Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Levels of spiritual growth

  1. #1

    Levels of spiritual growth

    Respected members

    What is the difference between Sadhu,siddha,muni,Rishi,Jnani,Yogi? is these levels of spiritual enligtenment?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    September 2007
    Location
    Canada
    Age
    70
    Posts
    7,191
    Rep Power
    5038

    Re: Levels of spiritual growth

    Quote Originally Posted by Who am i View Post
    Respected members

    What is the difference between Sadhu,siddha,muni,Rishi,Jnani,Yogi? is these levels of spiritual enligtenment?
    Vannakkam: Maybe at one time there were clearer definitions, but these days anyone can refer to themselves as anything, so many terms are interchangeable

    But generally speaking, here goes:

    sadhu - a wanderin ascetic
    siddha - one who has developed siddhis
    muni - one who speaks directly from intuitive knowledge
    rishi - a realised being
    jnani - one who has attained the state of jnana
    yogi - a sadhak, a seeker on the path, could also be realised

    Aum Namasivaya

  3. #3
    Join Date
    September 2006
    Age
    71
    Posts
    7,705
    Rep Power
    223

    Re: Levels of spiritual growth

    hari o
    ~~~~~~
    namasté
    I have a slightly different view on these definitions offered by EM... not in opposition but just in degree of difference worthy of one's read.
    Let me explain.

    Lets take the notion of ṛṣi. This noun is rooted in ṛṣ for dṛś . This dṛś is to see, behold. It is aligned to ṛṣi as they see/behold the truth. They by divine intuition ( my teacher called cognition) are able cognize the truth within their field of pure consciousness . Now I say 'their field' i.e. the ṛṣi-s , of pure consciousness is not accurate. It is within the ocean of consciousness that exists.
    Now why mention 'ocean' ? There has been a cryptic use of the word ṛṣi as a fish¹. He/she that swims within the ocean of consciousness.
    Rṣi is also defined as a ray of light; a saint or sanctified sage in general , an ascetic , anchorite.
    The term rṣi is also defined as symbolic of the number 7. Why so? Due to the 7 rṣi-s of class :
    • devarṣi-s
    • brahmarṣi-s
    • rājarṣi-s
    • maharṣi-s
    • paramarṣi-s
    • śrutarṣi-s
    • kāṇḍarṣi-s
    So, my point is , there is no doubt that a ṛṣi is a realized being , per EM's definition (which is fine and well placed); yet it is what this realized being does that makes him/her the seer or ṛṣi.

    Another is jñāni which is s/he that knows jñāna, which is higher knowledge and alludes to knowledge of the SELF (ātman). So, if there is the term jñāni why do we find the term vijñāni ? Why muddy the waters with 2 terms unless there is some difference ? Vijñāni = vi + jñāni . The 'vi' is used to describe distinction ; that of above or extended to jñāni. It is that realized being that has skill in jñāna. The implications are quite interesting ( to me) and we can address it if there is interest.

    One more is siddha. By definition is 'one who has hit the mark'; it is the accomplished, fulfilled , effected , gained. The 2nd definition is one that has 'accomplished' spiritual powers. Typically there are the 8 fundamental powers called out, yet patañjali muni calls out many more in his yogadarśana.
    So, one can be a siddha, who has accomplished/reached the Self (jñāni) but does not practice siddhi's.
    Last , another definition of siddha that we never hear of is 'to drive off or scare away'. Within siddha we have 'si'. The 2nd derivation of 'si' is to hurl, cast off. So we can , by conjecture, assume one casts off all that is imperfect to arrive at an accomplished level of Being.

    If I were to discern levels of spiritual enlightenment as per the original post I would choose another course of definition. IMHO this post ( which points to further posts) may be of interest: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2996


    iti śiva

    1. ṛṣi as a fish - koi fish as I understand it; some call cyprinus carpio; I look to be corrected on the fish category type..
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

  4. #4
    Join Date
    September 2007
    Location
    Canada
    Age
    70
    Posts
    7,191
    Rep Power
    5038

    Re: Levels of spiritual growth

    Quote Originally Posted by yajvan View Post
    ( my teacher called cognition) are able cognize the truth within their field of pure consciousness .
    Vannakkam Yajvan et al: Interesting side not ...The title of my teacher's first book on this matter was 'Cognizantability'

    Thank you for furthering the definitions. Personally I am not affected on way or another. There are several more terms here that get intertwined sometimes, like pundit, guru, satguru, swami,

    I'm more interested in the knowledge itself than the title of the soul who is delivering it.

    Aum Namasivaya

  5. #5

    Re: Levels of spiritual growth

    Respected Yajvanji

    Thanks for reply.Speaking about Jnani,Is there different levels or steps before one becomes fully enlightened ones?


    Thanks

  6. #6
    Join Date
    September 2006
    Age
    71
    Posts
    7,705
    Rep Power
    223

    Re: Levels of spiritual growth

    hari o
    ~~~~~~

    namasté

    Quote Originally Posted by Who am i View Post
    Respected Yajvanji

    Thanks for reply.Speaking about Jnani,Is there different levels or steps before one becomes fully enlightened ones?
    Let me offer the following:
    this HDF post will assist in rounding out this conversation - it is called one-stop enlightenment ? http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=6901

    What may be some of the stops along the way? We as human-beings can have multiple experiences:
    • Pure ignorance - only thinking what we see is all there is ; not even aware of the possibility of another or the Supreme.
    • Some knowledge - still the identification with the body , but with the knowledge there is more to existence then meets the eye
      (and is in pursuit of it)
    • Self-awareness - the breaking of the identification with the body and the relationship with Self ( or ātman).
      One is able to go beyond ( transcend, atīndriya¹) the senses and experience silence itself.
    • I am the universe - having the experience that all this that surrounds you is an extension of and a personal direct experience of your Self.
      This is an outward-facing experience. This some call the unity-in-diversity experience. There is unity of all things, and there is the delight
      of diversity that is experienced.
    • I am - this experience is that I am all that there is.
    • I - this is just pure 'I' and nothing else, ahaṁ. We can think of this as nyāyena - from the root ni that into which a thing goes
      back i.e. an original type , standard. Now it is my understanding that this level of experience is beyond the body. Some call this
      ( as I understand it) maha-samādhi and is without the body (śarīra).
    praṇām
    Last edited by yajvan; 25 March 2014 at 03:45 PM.
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

  7. #7

    Re: Levels of spiritual growth

    Hi Yajvanji

    Thanks for response.

    For General audience,

    Probably many people know what im saying below.There is a excellent website which helps Self-realization.

    http://www.manblunder.com/


    The owner of website is Raviji who helps people in their Spiritual quest on advaita ideology.

    There are lot of articles in his website which explains about self-realization and other stuffs in layman words.

    Another website which attracted me is

    http://vedicastrologer.org/homam/


    The author is emphasizing use of external fire to cleanse oneself so that Bhoota Agni increases which is needed for Spiritual improvement.He has written simple homam procedures for Various Hindu deities which takes maximum 45-60 mins to perform and it can be done by all people irrespective of caste..etc.


    Thanks
    Last edited by Who am i; 30 March 2014 at 10:02 PM. Reason: edit

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Aarati a Spiritual perspective
    By Hiwaunis in forum Science and Religion
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 09 July 2010, 02:42 PM
  2. Some questions on HK
    By Yogkriya in forum Hare Krishna (ISKCON)
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 06 August 2007, 02:03 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •