The Vedanta Philosophy


Book Description




Vedanta


Book Description

A concise, and delightful introduction to Vedanta, the philosophical backbone of Hinduism. Written with verve and charm by a Western nun for a Western audience, this brief book gives a comprehensive overview of Vedanta philosophy while emphasizing its practical Western application.




DRIG DRISHYA VIVEKA


Book Description

Commentary by Swami Tejomayananda. In this short and beautiful composition, Adi Sankara, the Master, has condensed the essence of Vedanta in just 31 verses, which are very useful to all serious seekers.




An Introduction to Madhva Vedanta


Book Description

This introduction to the Madhva school of Vedanta is accessible to a wide audience with interest in Hinduism, Indian thought and in the comparative philosophy of religion. Deepak Sarma explores the philosophical foundations of Madhva Vedanta and then presents translations of actual debates between the Madhva and Advaita schools of Vedanta, thus positioning readers at the centre of the 700 year-old controversy between these two schools of Vedanta. Original texts of Madhvacarya are included in an appendix, in translation and in Sanskrit.




Advaita Vedānta


Book Description

The novelty of this book consists of the fact that it introduces the reader to the basic tenets of Advaita Vedanta in three independent but complementary ways: scripturally, rationally and experientially. All the three elements are usually found intertwined in accounts of Advaita Vedanta. They are presented distinctly here in the hope that each perspective will enrich one`s understanding of Advaita Vedanta as a whole and also allow the reader to form his or her own opinion about the relative merits of each approach.




The Essence of Vedanta


Book Description

All students of philosophy will relate to the concepts of selfhood, nature, karma and liberation. Here are views and answers to the most important questions. How is self identified? What are the causes and effects in nature? Are our actions determined? What is freedom for a human being? What happens after death? The Essence of Vedanta examines issues of existential philosophy from the viewpoint of the Veda, the most ancient and sacred of Indian scriptures, and also outlines the work of Sankara, the early medieval master of Vedanta's dominant form, Advaita. The foundation of all Vedic teaching lies in the universal truth that human nature reflects God (Brahman), who exists in every living thing. An individual needs no salvation therefore, because he or she is never lost, but merely living in ignorance of his or her true nature. Brian Hodgkinson offers readers insight into, and discussion of, the fundamental questions of the Vedic system concerning self-realization, such as knowledge versus ignorance, the self, consciousness, free will, nature, time, the mind, language, law and society. His fascinating appraisal reveals the profound nature of the Veda and its practices. With its tolerance of other faiths, and ultimately uplifting spiritual message, it is a discipline that chimes with our 21st century needs and preoccupations.




A History of Early Vedānta Philosophy


Book Description

The history of the Vedanta school is well known since the time of Sankaracarya on, and its prehistory before Sankara is quite obscure. However, from the time of compilation of major Upanisads to Sankara there is a period of thousand years, and the tradition of Upanisads was not lost; there appeared many philosophers and dogmaticians, although their thoughts are not clearly known. The author has made clear the details of the pre-Sankara Vedanta philosophy, utilizing not only Sanskrit materials, but also Pali, Prakrit (Jain), as well as Tibetan and Chinese sources. In this respect this is quite a unique work. For this work the author was awarded the Imperial Prize by the Academy of Japan. Some sections of this work were already published in Indian as well as European and American journals in English. This work is a complete English translation of the entire book. The English translation was done with the financial aid by the Harvard-Yenching Institute, and the final touch was given by Mr. Trevor Leggett, the British writer, who is well-versed in Sanskrit as well as in Japanese.




Practical Vedanta


Book Description

If one asks, how Vedanta can be made practical in our day-to-day life, here is a book published by Advaita Ashrama, a publication centre of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, India, which provides the answer. It contains some of the most important lectures delivered by Swami Vivekananda in London regarding the application of Vedanta in our daily lives. Highly practical, this book helps the readers to bring about a deep transformation in their lives by spiritualizing their every moment and movement.




Advaita Vedanta and Vaisnavism


Book Description

In Indian philosophy and theology, the ideology of Vedanta occupies an important position. Hindu religious sects accept the Vedantic soteriology, which believes that there is only one conscious reality, Brahman from which the entire creation, both conscious and non-conscious, emanated. Madhusudana Sarasvati, who lived in sixteenth century Bengal and wrote in Sanskrit, was the last great thinker among the Indian philosophers of Vedanta. During his time, Hindu sectarians, rejected monistic Vedanta. Although a strict monist, Madhusudana tried to make a synthesis between his monistic philosophy and his theology of emotional love for God. Sanjukta Gupta provides the only comprehensive study of Madhusudana Sarasvati's thought. She explores the religious context of his extensive and difficult works, offering invaluable insights into Indian philosophy and theology.




Vedanta


Book Description

Vedanta is the most encompassing and open of the six orthodox systems of Hinduism and is considered the quintessence of Eastern thought and mysticism. An important part of modern intellectual Hinduism, Vedanta is often regarded as a truly universal religion and had many adherents in the West. At the center of Vedanta lie the texts of the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. Beginning with the premise that man is a divine being whose greatest source of strength is his intuition, Vedanta seeks not merely the accumulation of knowledge, but rather the annihilation of all knowledge. Its goal is an unclouded inner world that will allow us to exist untroubled by the complexity of the outside world. For those interested in the concise and intelligent overview, as well as those who seek a better understanding of what is at the heart of Hinduism, Vedanta is a unique and thought-provoking guide.