\ Chanting Hari Om \

Volume 3 Issue 1 ra2@on.aibn.com May 5, 2004

incredible colourful and alive. It of Solitude seems as if whatever you want to do is now justified. Life here I by Robin Armstrong come! One can feel a difference At every step in the process of inwardly, but has not and usually solitude lies a special challenge that cannot yet express it outwardly, if must not be under-estimated. After one is really ever going to! You are one has spent some time in seeing from an altered point of solitude, one will have gone view, and moving accordingly. through a number of changes in There is a tendency to go with the consciousness without knowing flow and convince yourself that you how to measure or assess them. It deserve the rewards that follow. has been said that 21 days in a The first puzzle is who was in solitude room is the equivalent of a the solitude room? And who is it death and rebirth in terms of how that is coming out? And to what? much ones consciousness has And from where? And why? Robin Armstrong changed. Whether this is exactly so These are very potent seeds at a just out of solitude after or not, it will be used as an very potent seed moment. The a 13 months of isolation example of the scope of change. challenge becomes how much of Even in smaller times of one week, what one has experienced alone can such significant changes occur that room. There is an unknown factor one apply and integrate into life? here ..unknown at least to the you cannot come back as the one Which of the two realities is the ego.. who am I now? .and hundred percent same person. real? Something will have shifted in your what has changed? There is a tendency to think that When one comes out of solitude now that I am getting back to perception of and ability to ones sensations and thoughts are experience reality. This is quite reality I will have to start to extremely magnified and seemingly function and take care of things remarkable and profound. It does however set up a series of struggles clear. It is as if one has been born again. In such a moment, and with again. As the intensity of solitude is such a decision one turns ones as one exits the solitude. left, one prepares to indulge in the back on the omnipresent solitude There is no doubt of the profound inner change but there are world of objects and phenomena. It and silence and empowers the is as if one suddenly relaxes into it world of appearance with its names only inner references points to it. These changes have not been put to and goes with the flow. Everything and forms. One gives priority back seems renewed and fresh. It seems to Maya or the illusion of life. the test of life! The inside has as if one has a new lease on life. changed but ones outer Row, row, row your boat gently Rarely does one come out with a behavioural patterns have not. down the stream. Merrily, merrily, Some inner karma has changed but whimper but rather a rush of merrily, merrily, life is but a vitality. From visual darkness back dream. This song has a lot of the outer has probably not changed into sunlight! Everything is much. The dichotomy of the inner depth to it. and outer me becomes accentuated and magnified as one leaves the (Continued on Page 15)

Coming Out

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Chanting Hari Om,

In about an hour the Crown Prince of Indore came up with a retinue of horsemen. Probably Dada began his chastisement just when the Prince started for coming to him. Evidently he was in a serious trouble. He laid at the feet of Dada two big trays filled with silver and gold coins and pieces, as his tribute to him. At the height of his wrath, Dada spurned the trays with vigorous kicks, scattering the coins and pieces all around. The horsemen had to cordon off the ground covered by them. Not satisfied with this stunning insult, he poured a torrent of abuses on the father of the Prince, called him a sycophant and a man of vile character. As the Prince humbly put up with all that public disgrace, Dada relented after a time. The Prince entreated Dada to help his father. Dada said that his father would have to abdicate (give up power ), but he would be installed on the throne. (The king was gravely involved in the then well known Bawla Murder Case.) Later events proved the truth of the prediction. Chunilal saw another elevating sight. Dada was never known for any literary accomplishment, but he began to recite Sanskrit Shlokas (verses). Soon after, a scholar came up and recited in Dadas presence the very same shlokas and in exactly the same order. Chunilal was so impressed that waiving all fear and etiquette (conventional rules of manners), he ventured to meet the unacquainted scholar. He was a kind gentleman. He said that he would come to Dada for

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The Life and Sadhana of Mota Maharaj (Bhagat)

elucidation of some Vedic verses and, automatically either immediately or within 10 or 12 days, he would get at their true meaning. The scholar added, Nobody knows Him really, He is omnipresent. . There was a popular belief that Dadas mere darshan could heal diseases. For 10 or 12 days Chunilal carefully noted the cases of invalids who came to Dada for relief and found that definitely 3035 percent of serious cases were thus cured. These incidents as well as Dadas power to know things that happened far away, as he had already found out, finally convinced him beyond a shadow of doubt that his Guru did possess divine powers, that there was a method in his madness that his rough handling did nothing but good to those so dealt with. Parting Admonition After 10 or 12 days stay in Dadas purifying company, he (Dada) threw a coconut at Chunilals head, it struck him and starting swelling. Then he said, You can go home now. Continue the work you were doing. Never forget to pray to me. And lean-to once for all, your craze for the service of the country. You shall now do everything wholly and solely for the love of God and as your service to Him. No other motive must sway your mind any more. Your work itself has got to be a prayer to Him. Without first freeing themselves from the clutches of attachment and hatred likes and dislikes etc., those who

Keshavanandji Dhuniwala Dada Memorable Incident

An excerpt from "Pujya Mota Jeevan Darshan" by the Hariwani Trust. Their website is www.pujyamota.com

Every day he could see that those that gathered round Dada formed a medley of people coming from all strata of society - the highest to the lowest - in both spiritual and material spheres. Faces of the rich and the poor, recluses and worldly men, scholars and illiterates, men, women and children were not at all an uncommon sight. But one day he had an extraordinary experience. Without any seeming context, Dada went on dilating upon the relations between Indian princes and the sovereign British Power. He castigated them for adopting the meanest methods to propitiate their earthly Gods - the British overlords. Not content, he exposed the debased character of a particular unnamed Indian Prince.

