said to Ramakrishna, Sir, what became of Mathur after death? Surely, he won t have to be born again, will he? Ramakrishna did not answer this question positively. He said, perhaps he has been born again as a king. He still had a desire for pleasure. After which, he quickly changed the subject. From the book VEDANTA and the West, by Christopher Isherwood #150 pg 10-27 Tax Receipts for Year 2017 The Tax Receipts for the donations made in Year 2017 have been mailed or emailed. If not yet received or any question regarding this, kindly contact the Treasurer of the Society, Anupam Talwar at talwar.anupam@yahoo.ca.
Living Inwardly (Excerpted from Seeing God Everywhere by Swami Shraddhananda) In my everyday life it is not necessary to have a comprehensive knowledge of my internal world. And even if I am interested in it, I have to gather information about it from the external world. My internal world, while an integral part of my existence, merely functions as a means to utilize and enjoy the external. Under these circumstances, inward living cannot be of interest to average people; it seems not only unnecessary, but fanciful and strange. The Katha Upanishad explains: God made man s senses pointed outward from his very birth, so that man always looks outside of himself and never within. Extremely rare is that wise person, who, desiring immortality, directs his senses inward and perceives the truth of his own innermost Self. But the rarity of a phenomenon should not cause it to be labeled either as absurd or as nonexistent. In the field of science, sometimes far-reaching knowledge has been deduced from a single and extremely difficult experiment. This is especially true in the science of spiritual knowledge. To attain spiritual truth we must be prepared for unusual undertakings. We should not be discouraged simply because this is not the way chosen by average worldly people. The unusual endeavors through which we each seek to unravel the ultimate mysteries within our own lives and personalities may be called inward living. Who am I? Why am I here? What is the meaning of this life? Why do I have to struggle this way? What is my place in this vast universe surrounding me? At certain moments in our lives these and other profound questions trouble us and we want clear answers. We are not satisfied with mere intellectual speculations. According to Vedanta, it is possible to find unequivocal answers to these questions by directly experiencing the reality of God. This kind of experience requires a suitable adjustment in our way of understanding. A shift of emphasis must be made from the external to the internal world; it requires a reorientation of our living habits. Within the core of our personalities, says Vedanta, is a spiritual Reality. It is birthless and deathless, unlimited by time, space, and causality. It is infinite Consciousness and infinite Bliss. Far from the common view that supersensuous experience is not normal, it is the empirical life which is aberrant, a dislocation from a spiritual state of perfection. Vedanta assures us that this discovery can be made here and now. The concluding verse of the Katha Upanishad says: Having received this wisdom taught by the King of Death, and the entire process of yoga, Nachiketa became free from impurities and death and attained Self-knowledge. Thus it will also be with any other who knows the inmost Self. Any person, then, having the courage, patience, and perseverance to carry on the experiment can hope to attain Selfknowledge. Again, Self-knowledge is, in the language of the Mundaka Upanishad, the foundation of all knowledge. The individual s center is identical with the center of the universe. In the last analysis, the true nature of what we call the outside world is spiritual. In the vision of truth, the external and internal are only arbitrary divisions of what is one continuous, indivisible Reality the Spirit. The Taittiriya Upanishad speaks of the five koshas, or sheaths, which cover the Self. They are, as it were, five screens which prevent our vision of the Self. The technique of inward living gradually removes these sheaths, allowing us to attain the eternal Ground of Existence, the core of the personality, our true Self. The first covering is the physical body, the annamaya kosha. A person s consciousness is almost always centered in the body. The second covering of the Self is the pranamaya kosha, the totality of the
vital energies responsible for the various physiological functions within our bodies. Next comes the mental sheath, the manomaya kosha. This is the portion of the mind that receives impulses from the external world through the senses and then sorts them. The fourth sheath, the vijnanamaya kosha, brings these processes to a conclusion. The fifth covering is the anandamaya kosha, the blissful sheath. This is the element which contributes joy to our experiences. The many kinds of pleasures and satisfactions that we derive from the wide range of our activities all come from this sheath of bliss. As we detach consciousness from the four previous sheaths and approach the fifth one, the experience of bliss becomes more intense, and the gross delights which come from sights, sounds, and tastes are left behind in the experience of subtle joys which do not require external stimuli. What is beyond this fifth sheath? The Atman the Self, the personality s true center. The Atman witnesses all the experiences that come through the five sheaths. It is pure awareness. All that we know through our sense organs or mental processes is known because of the innermost Self within. It sits quietly behind the five screens and radiates Consciousness through all these layers. The Atman is the true subject of all experience. It is infinitely more than the physical body or the vital force or the mind and intelligence or all these put together. When we discover the inner Self which is our true nature, our lives completely change. We can then no longer use the term inner life. It was only for starting the journey to the Self that we had to speak of living inwardly: from the standpoint of the Self there is no such distinction as inner and outer. We use these terms with reference to the body. Once we realize the Self we find that everything rests in the Self. This whole universe with all its multiplicity is nothing but an expression of the consciousness of the Self. At this stage the seeker is able to say, This universe is resting in me and I am in everything. I am one with this universe. Self-knowledge is the realization of the oneness of my own truth and all the truth outside of me. In order to discover our true Self the Ground of our existence we have to practice detachment from the non-self, which is comprised of the five sheaths. By the practice of detachment, no flight from life is meant; rather it means a sober, calm, and unbiased attitude toward the objects and events around us and in us. Those who aspire to knowledge should fulfill their duties and responsibilities as well as they can, but they should keep themselves free from over-involvement in any situation. They should not place too much hope on anything in this perpetual flux of events. They should not forget that the goal of life is to realize the eternal truth, the true Self. In this realization alone can we understand what this life means. All our deeper questions become clear only when we discover ourselves as pure Spirit. The state of Self-knowledge is described by the Chandogya Upanishad thus: I am below. I am above. I am behind. I am in front. I am in the south. I am in the north. I am all that is. And again: From the one I pervade the many. From the many I go to the one. Shaking off all imperfections as a horse shakes dust from its hair, freeing myself from bodyconsciousness I who have realized my true Self am now identified with Brahman, the Supreme Reality.
