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This message has been edited. Last edited by: herb,

Hi Herb.
The Cloud doesn't use a mantra, but a simple short prayer, like centering prayer does.
Ramana Maharishi is an advaitan while the author of The Cloud was a Christian who made a distinction between God and creatures.
Lots of other distinctions.

On the road now. Can't go into this more, but please follow up as needed.

quote:

Originally posted by Phil:
Ramana Maharishi is an advaitan while the author of The Cloud was a Christian

The leading writer on the relationship between Ramana and Christianity was, of course, Father Henri Le Saux, also known as Abhishiktananda. I get the impression that he never was able to reconcile the two, despite the vast effort he put into the project. I read a book of papers on Abhishiktanda a few years ago and posted a book report on my blog: https://toronto.stream-entry.c...-fullness-light.html

Finally back from my trip and not sure what this opening post was about.

Right, Derek, Fr. Le Saux's writings are a real treasure in that he entered deeply into the mystical experiences of Christianity and Hinduism and let them be what they were. I read a biography of his journey (Abishiktananda) that went into depth about this. It seems that toward the end of his life, he was able to articulate more about this, but the biographer doesn't get very specific.

Correction from my post above: the name of the book is Saccidananda and it was written by Le Saux under the name of Abishiktananda. In Chapter 12 on "Love and Communion," he affirms the mystery of the one and the many in terms of the Trinity, which seemed to be the key for him to reconciling the Hindu and Christian experiences. E.g.

quote:

The distinction and diversity of human persons is a creaturely reflection of the distinction and diversity of the Three in the divine mystery, and cannot therefore be understood aright except in the light of the advaita or non-duality of the same divine Persons. Everything in the Trinity is common to all, and yet what all have in common is held by each of the Persons in a unique and incommunicable manner.

So both unity and diversity are reflected in the creation itself -- as though in two modes of perception. In advaita, there is attunement to the unity of all things in God, to oneness; in relational love, there is awareness of unity-among or between creatures, who, like the Persons, are unique.

I think human consciousness in its bi-modal aspects (non-reflective and reflective) also represents a way to reconcile advaita with dual approaches. In non-reflecting consciousness, one is simply aware, present, accepting, and attuned to oneness. In reflecting consciousness, we are into I-Thou relations.