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The Life and Sadhana of Mota Maharaj (Bhagat)

rush in for service of others are certain to go wrong off and on. Perfectly right action cannot be performed with an imperfect mind to impel it. Let those highest goal in life is service to humanity render service in that spirit. You have taken to the spiritual path in search of God. You shall henceforth continue your service not with the object of serving humanity as such, but for serving God through all your work. That inner urge, however powerful, may not at all lower the material value of your service. It will, on the contrary, make you even more efficient then before, if only you heartily follow my order God will then invisibly step in and solve your service problems, definitely in a better way than you could have done by taking guidance from your unaided human intellect. Gandhijis watchword ahimsa (non-violence) is excellent, but quite a large number of his followers are not inspired with its true spirit. Leave them to themselves. Mind your own business, concentrate upon the inner self; now be off, and remember me and my advice. A Cure and its Amazing Aftermath On his return from Saikheda, Chunilal took the first opportunity to see a co-worker. Bhagwatprasad Pandya, lying in bed at the Dufferin (now Sayaji) Hospital in Baroda. He was a patient of T.B (tuberculosis) of the testicles. The cure, if any at all, was wholly disappointing. Chunilal narrated his own experiences of the patients Mota Maharaj everything Dada cared to say in connection with Chunilal. Now, Chunilal never slept in his house. He spent his nights in solitary and dangerous place such as the crematorium of Nadiad or rendezvous of thieves. Naturally, in places such as those, there were times of stress and strain for Chunilal. From the deepest depth of his heart he would then sing devotional songs of his own creation. By Gods grace Dadajis clairvoyance heard these prayers in Gujarati and though he did not know that language, repeated them exactly. Pleased with Chunilals fervour he would exclaim, How saturated with deep feeling his prayers are! It is because of his intense earnestness that they reach my ears. When Chunilal visited Saikheda later on Bhagwatprasad would show him the prayers which he had written down. Not a word was found altered from the original composition.

at Saikheda and persuaded Bhagwatprasad: Go to Dhuniwala Dada. Why may you not be among the 30 percent successful cases? But Bhagwatprasad was wavering. Chunilal then offered to pay his railway fare both ways, if Bhagwatprasad returned disappointed. Bhagwatprasad went to Saikheda and the result was most amazing All his inhibitions were swept off. Completely cured, he forsook all his worldly connections, became a whole-hogger disciple of Dhuniwala Dada, stripped his whole body to the skin and never returned. In turn with Dada Bhagwatprasad used to note down

Life is Short
Excerpts for Japa Yoga by Swami Sivananda It is not at all wise to while away the time in arguments or vain discussions merely. Life is short. Time is fleeting. The body is continually decaying. There is nothing but gain and gain only, in doing Japa or Nama-Smarana.

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Shirdi Sai Baba in the Light of Sufism

The disciple also is in fact of the same swarupa. But, it is overlaid by the effect of the samskaras of innumerable births in the shape of ignorance, which hides from his view that he is Shuddha Chaitanya (see Bhagavad Gita., Ch. V As stated therein, he gets the impressions I am Jiva, a creature, humble and poor. The Guru has to root out these offshoots of ignorance and has to give upadesh or instruction. To the disciple held spell-bound for endless generations by the ideas of his being a creature, humble and poor, the Guru imparts in hundreds of births the teachingYou are God, you are mighty and opulent (rich). Then, he realizes a bit that he is God really. The perpetual delusion under which the disciple is labouring: that he is the body; that he is a creature (jiva) or ego; that God (Paramatma) and the world are different from him, is an error inherited from innumerable past births. From actions based on it, he has derived his joy, sorrows and mixtures of both. To remove this delusion, this error, this root ignorance, he must start the inquiry. How did the ignorance arise? Where is it? And to show him this is called the Gurus upadesh. The following are the instances of Ajnana (unwisdom) : 1-I am a Jiva (individual life form). 2-Body is the soul (I am the body). 3-God, world and Jiva are different. 4-I am not God. 5-Not knowing, that body is not the soul. 6-Not knowing that God, world and Jiva are one.

Shirdi Sai Baba www.shirdibaba.org An excerpt from Shri Sai Satcharitra, The Wonderful Life and Teaching of Shri Sai Baba, adapted, from original Marathi Book by Hemadpant, and translated into English by Nagesh Vasudev Gunaji. Pages 209-210. Again, the Shishya (disciple) like the Sadguru is really embodiment of Jnana (wisdom). The difference between the two lies in the attitude, high realization, marvellous super-human Sattva (Beingness) and unrivalled capacity and Aishwarya Yoga (divine powers). The Sadguru is Nirguna, Sat-Chit-Ananda (BeingConsciousness-Bliss). He has indeed taken human form to elevate mankind and raise the world. But his real Nirguna nature is not destroyed thereby, even a bit. His Beingness (or reality), divine power and wisdom remain undiminished.

