Bhagavad Gita Course: Chapter 7 (contd.)
Class Notes October 24, 2017
Compilation of class notes from guest writers
Charitha Isanaka
Background
- Yoga = having a job and Kshema = protecting that job
- Ex: I might have the grace of getting up early but not the discipline to keep it up
- Rishis can see into us and into life what we cannot see
Review
- Nature is made up of:
- Para Prakriti = the cause
- Apara Prakiri = what makes that cause relevant
- Existence or Consciousness
New Material: Ch 7.7
- Sanatana Dharma does not allow atheism because we believe the theism is sat cit ananda (existence, awareness and happiness); therefore, we are all bhaktas
- Difference between:
- Searcher = looking for something but doesn’t know where it is
- Seeker = know where to look for what they are looking for but haven’t yet found it
- Types of bhaktas:
- Artha bhakta = someone who is experiencing sankata (sorrow or adversity) and they more towards Bhagavan to free them from that because they believe He is powerful (Ex: Draupadi)
- Artha Arti = someone who is experiences success or prosperity (i.e., pleasure, position and possession) and they turn to Bhagavan because they believe He is beneficial (Ex: Sugreeva)
- Jignyasu = someone who is responsible because that is their only purpose and they turn to Bhagavan because they believe He is meaningful (Ex: Raja Janaka and Arjuna)
- Gnyani = someone who is being relieved and who regognizes that God is full and complete (Ex: Prahlada and Narada Muni)
- Vignyaya is bhakti = wisdom is love
- To begin to love God, you must first know God
- To know God, you must be steady and sincere
- When you know God is the best, you know God knows the best
- Love is immediate (i.e., independent of space, time and matter) but the preparation for love is mediate
- Yoga is the preparation for knowledge, for perpetual betterment to be the best
- You can’t count the good things you do because you are doing so much of it
- A Gnyani starts by seeing themselves in all selves, and they focus on strengths not weaknesses
- Advaita = seeing me in all of you vs. Dvaita = seeing all of you in me
Discussion Questions
- Who is a real Hindu?
- Someone who knows and follows the teachings of the shastras
- Is there a specific way to remember God?
- How we remember God is not important; that we remember God is important
- Why we remember God is important but we should transform that into expression
- What is maya?
- Brahman is neither dependent on maya nor is He a part of maya
- Brahman is the creative power of creation if there is creation
- An individual suffering from ignorance is avidya but a group suffering from it is maya
- How do you see the strengths in others without being taken advantage of?
- Being taken advantage of is highly subjective
- There are 3 approaches to deal with this:
- Become so full that you can continue to give
- Discuss with the person that you think you are being taken advantage of
- Finally, give less
Bindu
Section 7.7
Yoga is procure what you don’t have.
Kshema is protect what you have. Preserve and protect by practicing virtues
Bhagvan’s yoga should not be taken at a material level, but at level of virtues
Gita course is living with a Rishi. Rishis can see into life but we cannot.
Apara Prakriti — all that is caused. Para prakiti makes apara prakriti relevant
Highest is Existence/ awareness. Tanmatras consists of space/ air /fire/water/earth . If we have the intellect to see this , we will be like Rishis
Searcher — looking for something, but don’t know where to look
Seeker — knows where it is, but haven’t found it/experienced it
Listing the 4 kinds of devotees
4th — ardha / bhakta — ardha is the one who is experiencing sorrow — they remember Bhagvan to free them self from sorrow because they believe God is powerful. Example is Draupadi. Draupadi remembered Bhagavan and then Bhagavan manifested as Vastra
3rd — ardha ardhi who finds meaning in success. They want to experience power, possession, position. They think God is beneficial for them Eg. Sugreeva
2nd type — Jijnasu — their only purpose of living is to connect with the creator. Jijnasu’s think God is meaningful. Eg. Raja Janaka who loved knowing about Bhagavan
1 — jnani — who knows Bhagvan and is one with Bhagvan. They believe God is Happiness. Eg Bhakta Prhlad
Gajendra — became ardha bhakta to jnana
Dhruva became ardha ardhi to jnani
Arjuna became jijansu to njani
Narada was always a jnani
We need to know God to love God. If we know God there will be no fear or anxiety and only happiness
How to Know god is to be steady
Relative yoga is perpetual betterment
A Janani sees themselves in all selves and jnani ends in seeing all selves in themselves
