Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Quintessential Profound Idealist vs the Quintessential Pedestrian Dilettante

From the Bhakti List Archives

Venkat Nagarajan • January 13, 2000 


Dear Bhagavatas,

Vedanta, which is a holistic, systematic, and rational exposition on the
nature of reality, is highly idealistic.  Both the description of the ultimate
reality and means to realising it are idealistic.  Vedantins in the past were
the quintessential profound idealists (the most profound being Sri.
Vedanta Desika.)   Even till about 30 years ago there were a few
idealists living in the dharambhumi (our great nation.)  Nowadays the
people of our nation, whether they reside in the dharmabhumi or
elsewhere, have lost their ideals.  That is, If one envisions an ordered
array of classifications going from quintessential profound idealist to
quintessential pedestrian dilettante (one who knows a little about many
things but nothing of substance about anything), in my opinion the vast
majority of those (including me) who claim to have some link with
vedanta are closer to or converging towards the classification of
quintessential pedestrian dilettante.   I for one am very sad to see this
happening.  How do others feel?  Is there is any remedy? 
(The 2nd question is directed at those who have a similar view; those
who do not have a similar view please ignore this question.)

ramanuja dasan,
venkat