Unless these errors are exposed to his view, the disciple cannot learn what is God, Jiva, world, body; how they are interrelated and whether they are different from each other, or are one and the same. To teach him these and destroy his ignorance is this instruction in Jnana (wisdom) or Ajnana(unwisdom). Why should Jnana he imparted to the jiva, (who is) a Jnanamurti? Upadesh is merely to show him his error and destroy his ignorance.

Swami Ramdas
An excerpt from The Gospel of Swami Ramdas, by Swami Satchidananda, p.36 The easiest path is to take the name of God. Love Him and sing His sweet name. You need not know anything more. You need not study any philosophy. Ever remembering Him and with His sweet name on your tongue, you can walk on the path blissfully. It matters not whether the world is believed to be real or unreal. For the devotee, everything is but the form of his Beloved.

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Vision of Life Eternal, By Mota Maharaj Hari Om Attitude of Witness

by Mota Maharaj (An excerpt from Hari Om Vision of Life Eternal, P.92, Karachi, Mar. 15, 1940) Meditation teaches us to be an impartial observer or witness. We must see that the spirit of detachment remains with us during even our ordinary day-to-day living. Only when we are Mota Maharaj continuously detached for a long time, shall we be able to master the art and gain the power of becoming Motas Aarati and remaining mentally aloof and (This was taken from the web. Be sure calm, no matter what happens. to visit for more information.) from www.hariom.org We must be like the Translation of (Om Sharan businessman who profits from his Charan Lejo, Prabhu Sharan business, adds his profit to his Charan Lejo) capital, and then increases his business by means of that enlarged capital. After we begin meditation, Om Grant me refuge under Thy (Lotus) feet; we should allow our Gods Lord grant me refuge under Thy remembrance or chanting to (Lotus) feet. continue as long as it goes on Save this fallen one naturally. When meditation grows by grasping his arm and behold in deep and this remembrance or your heart......Om Grant. chanting subsides and disappears, we should let it do so. We should never make any effort to cling to it. May the subtle feelings of mind and speech, As we become more and more descend in action too, O! Lord absorbed in meditation, any Let the mind, speech and heart distracting remembrance of anything at all should not continue. get unified as one with your Grace......Om Grant. It is essential that we remain completely silent but have lively With all whom am I connected, consciousness in the heart. emanate goodwill in my heart, O! Lord Even where insults have been hurled let goodwill enhance there too......Om Grant. To transform the baser instincts, to sublimed-form, O! Lord With your grace am I able to strive to grasp Thy (Lotus) feet......Om Grant. All the mental thoughts, And vital instincts, O! Lord All of the doubts of Brain get dissolved at your lotus feet......Om Grant. Whatever is am I at heart, O! Lord May I appear as I am, O! Lord Keep my senses alert so candidly truthful be my utterance. .....Om Grant. If the heart is harboring something, than nothing contrary to that, O! Lord Ever happens through me bestow me, with such a sense. .....Om Grant. Wherever do I see the noble qualities and fine humane feelings may there my heart experience the tranquil contentment O! Lord Pray thy devotion founded on noble qualities and humane feeling do germinate in this heart of mine......Om Grant. Let the mind , senses and vital, O! Lord! get dissolve in fervour of devotion to Thee. O! Lord May thy devotion in this heart surge-up, like the splashing waves......Om Grant. Pujya Sri Mota

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Insights by Jnaneshvar (1271-1296)

Significance of Hari Om By Mota Maharaj Pujya Sri Mota has given the significance of the Mantra: HARI OM or HARI AUM at several places in his writings. Here too, in this Aarati-Bhajan, he has repeated: Om /Aum in each stanza. There is a fine explanation of this. It may be added that the Mandukya Upanished, which deals with these four states, though in a very compressed manner, states that the Mantra Om can be considered as a split up into the three elements, A, U, M. Of these A signifies the Jagrat State, U the Swapna and M the Sushupti, while the Om, taken as a single unity, stands for the Fourth . The repeated counsel to meditate on the Om has no reference to setting up vibrations in the Subtle body but to raising the consciousness through the three stages into the Fourth.short meanings of the terms: Jagrat (Waking), Swapna (Dreaming), Sushupti (Deep-sleep state), the Fourth (Turiya): is that of sheer transcendence, the unmanifested consciousness of the Shanta Atman. It is the Goal and is best left in silence. (Taken from Appendix C, note on the four states of consciousnessThe Yoga of the Bhagavat Gita by Sri Krishna Prem) Vishnu). The sun shines bright, but has the defect that he sets; the moon is full at times, but my devotees are always perfect. The clouds are generous but they too become empty, so their simile is not apt. My devotees are without doubt like the merciful lord Shiva. People have to serve me in thousand births to be able to utter my name even once; but my name dances on their tongue to their great joy. I am, therefore, not to be found in Vaikuntha or in the suns disc; I even pass the minds of those Jnaneshvar who practice yoga. O Arjuna, I am The Janeswari, Chapter 9, V 11 positively to be found in the home of my devotees, who constantly These devotees dance in ecstasy sing my praise in a loud voice. while singing my praise, making all Enwrapped in singing my virtues, acts of expiation superfluous, as in they forget the time and place and them no trace of sin is left. become absorbed in the bliss In the case of such devotees, control through my kirtana. Through the of the senses and mind become constant utterance of my name, redundant, the holy places become Krishna, Vishnu, Hari, Govinda desolate, and the activities of the and the open discourse on my hell come to stop. Self-control does divine essence, they abundantly not know whom to control, selfsing my praise and roam all over restraint does not know whom to the world, singing hosannas to me. restrain and the holy waters do not Janeswari, Chapter 9 v14 find even a trace of sin to cleanse. Thus by loudly singing my name, I am the father of this universe, the my devotes heal the miseries of all another, the supporter, the grandbeings and make the whole world sire; the holy object of knowledge, resound with bliss. They give light the syllable Om and the Rik, Saman without dawn, eternal life without and Yajus. nectar and Gods vision without I am the gatherer of world, as under yogic practice. they do not discriminate between the prince and my inspiration this eightfold the pauper or the high and the low, prakriti gives rise to this entire creation. Since the image of Shiva and they open the kingdom of is half male and half female, I am heaven to all creatures. one rarely also the mother of this animate and goes to vaikuntha, but by flooding inanimate world. And that which the world with Gods name, these supports the world and promotes devotees have made this world a veritable Vaikuntha (abode of Lord (Continued on Page 10)

