Articles on Advaita Vedanta – Non-Duality
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Sacred Texts are Valid Means of Knowledge – Part 9
Previous part 8 answered “just how valid are ancient sacred texts in modern society” and how they can free us permanently. However some minds are intoxicated by intellectual superiority….
What is Limitlessness (ananda)? How am I THAT?
Neema Majmudar, a brilliant Vedanta exponent, elucidates how one's nature is Limitless right now. For context how how this applies to you, below gives further elucidation how one can…
How Valid are Vedas Scriptures In Modern World? – Part 8
Last part 7 introduced to purpose of the Vedic scriptures answering who is the “I” which everyone begins their conversations with. Now doubt arises in student's who begins to question…
What is Need for Sacred Holy Texts or the Scriptures? – Part 7
In previous part 6 conversation, teacher explained one of most integral teachings leading to vision of Oneness; how individual (microcosmic; vyaṣṭi) and TOTAL (macrocosmic; samaṣṭi) are are of the…
Equation Which Connects Individual ‘I' & Universal Consciousness (Brahman) – Part 6
In previous part 5 conversation, the teacher gave way for student to ask one of most important questions which bridges the apparent gap between self and God. Student asked,…
The Knower, a Self-Conscious Being – Part 5
Students were introduced orders of reality in Part 4 – which has now sparked doubts. So one of students asks… “Do you mean to say we have no independent…
Four Classes of People (Entangled & Liberated) – by Sri Ramakrishna
Purpose of this evergreen article by Sri Ramakrishna is to help us discover how to get out of our own created samsara. People may be divided into four classes:…
Rope-Snake Analogy Using Logic: How Falsehood Becomes Truth
– Article inspired by Onudhyan Blog. You've arrived on an anticipated retreat in a luscious tropical forest. Thrilled to be here, mosquito spray handy, what else to do then…
Reconciling Orders of Reality and Oneness – Part 4
In last sentence of Part 3, teacher briefly introduced two new terms ” subjective” and “empirical” orders of reality. This begins to explain how we can have “orders of…
Subjective Perception and Orders of Reality – Part 3
In last sentence of Part 2, the teacher concluded with an important concept in Vedanta “orders of reality“. But didn't explain… Now the inquiring Vedantic student asks, “What do…
Brahman is Beyond All Means-of-Knowledge, Or Is It?
Brahman (Consciousness) is beyond all means of knowledge. No scientific instrument can detect it. Because every instrument IS made out of Brahman — being the content of everything, including…
What is Real and Not-Real? – Part 2
Part 1 needs to be understood for this part to make sense. Student posed a question “What is real and what is not real? How do you decide their…
Limitless Existence Consciousness (Satcitananda) – Part 1
By seeming coincidence, three sincere truth seekers found themselves before the presence of a well known wise person (jnani or jivanmukta) of the land. Soon enough there was an…
Karma Yoga Prayer (The Essence of Karma Yoga Spirit In Action)
Still unsure what is Karma Yoga and how is it applied? This prayer will help… “ With gratitude for all I have been given, I offer my every action…
If You Enjoy What You Do, Life Is Very Simple
Living does not simply mean dragging oneself around from day to day, from bed to work, back home and to bed again. The whole process repeats itself until the…
12 Spiritual Practices (Sadhanas or Yagyas) from Bhagavad Gita
Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, mentions 12 types of powerful spiritual sadhana's (spiritual practices or yajnas) one can choose to purify one's mind and strengthen one's relationship…
Is there ‘Creation’?
Nothing can ever be created. Matter cannot be created. To say “something is created” is to imply it’s not already within Creation. Which sets up an unsolvable equation; duality…
That I attempt to be different, Is samsara.
“That I attempt to be different, is saṃsāra”. To see how this is true, let's first ask… What is saṃsāra?… It is mistakenly seeing one's own thoughts and emotions…
What is samsara?
Samsara is limitation one experiences and caused by not knowing difference between REAL (Self; atman) and UNREAL (Not-Self; anatman). A samsari seeks freedom in the world through acquisition (beauty,…
Objectivity vs Subjectivity
What is the difference between objectivity and subjectivity? A statement is said to be objective when it is based on facts and it can be proven via either direct perception…
Inquiry Into Various Vedanta Definitions
THE MATERIAL UNIVERSE Something cannot come from nothing. This material universe evolved out of consciousness. Consciousness is both the substance of which the creation is made and the intelligence…
Brief Introduction to 3 Gunas
The creation comes into existence with the emergence of the 3 gunas or qualities — Sattva, Tamas and Rajas. Sattva is intelligence or knowledge. Tamas is matter, the substance of…
What is the Meaning of Namaste?
