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Adi Da Samraj – 1996
Witness and Attention
AVATAR ADI DA: Well, I have spoken of various individuals
in the traditions that are associated varying degrees of
realization. You could also talk about all individuals, all
movements, all traditions. that’s why I comment on the Great
Tradition as a whole and in its every part.
DEVOTEE: But I wondered specifically because Ramakrishna
epitomized the fourth stage of life, if there was a great
third stage demonstration.
AVATAR ADI DA: Well, no third stage “realizers”, because
they are not about Divine Realization, those earlier stages,
you see. But certainly great individuals – philosophers or
thinkers or intellectuals or cultural doers, or social,
political, and all kinds of other doers of doings
DEVOTEE: Like Shah Jahan, who was a great third stage
individual
AVATAR ADI DA: All kinds of people. They contributed to
the Great Tradition They contributed, each in their own
fashion, to what the modern era is about. Some very
particularly, because of their sign and influence, were part
of what became the movements that led to the modern era.
Some of them more positive figures than others, There can be
geniuses who were nonetheless exhibiting limitations, or
limited view, but had great influence and great energy, were
very creative and very influential, you see. So when it
comes down to it, you can’t limit it to some few
individuals. It’s really about all that came before.
And who the great individuals are? Well, that’s
relatively obvious if you just examine the history and who
were the influential ones at critical moments, you see.
Don’t do it as westerners usually do, by looking just at the
West, though, look at the entire Great Tradition, the entire
world.
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