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worry and weep 0! I am a sinner, how can I be saved?; one should completely renounce the thought I am a sinner; and concentrate keenly on meditation on the Self; then, one would surely succeed. There are not two mindsone good and the other evil; the mind is only one. It is the residual impressions that are of two kindsauspicious and inauspicious. When the mind is under the influence of auspicious impressions it is called good; and when it is under the influence of inauspicious impressions it is regarded as evil.

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WHO AM I? , by Sri Ramana

gained, that alone would do. As long as there are enemies within the fortress, they will continue to sally forth; if they are destroyed as they emerge, the fortress will fall into our hands. 16. What is the nature of the Self? What exists in truth is the Self alone. The world, the individual soul, and God are appearances in it, like silver in mother-of-pearl; these three appear at the same time, and disappear at the same time.

The Self is that where there is absolutely no I thought. That is Who Am I? The mind should not be allowed to called Silence. The Self itself is An excerpt from the Collected wander towards worldly objects and the world; the Self itself is I; the Works of Ramana Maharshi by Self itself is God; all is Siva, the what concerns other people. Arthur Osborne. There is an However bad other people may be, Self. excellent website for Ramana one should bear no hatred for them. 17. Is not everything the work of Ashram that includes many photos God? and all of Sri Ramana's works. Visit Both desire and hatred should be eschewed. All that one gives to them online at others one gives to ones self. If this Without desire, resolve, or effort, www.ramanamaharshi.org the sun rises; and in its mere truth is under stood who will not presence, the sun-stone emits, the WHO AM I give to others? When ones self lotus blooms, water evaporates; arises all arises; when ones self 13. The residual impressions people perform their various becomes quiescent all becomes (thoughts) of objects appear quiescent. To the extent we behave functions and then rest. Just as in unending like the waves of an the presence of the magnet the with humility, to that extent there ocean. When will all of them be needle moves, it is by Virtue of the will result good. If the mind is removed? mere presence of God that the rendered quiescent, one may live As the meditation on the Self rises souls governed by the three anywhere. higher and higher, the thoughts will (cosmic) functions or the fivefold get destroyed. divine activity perform their 15. How long should inquiry be actions and then rest, in accordance practised? 14. Is it possible for the residual with their respective karmas. God impressions of objects that come As long as there are impressions of has no resolve; no karma attaches from beginningless time, as it were, objects in the mind, so long the itself to Him. This is like worldly to be resolved, and for one to inquiry Who am I? is required. actions not affecting the sun, or remain as the pure Self? As thoughts arise they should be like the merits and demerits of the Without yielding to the doubt Is it destroyed then and there in the very other four elements not affecting place of their origin, through possible, or not?, one should the all- pervading ether. inquiry, If one resorted to persistently hold on to the meditation on the Self. Even if one contemplation of the Self unintermittently, until the Self was be a great sinner, one should not

Sri Ramana Maharshi

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B u d d h i s m
that it most easily creates this sense. Theravadin chants are not particularly musical - using only about three tones. There are two aspects to this: it means that pretty much any member of sangha can join the chanting so it is not an exclusive affair, and, even if the chants are completely unfamiliar, the steady pitch can have a very calming and peaceful effect on the mind - of both the chanter and the listener. This is enhanced when there is a group chanting as there is no set stopping place - outside the beginning and the end - and breathing (for the chanters) is as required. So, the whole thing has a gentle flow, like a rolling tide of sound with a simple range of sound patterns.

Chanting in Buddhism (This article was taken of the web from Lifestyle Monastic Resources. Please visit their site for much more information.) http://www.buddhamind.info/ leftside/monastic/chant-1.htm Chanting: The Buddhas teaching was preserved orally in various chant forms until about 80 BC when it was written down. The tradition of chanting is still maintained in monasteries today, despite the many books available, and chanting is a significant part of most Buddhist rituals. Monks and nuns are expected to memorise quite a lot of this chanting as part of their monastic training. This doesnt necessarily involve learning the Pali language - although many commonly repeated key terms would take on a much deeper meaning over time. A great many interactions between laity and monastics involves some form of chanting, and initially a junior can make use of a book but there comes a time when one is asked to put the book away in public. There is a noticeable difference in the energy of a ceremony when it is all done live - as opposed to just being read from a book. Making the effort to learn chanting has a healthy strengthening effect on the mind; it develops concentration, patience and determination. Some people have a photographic memory but most monastics I know find the chanting quite difficult to learn. To begin with it seems impossible nothing will stick in the mind - just

