Chadwick also made some criticisms of Ramana. He
says that Ramana used to chew snuff (A pinch of
smokeless tobacco inhaled at a single time), and that
when Chadwick knew him he still chewed betel nut
(Chadwick, 35).
A more serious ethical shortcoming is that caste
was observed in the ashram dining room. On one side
the Brahmins were seated, on the other side the rest.
Ramana insisted on it (Chadwick, 34).
And Ramana seemed unconcerned regarding World
War II. He is reported to have once remarked, “Who
knows but that Hitler is a Jnani, a divine instrument.”
(Chadwick, 35).
Ramana seemed to believe that a realized person
was above ethical obligations of right and wrong. For
the jnani there is no good or evil, only spontaneous
activity or actionless activity of Tao:
What is right and wrong? There is no standard by
which to judge something to be right and another to
be wrong. Opinions differ according to the nature of
the individual and according to the surroundings. They
are again ideas and nothing more. Do not worry about
them. But get rid of thoughts. If you always remain in
the right, then right will prevail in the world.” (Talks,
428; Feb. 8, 1938)
darren dugan
(Darren Dugan)
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