Concord Through Bhakti (Excerpted from the article by Swami Swami Satyamayananda from the archives of Prabuddha Bharata) The world is, metaphorically speaking, shrinking each passing day due to improving communications of various kinds. Apart from the accessibility to know the world s marvels, connectivity is making humanity close-knit. This phenomenon is occurring through the storage, retrieval, and transmission of information. Whatever happens at one end of the globe finds its reverberations and repercussions all over. Communications have made humanity more aware by extending consciousness and gradually making humans truly global. Yatra vishvam bhavati-ekanidam; in which the universe finds a single place of rest. While frontiers and horizons of knowledge are opening up, this world remains, as Swami Vivekananda says, wheel within wheel, this intricate mass of machinery, most complex, most wonderful. Diversity and variety are finally recognized as the world s essential nature, or rather, we are forced to do so. There was a time when it was thought that science had all the answers. It is found now that each discipline has, after a few steps, branched out into allied or sometimes completely disparate fields. The more people work in a particular area, the more it extends into newer areas. Others coming later pursue it further to find it again branching off. This has created a knowledge explosion. It is like entering into the bowels of this intricate mass of machinery, finding labyrinths inside labyrinths lying undiscovered. Secret after secret is unveiled, yet the pursuit for comprehensive answers continues while the solutions remain remote. Knowledge is uncovering worlds within inexhaustible worlds. True scientists are not complacent but humbled by this nature of knowledge. Swamiji says, unity in variety is the plan of creation. The unravelling of secrets is making humanity more cerebral, and the benefits flow down to everyone in this shrinking world, for it is the nature of the mind to spread and synthesize knowledge. In the old days Swamiji said that, whenever either by mighty conquest or by commercial supremacy different parts of the world have been kneaded into one whole race and bequests have been made from one corner to the other, each nation, as it were, poured forth its own quota, either political, social, or spiritual. The world is today well connected and ideas and services are surging through communication channels. The need to link things, as in the past, through force and fraud is redundant. Each isolated culture will grow left to itself, but this growth can be quickened through interaction and cooperation. People working in a particular field are often surprised when solutions come from others working in a completely different field. The idea that knowledge is something rarefied and meant for a select few is completely wrong. Each person that works contributes to knowledge. It is an ancient truth spoken in the Bhagavadgita: Sarvam karmakhilam partha jnane parisamapyate; all karma in their totality, O Partha, culminates in knowledge. Every working person is pushing forward the frontiers of knowledge. Of course, work ought to be done with concentration. Swamiji says: The more this power of concentration, the more knowledge is acquired, because this is the one and only method of acquiring knowledge. Hence, Swamiji has all through laid much emphasis on work as a sure means for prosperity and freedom. The world is saner, less violent, and more cooperative today than ever before. This contention can be challenged with what one finds everyday in personal brutality and cruelty, in selfishness, greed, and corruption. However, these things were present even before but not known widely, because the world was partitioned by numerous limitations as well as distance. Today faster modes of travel and availability of internet have spread and magnified every small thing. Knowledge not only transforms lifestyles and thought-styles and brings innovation, it also is responsible for eradicating corruption, violence, and other social evils through transparency in our dealings. The Gita declares: Na hi jnanena sadrisham pavitram-iha vidyate; indeed, there is nothing purifying here comparable to knowledge. The Gita further elaborates that knowledge liberates. There is nothing that brings more joy and fulfilment than knowledge. The gift of knowledge is a far higher gift than that of food and clothes; it is even higher than giving life to a man, because the real life of man consists of knowledge. Ignorance is death, knowledge is life. Life is of very little value, if it is a life in the dark, groping through ignorance and misery. Knowledge also implies renunciation; and the greater the sacrifices, the higher the knowledge. Such a power is the best that a person can strive for, and that is the reason why it was held sacrosanct and given prestige. The culture not based on knowledge is just a thin veneer of artificiality. Sri Ramakrishna s advent opened up the world from its parochialism and narrowness to universality.