this jumble of meaningless words with no grammatical clues as to the next word. Even when it has been memorised, chanting with a group takes practice. The words are in the mind somewhere but, because they are in a foreign language, recitation cant be intellectual and it takes a Although there are almost particular type of internal process endless chants there are certain to be able to recite long passages groups that have come to be from memory - a mixture of concentration, confidence and faith. associated with various rituals and ceremonies. For many lay Buddhists these chants are quite There is something about the familiar - in fact many people collective mind that develops as a result of chanting from memory as memorise sections - and this familiarity reinforces the sense of a group that is very special and quite palpable. Because the chants community - communion - that can take place while verses are have been handed down for over being recited. Because the chants 2500 years there is a direct connection to a historical lineage are about superior human qualities, purity, natural laws - and the of monks and nuns. This sense of development of these - this adds a extended family is something that develops generally in monastic life very meditative, reflective facet to the process. - both in relation to the current sangha and to ones ancestors Below are details of some of but the chanting is such a familiar, the regular occasions when repeated, historically consistent and chanting occurs. The list is by no impersonal part of monastic life means complete as almost every

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Chanting Hari Om i n B u d d h i s m
happy and live long. - (SF Sabitiyo) Blessing: Also common is the chanting of blessings. Any number of things can be the focus for blessing - a baby, a wedding, a house, a car, etc. - and the format is pretty much the same for all. The request and responses for taking the refuges and precepts are usually chanted first and then the devas (the forces of goodness) are invited: May the devas come here, from all round the world systems, from the mountains and the sky, from town and country, wherever they may be let them be present here. [view full text] (SF Pharitvana) There is then a series of auspicious chants - extolling the virtues of the Buddha, outlining aspects of his teaching and encouraging the listener to make endevours on the spiritual path. Victorious underneath the Bodhi tree, He increased the joy of the Sakyas. May this same victory

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C h a n t i n g
organised monastic gathering large or small - involves some chanting, either verses from the suttas or various formulae for a specific function. It gets a bit messy but I have included several links - both to sound files (marked SF) and various pages of text.

be yours; [view full text] (SF Jayanto) Maha Parit: This is a special form of blessing ceremony peculiar to Sri Lanka. It involves a group of monks chanting verses of blessing right through the night, finishing just after dawn of the next day. A pavilion is specially built for the monks to sit in while they are chanting - the one shown in the photos is made of finely cut paper glued on a light wooden frame. It is burnt on the last day. The idea with blessings is that good begets good. Often at the end of the maha parit chanting, or after a retreat, or alms giving, or any meritorious deeds, the blessings thus accrued are shared with all beings. May those who are friendly, indifferent or hostile; may all beings receive the blessings of my life. (SF - Imina) [view full text] Confession: This forms a standard preliminary to the chanting of the patimokkha every fortnight on the moon day. [view] The patimokkha is recited by one monk from memory and usually takes about 45 minutes of fast chanting. Juniors are encouraged to make an effort to learn the patimokkha but only a few would complete the task. View a sample page (one of 50) and imagine how long it would take to memorise! Funerals Each Buddhist culture has a range of different funereal rites but the reference point of the chanting is always the naturalness of death. It is the unavoidable result of having been born and a

Puja: This is the twice daily meeting of the sangha - in the morning at 5:00 and evening at 7:30 - when a range of verses are chanted. In the morning, reflections are commonly on aspects of the Buddhas teaching while they are more devotional in the evening. (SF - Morning Chanting) [view: intro to puja; ten reflections; loving kindness chant] Dana: Another frequent chanting situation is the response to the offering of requisites - particularly the daily meal [see DANA]. The basic reflection is that good deeds have good as their result, and the chants are an expression of the gratitude of the sangha for those things offered with the wish that the donor benefit from that goodness and that their life be free of difficulty. May there be for you all blessings and may all the devas guard you well. By the power of all the Buddhas, ever in safety may you be Just as the rivers full of water fill the ocean full, even so does that which is given here benefit all beings May all distress be averted, may all diseases be avoided, may there be no dangers, may you be

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Chanting Hari Om, C h a n t i n g i n

Sermons: The Buddhas teaching was an oral one. He gave regular talks to his disciples and we now read these as suttas and hear them as chants. The tradition of oral teaching is still maintained with talks regularly given by senior monastics. When the Buddha was first enlightened he was reluctant to teach and the Brahma god, Sahampati, came down and appealed to the Buddha to teach. This same entreaty is still used to encourage teachers to speak as teaching is generally only offered when requested. Just as the Brahma god Sahampati requested a boon with his palms joined in reverence, so too are there those here with but a little dust in their eyes. Pray teach Dhamma out of compassion for them. One form of chanting not often practiced in the forest monasteries of Asia but which seems to be popular in the West is mantra. These can be thought of as having some inherent esoteric value but my own feeling is that it is better to approach them as just another meditation object. As such they are best relatively simple, and any implicit meaning able to be contemplated. So, almost any word group - or even sounds - can be used although the emphasis should be on goodness. Try repeating the word love a thousand time over. What is the result? Each tradition will have a variety of phrases set to a variety of melodies and it is difficult to convey the usefulness of this technique in words. Have a listen to these: Namo Tass Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa (SF - Namo Tassa)

