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Chanting Hari Om V3#1-Mar04
Chanting Hari Om V3#1-Mar04
Coming Out
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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.
Chanting Hari Om
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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 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.
Chanting Hari Om
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Chanting Hari Om
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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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
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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
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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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.
Chanting Hari Om
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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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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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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