UPCOMING EVENTS MARK YOUR CALENDAR Event Buddha Jayanti Celebration Special Retreat with Matajis Bhavaniprana and Divyanandaprana of Ramakrishna Sarada Mission, India Annual Retreat Guru Purnima Celebration Date & Time May 6 @ 11am May 19 from 9 am-5 pm June 23 from 9am-5pm June 24 from 9am-5pm July 27 @ 6.30pm REGULAR PROGRAMMES SCRIPTURE CLASS: Friday Scripture Classes begin at 7:30 pm, following the regular evening prayer at 6:00 pm. The class, held at the centre, is open to all interested persons. For details, please see the Calendar of Events on the next page. VIGIL: A vigil consisting of japa and meditation will be observed, from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, for date kindly see Calendar of Events, on next page. To participate, please call the centre at 416-240-7262. RAM NAM: For the date and time of the monthly Ramnam, please see the Calendar of Events on the next page. BOOK STORE: The Book Store has re-opened and books are available for purchase. DAILY BREAD FOOD BANK: Daily Bread Food Bank has actively started. We would like to encourage people to donate. INTERVIEWS/INSTRUCTION: Swami Kripamayananda will be happy to give Interviews to those interested in knowing more about Vedanta and meditation. Individual interviews are also given for Spiritual instructions. Appointments for interviews should be made in advance with the Swami at 416-240-7262. DAILY MEDITATION: Meditation is done at the Centre every morning from 6:00 am to 7:00 am. Devotional singing and meditation time in the evenings is from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. SOUP KITCHEN: has now started at the Vedanta Society, please see the Calendar of Events on the next page for details. KARMA YOGA ACTIVITIES It is a great opportunity to provide your services to the Vedanta Society of Toronto. We have started creating groups of volunteers to administer and take care of few operations - maintenance related work in the ashram. Kindly come forward and volunteer time towards maintaining and managing the facilities. Services, to be performed weekly basis, involve: Janitorial (cleaning carpets, floors, washrooms, Shrine area, Meditation room, dusting furnitures, etc.) Garbage / Recycling waste (preferably on Wednesday or Thursday every week) and dining hall cleaning (cleaning the walls, floor, arrange chairs, table, arrange various utensils in correct place, replenish stock) Book-store assistance (arranging the books, helping out with stocks, replenish, inventory check) Library assistance (arranging the books, chairs, calling for book return) Lawn mowing, gardening, watering plants (during summer) participation (cutting vegetables, preparing salads and soup, delivering soup to the designated places) Vedanta Vidya Mandir activities (clean the ashram after the classes are over) If interested in volunteering, kindly send email or contact Abhijit Bhattacharya on 416-569-9401, indicating the Services that you are interested in and days you can be available for volunteering. THANK YOU AGAIN.
Vedanta Society of Toronto CALENDAR OF EVENTS Minister and Teacher- Swami Kripamayananda, Ramakrishna Order of India April 2018 Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat 6 7:30pm Vivekachudamani 1 11:00am Lecture: So Near Yet So Far 1:30pm to 4pm Vedanta Vidya Mandir 2 3 4 5 7 6:00am to 6:00pm VIGIL 8 11:00am Lecture: Sri Ramakrishna: Sadhaka, Siddha & Sadhya 5:00 pm RAM NAAM 15 11:00am Video Lecture 1:30pm to 4pm Vedanta Vidya Mandir 22 11:00am VEDAGHOSA Chanting of the sacred Vedic mantras by Pt. Ramakrishna Bhat from Sringeri Vidya Bharati Foundation, Toronto 29 11:00am Video Lecture 9 10 16 17 23 24 30 11 12 18 19 25 26 Vivekachudamani 20 7:30pm Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna 27 7:30pm Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna 14 5:30 pm BHAKTA MILAN 21 28 1:30pm to 4pm Vedanta Vidya Mandir AN APPEAL FOR DONATION Vedanta Society appeals to the devotees and well-wishers to kindly come forward and donate generously, so that we can pay-off all loans and build up funds to secure ourselves for our regular operations. Donations are required for ongoing maintenance of Ashram, facilities and functions, as well as repayment of interest free loans of $165,000 from our members in coming years. For those who wish to donate full or part of the loan amount to receive donation tax receipt for 2017 may do so by sending email to the Swami <kripamayananda@gmail.com> with cc to Anupam <talwar.anupam@yahoo.ca>.