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B u d d h i s m
Namo Sakyamuni Buddha (SF Namo Sakyamuni) The winds of change are gonna blow you away, Seek the centre of the storm each day. The winds of change are gonna tear you apart, Find the silence of the peaceful heart. (SF The Winds)

full appreciation of the compounded nature of the body is what the chanting reflects. All conditions are truly transient. They have the nature to arise and cease. Having arisen, then they pass away. With their cessation there is peace. (SF Anicca) The chanting is usually quite solemn and monks would often be invited to chant in the deceaseds home - ideally every day for seven days. Water is often poured over the body [see] - a little by each person - before the coffin is closed for the last time. Families will often make offerings at the monastery to mark the anniversary of the death. This would be after one month, three months and then annually. Invitation In the spirit of mind training monastics will offer an invitation to their peers. Venerable Sirs, I invite reflections and admonishment from the Sangha. According to what has been seen, heard or suspected, may the venerable ones instruct me out of compassion. Seeing it, I shall make amends. Forgiveness Forgive me, venerable sir, for all or any wrong doings done carelessly to the venerable one by way of body, speech or mind. I for give you. You should also forgive me. Both invitation and forgiveness are chanted in Pali but the spirit of these occasions is well studied and creates an open atmosphere of care and trust. Try them at home some time.

Janeswari, Chapter 9 v14 (continued from page 6) life cannot be any other than myself. since both prakriti and purusha have emerged from my unconscious mind. I am the grand-sire of all three worlds. I am also the knowable, the meeting place of the four Vedas, in whose sacred abode the different paths leading to knowledge meet, where the 4 different sects come to an understanding, where the different shastras come to know one another, where the divergent paths of knowledge coalesce, and which is, therefore, called holy. I am also that Omkara, Primeval sound, which has sprouted from the seed of the sacred temple of the manifestation of the Brahman. I am also also the three letters a, u, m, which emerged from the womb of the Omkara and which gave birth to the three Vedas. I am, therefore, the three Vedas, the Rigveda, the Yajurveda and the Samaveda, and the source of all traditions of spiritual knowledge.

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And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders, and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand which were redeemed from the earth. Rev. 14: 1-3 His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength... He that hath ear let him hear what the spirit saith... To him that ever cometh, I give to eat of the tree of life... Rev. I & II

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Naam or Word, by Kirpal Singh

The Word of God endureth forever. ..1 Peter Ep. General I:25 Love the Word better than the world. Imitation of Christ All scripture is given by Inspiration of God. Timothy Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. John I: 14, I The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof, but carist not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth, so everywhere born of the spirit. Luke 8 : Baba Haridas, from www.yogaforlife.com website. Quote of Babajis Repetition of a divine name or a sacred syllable brings the mind into the present where there is no past or future, only divine presence. These Kirtans are mantras. By repeating those names, it creates an automatic pranayama, which purifies the mind. The emotions are purified and the mind stays on one spiritual object. It develops devotion. The ragas are fixed in such a way that it charges the atmosphere with spiritual energy. It makes a deep print in the mind, which brings the memory of God whenever there is sadness, pain, or any trouble. It doesnt matter which name you use. Faith devotion and one-pointed concentration are what counts. In all different names, the same reality.

Kirpal Singh
Excerpts from Naam or Word, by Kirpal Singh visit website: www.ruhanisatsangusa.org Naam or Word p83-86 Christianity I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me, mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. John 3: 4

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119 : l05 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. Peter I : 23 The sower soweth the Word. Mark 3: 13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my Word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life. John 5 : 24

Those whom the eternal Word speaks are delivered from uncertainty. From one Word proceed all things and all things tell The Spirit of Truth, is come, and of Him. Imitations of Christ He will guide you into All Truth. And I looked, and lo, a lamb stood John 16 :13

on the mount Sion, and with him an I have manifested Thy Name unto hundred forty and four thousand the men. John 17 : 6 having his Fathers name written in I have given them Thy Word. their foreheads. John 17: 14 And I heard a voice from heaven, Receive with meekness the as the voice of many waters, and as ongrafted Word, which is able to the voice of great thunder: and I save your souls. James General heard the voice of harpers harping Epistle I:21 with their harps

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99 Names of Allah
Ar Rehman (The Beneficent) One who recites this name 100 times will get sharp memory. Ya Adl (The Just) One who eats the bread after writing this name Friday night, will obey his order. Ya Afuw (The Pardoner) One who recites this name frequently, his sins will be pardoned. Ya Ahad (The One) Recitation of this name 1000 times opens certain secrets. Ya Akhir (The Last) One who recites this name frequently will lead a good life and at the end of this life will have a good death. Ya-Aali (The Most High) Frequent recitation of this name helps in destiny and in Traveling. Ya Alim (The All Knowing) One who recites this name will become luminous and can be revealed by divine light (Noor). Ya Awwal (The First) Recitation of this name, 1000 times for 40 Fridays will help in getting a child. Ya Azim (The Great One) One who recites this name frequently will get respect from others. Ya Aziz (The Mighty) Recite this name 40 times after fajr (morning) prayers for 40 days to be independent from need from others. Ya Baatin (The Hidden) One who recites this name three times in a day will be able to see the truth in things. Ya Badi (The Incomparable) One who recites this name 70 times will be free from all troubles. Ya Baais (The Resurrector) One who recites this name will gain the fear of Allah. Ya Baqi (The Everlasting) One who recites this name 100 times before sunrise will be saved from all disasters. Ya Barr (The Source of all Goodness) One who recites this name for his child, the child will be free from misfortune. Ya Basir (The All Seeing) One who recites this name 100 times after Friday Prayers (Namaz) will get the esteem in the eyes of others Ya Basit (The Expander) One who recites this name 10 times after morning Prayers (Namaz) with open hands will get wealth.