In India, many greet each other with the word “Namaste” – this is joined usually by a slight bow and palms touching in front, sort of like a prayer…
Original Purpose of Vegetarianism According to Vedic Culture
Vegetarianism is an example of the application of the value for ahimsa (non-injury). Many arguments in favour of a vegetarian diet can be made, but the basic argument supporting…
What's It Like to Live the Vision of Non-Dual ONENESS?
When one realizes oneself to be unborn-ordinary-actionless-non-dual Awareness… and that Awareness is everything that is. It does not mean that the world suddenly goes “poof” into a whirlpool of…
Beauty and Logic of Living Life as Karma Yogi
“Now listen to the wisdom of yoga which will free you from bondage to action. In this yoga, no effort is wasted, nor are any unsuitable results produced. Even very little karma yoga protects one…
What is Advaita Vedanta (Nondualism) About?
Firstly, what does Vedantic knowledge do for you? It gives permanent freedom from sense limitation and incompleteness that has guided and motivated your every pursuit in life. It provides…
Enlightenment is Not an Event Because It's Not Subject to Time
According to Upanishads (the original source of non-dual texts), Brahman/Atman/Self is an ever true fact. Thus that which was true before, true now and true in the future —…
What are the Vedas?
Vedas are divided into 4 sections: (1) Rig Veda, (2) Yajur Veda, (3) Sāma Veda, (4) Atharva Veda. Each each section is further divided into 2 parts. Part 1 called…
James Swartz Interviews on Vedanta (Non-Duality)
Four interviews by James Swartz – a scholar of Vedic philosophy…
Why a Wise Person Won't Argue Against an Ignorant Person
What a wise person (jnani) knows directly – can be summarized in below Adi Shankaracharya's words. Which is why there is NO GAIN for a jnani to argue or…
‘I' – The Subtlest of the Subtlest
Bhagavad-Gītā says that we have five sense organs of knowledge (seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling, tasting); these are very subtle. Example: Organ of seeing is a lot more subtle then…
Moving from Jiva-Srishti to Isvara-Srishti
Persons false notion about reality is called jiva srishti (Jīva-Sṛṣṭi). It is seeing what is NOT. It is subjective notions born of Ignorance. It is misapprehension/projection onto Ishvara (God)….
When Fruit of ‘I am Brahman' is Denied (viparīta-bhāvanā)
A common question by a person with Self-Knowledge: “Having done shravanam and manana, it's clear I am Brahman. But in my behavior I do not find myself, ‘I am…
Bhaja Govindam: Advice to a Fool Caught in Samsara of Life
Bhaja Govindaṃ was written by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya. Bhaja govindaṃ is one of the minor compositions of the spiritual giant, Adi Shankaracharya. It is classified as a prakaraṇa grantha,…
Advaita Vedanta in a Nutshell (Aparokshanubhuti by Adi Sankara)
Our ancient teachers have left behind a treasury of useful and convenient means of understanding Vedānta, the science of life, contained in the prasthana traya. Mainly in the Bhagavad Gīṭa,…
7 Stages of Enlightenment (Panchadasi by Swami Vidyaranya)
Following seven stages present an order every human being, including you, goes through or is going through — until one recognizes the Absolute Truth — otherwise called enlightenment. Ignorance…
Purpose of Studying the Scriptures (Śruti)
Śruti (Scriptures), the Vedas is the only means of knowledge to understand nondual Brahman – I am the limitless reality I seek. Above statement doesn't exclude Scriptures from other…
How is Advaita Vedanta Different?
Have you ever stopped to think about the nature of your existence? Advaita Vedanta, a profound Indian spiritual tradition rooted in the Indian scriptures, offers a universal and pragmatic…
Does a Liberated Person Also Experience Happiness from Objects?
Object-happiness (viṣaya-ānanda) is a name given to a phenomenon that naturally occurs in the subtle body. Brahman is of the nature of sat-cid-ānanda (Existence-Awareness-Fullness). Although Brahman pervades the entire…
Who Gains Self-Knowledge? Consciousness, Subtle-Body or Reflected Consciousness?
Firstly, in this context, self-Knowledge is NOT referring to moksha (permanent freedom, enlightenment, liberation). It is a means to moksha. Self-knowledge is a though keeping with what-is — that is…
Real vs. Unreal: How to Get Out of Maya's Crocodile Jaws
Advaita Vedanta declares, “Brahma satyam, jagat mithyā, jīvaḥ brahma eva na aparaḥ” — Brahman (the limitless Consciousness) alone is real, the world (as we perceive it) is mithyā (not…
How To Apply Knowledge of Vedanta in Daily Life?
Understanding the Core Obstacle The biggest obstacle to effortlessly and permanently enjoying your true nature as Brahman (awareness) — is the identity of self is intimately mixed-up with your…
10 Basic Qualifications for Liberation
This is not a popular topic because most of us are wanting shortcuts. Unfortunately like all valuable things in life, freedom is earned by diligent work. To make the…