Author: Andrew Taggart
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Sudden Awakening/Gradual Cultivation
In the Chapter Introduction, “The Immature and the Wise,” to The Dhammapada (trans. and ed. Eknath Easwaran), S. Ruppenthal very parsimoniously and elegantly describes the Zen view of “sudden awakening/gradual cultivation”: In Buddhism, enlightenment (sambodhi or bodhi) is an instantaneous experience in which mental activity is momentarily suspended completely and sleeping realms of consciousness are…
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Karma Yoga, Revisited
The Bhagavad Gita argues that one of the paths of Self-realization is karma yoga. Until recently, I had held that karma yoga was not a good path for us moderns due to the prevalance of Total Work. But I was mistaken, not least because I had believed that karma yoga could too easily be conflated…
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The 8 Limbs Of Philosophia
In The Yoga Sutras, Patanjali outlines what he takes to be the “eight limbs of yoga.” Inspired by his example, I want to ask, “What could be the X limbs of Wisdom? 1. Austerities Many traditions underscore the need for tapas (or austerities). Christian mystics speak of “silence and solitude.” Buddhists observe Noble Silence during certain…
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Pathways To The Tao #2: Prelude: Samskaras
If you’re enjoying these short blog posts on spiritual enlightenment and on wisdom, then you might also enjoy my newsletter, “Pathways to the Tao.” It’s also free, and you can read the latest issues, as well as subscribe, here.
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Getting Clear About Samskaras: Putting Ramana Maharshi And Swami Satchidanda Together
Let me begin with Ramana Maharshi’s clear statement on samskaras in connection with awakening and then return to the exquisite commentary I cited yesterday. Ramana Maharshi on Samskaras The following is an astonishingly illuminating satsang with the radiant Sri Ramana Maharshi: Ramana Maharshi: Awareness is jnana. Jnana is eternal and natural, ajnana is unnatural and…
Andrew Taggart, Ph.D. 