There is only one God and that is Allah. There are 99 names for Allah. Each name represents a special attribute of God. Repitition of any name of God will bring you closer to God through that special attribute or quality. Repetition of each name also brings special benefits. Listed below are the 99 names of Allah and the benefits to be gained by chanting each name. The information here was obtained by a search of "99 names of Allah" on the web. ........editor

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99 Names of Allah
Ya Fattah (The Opener) One who recites this name will face the victory. Ya Ghaffar (The Forgiver) One who recites this name, his sins will be forgiven. Ya Ghafur (The All Forgiving) Recitation of this name helps in healing from headache, Fever & depression. Ya Ghani (The Self Sufficient) One who recites this name will be contented and not covetous. Ya Hadi (The Guide) One who recites this name frequently will gain spiritual knowledge. Ya Hafiz (The preserver) One who recites this name 16 times each day will be protected against calamities. Ya Hakam (The Judge) One who recites this name frequently at night, many secrets will be revealed to him / her. Ya Hakim (The Wise) One who recites this name continuously will prevent him / her from the difficulties in work. Ya Halim (The Forbearing One) Write this name on the piece of paper and put it where the seeds are sown, this will prevent from any disaster & calamity. Ya Jalil (The Sublime One) One who writes this name on a piece of paper with musk and saffron, washes it, and drinks the water from a ceramic container made of earth, will be revered among men. Ya Kabir (The Most Great) One who recites this name 100 times will get esteem. Ya Karim (The Generous One): One who recites this name will have esteem in this world. Ya Khabir (The Aware) One who recites this name will be quickly freed from the bad habit. Ya Khafid (The Abaser) Recitation of this name, 70,000 times in gathering after fasting for 3 days will be safeguarded from enemy. Ya Khaliq (The Creator) Recitation of this name at night will create an angel. Ya Bari (The Evolver) Recitation of each 21 times will help women during child birth. Ya Musawwir (The Fashioner) Ya Latif (The Subtle One) One who recites this name 100 times after performing two rakats of Namaz will gets all his desires fulfilled.

Ya Hamid (The Praiseworthy) One who recites this name will be loved and praised Ya Haqq (The Truth) One who recites this name will get his lost thing. Ya Hasib (The Reckoner) One who starts reciting this name 70 times beginning Thursday for seven days and nights and at the 71st time recites Habiyallah ul Hasib will be free of fears from robbery & Jealousy. Ya Hayy (The Alive) One who recites this name will have long life. Ya Jaame (The Gatherer) One who recites this name will find lost things. Ya Jabbar (The Compeller) Recitation of this name helps to prevent from violence, severity or hardness.

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Ya Matin (The Firm One) One who recites this name will be freed from any troubles. Ya Muakhkhir (The Delayer) Reciting this name 100 times helps to love only Allah. Ya Mubdi (The Originator) Recitation of this name on pregnant woman will prevent her from abortion. Ya Mughni (The Enricher) One who recites this name 10 times for 10 Fridays will become self sufficient. Ya Muhaymin (The Protector) One who recites this name with complete ablution, their inner being will be luminous.

V.3 #1, May 5, 2004

99 Names of Allah
Ya Majeed (The Noble) One who recites this name, his heart will be enlightened. Ya Majid (The Most Glorious One) One who recites this name will gain glory. Ya Malik (The Sovereign Lord) One who recites this name frequently will be respected and treated accordingly by others. Ya Malik-Al-Mulk (The Eternal Owner of Sovereignty) One who recites this name will get esteem. Ya Maani (The Preventer) One who recites this name will have a good family life. Ya Muhsi (The Reckoner) One who recites this name 1000 times will have easiness on the judgment day. Ya Muhyi (The giver of life) One who recites this name will be helped in heavy burden. Ya Murid (The Restorer) Recitation of this name 70 times will helpful in safe return of the missing person. Ya Muizz (The Honorer) Reciting 140 times after isha prayer will help in attaining dignity in the eyes of others. To Be Continued

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Page 15 (Continued from Page 1)

more enjoyable. Which voice will win? At this point if you do not maintain your daily sadhana or spiritual disciplines, like chanting and praying on a regular basis, you will fall from the path of silence, increasing karmic attachments and the resulting pleasure-pain and happiness-sorrow. God is beyond time and space, and beyond names and forms. When you realize that Silent Being is reality and that everything perceivable and thinkable is Maya or illusion, then you are close to enlightenment. Knowledge of this Silent Being is knowledge. Knowledge of multiplicity (nature, its diversities and the implications of life) is in fact ignorance. You will have to decide if your life is to be lived in Silent Being or not. You will get a sense of how much work has to be done to reach the path, and it is here that you will have to decide whether to live as what you have learned, or whether to run from it and just go live your life for what you can get out of it!

Coming Out of Solitude

When one is alone ones thoughts hover and accumulate. They dont usually get dissipated by interaction with others and other things. After spending say even seven days alone one has built up a certain intensity or familiarity with silence. This is not always a comfortable familiarity. But for one week one has not had ones emotional and thought patterns changed by outside influences. One coming out into ones personal life again, the experience of solitude stays as a presence with you for a while. It seems to be a special grace filled with wonder, like your home town after being away for some time. One the first day of coming out of solitude, one will go through the same number of changes in consciousness that would have happened in a week of ones previous normal consciousness. Only now one week of changes is experienced in one day. It is like living seven days in one. This is an altered state of consciousness! Gods gift of grace .. for as long as it lasts! Unfortunately, it doesnt usually last! The second day outside of solitude one will experience slightly less than a weeks worth of changes. The third day even less, and so on until things get back to normal! Whatever that is! When one gets back to what is normal, it is usually accompanied by a sense of failure and futility. All of your problems are not solved and there are even new ones arising. All the dreams and visions or good intentions formed in the solitude now seem to be a lot further away and harder to integrate into your life. As the ego begins again to solidify, one realizes that one is not yet enlightened! Perhaps it may not even be consciously realized but felt. At such a time one might doubt the benefit of ones experience in solitude, or one may feel that they have to go back and go further. A spiritual gong has been struck in the life of this individual, but the individual has not learned how to listen fully, much less reproduce the sound of that gong. At this stage there is no doubt that you are already under the care of some special Guru whether you know it or not. The inner sound has been heard or felt. Reality will never be the same! Here is the challenge at last. The flame of love and devotion, or silence, has been lit. All of the old dreams and challenges in your life will have lost some of their luster and will never quite be the same again. You have loosened the grip of Maya for a while. You will acutely feel any worldly lack of peace in the situations you find yourself in. This is the test. It is a challenge of faith, or better still of the truth in the experience of silence. What is real? Is it the silence? Or is it the world? When the silence which is beyond names and forms is experienced, one knows the truth. Anything else is simply less than that! There now is a need to reestablish stronger spiritual disciplines to maintain ones experience of silence, or to be ones Self. There is a fight with the ego which wants to make life better and

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UPCOMING MEDITATION AND HARI OM CHANTING EVENTS

What Is Mantra? An excerpt from Mantras: Words of Power by Swami Sivananda Radha Every Mantra has six aspects: a Rishi or seer, a raga or melody, a Devata or presiding deity, a Bija or seed sound, Saktz or power and Kilaka or pillar. The Rishis, through their intuitive perception, opened themselves to the revelation of the Mantras and were able to recognize their own effectiveness as channels for the flow of grace, knowledge and power from the Divine. These ancient seers understood that their powers were intended to be used in the service of others, as a guide to mankind. The Mantras were transmitted from generation to generation, from Guru to disciple, and in this process the power of the Mantras was greatly increased. The repetition billions of times by countless devotees over the centuries has brought about a vast reservoir of power which augments the inherent spiritual potency of the Mantras. The raga is comparable to a western melody line a sound, or sequence of single sounds, without harmony. When chanting a Mantra it is extremely important that the raga and its key should not be changed, because the rate of vibrations on which the sound is based is an integral part. All Indian music is based on the understanding that there are two aspects to every sound: the audible expression; and the subtle sound-essence which carries the meaning and which arises from the eternal Spirit. This essence is called Shabda or Vach. When the spoken word is perfectly sounded within and without, contact is made with this power which manifests as an image. UPCOMING MEDITATION AND HARI OM CHANTING EVENTS in the Summer of 2004: Calendar: Tuesday Night, May 18, 2004 at 7:00 pm: New Moon Meditation and Chanting of Hari Om. This New Moon Implications: New evening of chanting and meditation Moons are the peak points of will be held at Robin Armstrongs subjective impressionability in the home. (The actual New Moon is at month. Receptivity to core insights 12:53 am EDT. on Wed. May 19.) and to God are accentuated. Chanting on a New Moon will give Thursday Night, June 17, 2004 at an extra vitality to your efforts 7:00 pm: New Moon Meditation over the following month until the and Chanting of Hari Om. This next New Moon. A holy evening of chanting and meditation environment and spiritual will be held at Robin Armstrongs companions are a great blessing. home. (The actual New Moon is at 4:28 pm EDT.) The Meditations: there will be chanting, reading from spiritual Friday Night, July 16, 2004 at texts, more chanting, and then a 7:00 pm: New Moon Meditation pot luck vegetarian dinner. and Chanting of Hari Om. This Everyone is requested to bring evening of chanting and meditation something for the meal, but if you will be held at Robin Armstrongs cannot do so, you are still home. (The actual New Moon is at welcome. There is no charge for 7:25 am EDT, on Sat. July 17.) the evening. Sunday Night, Aug. 15, 2004 at Location for Meditation: If you 7:00 pm: New Moon Meditation need transportation call Robin at and Chanting of Hari Om. This 905-841-8565. evening of chanting and meditation will be held at Robin Armstrongs 1. Robin Armstrongs home home. (The actual New Moon is at (905-841-8565), 40 minutes north 9:25 pm EDT.) We will keep the of Toronto in Aurora (5 minutes meditation going to the exact from the Go Station). His address moment of the New Moon. is 91 B Edward St. From Toronto drive North on Hwy 404, West on Aurora Rd, S (left) on Berczy (the first street west of the Go Stationtrain tracks), turn right on the second street (Metcalfe) and then a quick left. The white building on your left is the place with parking on the side.