A Curriculum for Advaita....

[Guest guest]

Respected Advaitins

 

Pranamamulu.

 

I am relatively a new member of this group, since about a year, I

think. I have been reading many of the threads with utmost interest,

in the process gaining valuable residual knowledge but without much

comprehension.

 

The subjects covered here are so vast and deep, many times I feel

like lost in an ocean in a tiny boat on a cloudy night.

 

While reading the posts, I often catch a link pointing to an Advaita

resource, try to read about it a bit and then jump to another link

and so on. I am like a kid, receiving many toys on a birthday party,

opening all the packages, getting existed about one toy, playing with

it a bit till I open the next one, and within a week forgetting about

all the toys.

 

I am an Elementary level student with rudimentary knowledge of

Mathematics and Science and trying to understand the "Super String

Theory".

 

My humble request to the learned members of this group is that is

there a curriculum you point me to or can develop for people like me,

listing 1st level Book, to 2nd Book and so on so that my learning is

gradual.

 

My hope is that I will get a "degree" in Advaita if not a post

graduation in my lifetime.

 

Thank you very much

 

Sudesh Pillutla

[Guest guest]

Sudeshji

 

 

 

PraNaams.

 

I suggest that you get hold of "manual of self-unfoldment' by Swami

Chinmayanandaji - which provides a very good introduction to Vedanta -

particularly the terms and their meaning.  In the book, in the end there

is section in terms of suggested order for the study of Vedanta.

 

Vedanta should be studied not alone but with a teacher.  Otherwise, join

some study group where people can learn from mutual discussions.  The

discussion format is also provided in the book.

 

That is how I started learning Vedanta. 

 

There are Gita folders in the list - one can study them from chapter I

and contemplate on each chapter after completing each.  I hope to start

writing on Gita Navaneetam - but you can down load from the list - the

karma yoga series that will be helpful to understand and follow.

Studying Vedanta and putting that into practice in our day-to-day life -

both should go together.  That is how one graduates.

 

 

--- Sudesh Pillutla <sudeshpillutla > wrote:

 

> Respected Advaitins

 

> My humble request to the learned members of this group is that is

> there a curriculum you point me to or can develop for people like me,

> listing 1st level Book, to 2nd Book and so on so that my learning is

> gradual.

>

> My hope is that I will get a "degree" in Advaita if not a post

> graduation in my lifetime.

>

> Thank you very much

>

> Sudesh Pillutla

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "Sudesh Pillutla"

<sudeshpillutla> wrote:

>

> Respected Advaitins

>

> Pranamamulu.

>

> I am relatively a new member of this group, since about a year, I

> think. I have been reading many of the threads with utmost

interest,

> in the process gaining valuable residual knowledge but without

much

> comprehension.

 

> My humble request to the learned members of this group is that is

> there a curriculum you point me to or can develop for people like

me,

> listing 1st level Book, to 2nd Book and so on so that my learning

is

> gradual.

 

 

Namaste,

 

         Your best online introduction is our very own Home Page!

 

http://www.advaitin.net/

 

        where Ram Chandran-ji has categorized all the topics

systematically. Prof. VK.'s very first essay is a must!

 

        More resources are in the Files section of this site. Please

feel free to raise questions on the list and the answers themselves

will be helpful, no matter at what level one has to operate. Truth

cannot but be simple; if it is not, it has gone off-track somewhere!

 

 

Regards,

[Guest guest]

namaste Sudeshji,

 

For a start you may rely on the popular text, Tattva Bodha. There is

one available in Chinmaya Mission commented by Swami Tejomayananda. I

will also suggest another published by Ramakrishna Mission which is

titled 'Insights into Vedanta' which is Tattva Bodha commented by

Swami Sunirmalananda. Both books are excellent. I will recommend you

to buy both books to study.

 

Cheers.

 

Kathirasan

 

On 5/23/06, Sudesh Pillutla <sudeshpillutla > wrote:

> Respected Advaitins

>

> Pranamamulu.

>

> I am relatively a new member of this group, since about a year, I

> think. I have been reading many of the threads with utmost interest,

> in the process gaining valuable residual knowledge but without much

> comprehension.

>

> The subjects covered here are so vast and deep, many times I feel

> like lost in an ocean in a tiny boat on a cloudy night.

>

> While reading the posts, I often catch a link pointing to an Advaita

> resource, try to read about it a bit and then jump to another link

> and so on. I am like a kid, receiving many toys on a birthday party,

> opening all the packages, getting existed about one toy, playing with

> it a bit till I open the next one, and within a week forgetting about

> all the toys.

>

> I am an Elementary level student with rudimentary knowledge of

> Mathematics and Science and trying to understand the "Super String

> Theory".

>

> My humble request to the learned members of this group is that is

> there a curriculum you point me to or can develop for people like me,

> listing 1st level Book, to 2nd Book and so on so that my learning is

> gradual.

>

> My hope is that I will get a "degree" in Advaita if not a post

> graduation in my lifetime.

>

> Thank you very much

>

> Sudesh Pillutla

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sudesh Pillutla <sudeshpillutla > wrote:    Respected Advaitins

Pranamamulu.

I am relatively a new member of this group, since about a year, I

think. I have been reading many of the threads with utmost interest,

in the process gaining valuable residual knowledge but without much

comprehension.

     Dear Friend,

                         All of us are not superior to you in any way by virtue of our mere intellectual understanding. So there is no need to despond. The best course for you would be to- of course, this is my idea; but others might have different opinions- read the book, "Talks," of Bhaghavn Ramana, which is very simple, free from too many logical jargon, straight to the point, but very profound. I have derived all my intellectual understanding of advaita only by reading this book, the rest of my reading being merely academic. This has also given a great fillip to my spiritual quest. So you can try this. Since many pundits of advaita are asking questions and all of them are being answered in a simple way, this book would be the best both for the purpose of knowing what is advaita about, and understanding oneself. Since the words are from a jivanmukta this book is highly valuable.

yours ever in Bhaghavan Ramana

Sankarraman

 

           

 

Talk is cheap. Use Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls.  Great rates starting at 1&cent;/min.

[Guest guest]

Thank you all for providing a prompt guidance. This is the gist of

the advice posted:

 

-  "Manual of self-unfoldment' by Swami Chinmayanandaji

-  Study and Practice of Gita

-  Advaita Dialogue (by ProfVK) - 

   http://www.advaitin.net/advaitadialogue.pdf

-  Tattva Bodha By Swami Tejomayananda

-  'Insights into Vedanta' By Swami Sunirmalananda

-  "Talks," of Bhaghavn Ramana

 

I will start with utmost humility.

 

The changes appeared today in this group home page, the picture and

the slokas, are very timely and seem like an answer to my confusion.

 

Thanks once again.

 

Sudesh Pillutla

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sudesh ji,

 

 

I have begun a study of Advaita vEdanta in the USBrahmin's group.

 

We have finished three units so far; I would expect this to last

 

about a year. The three units covered so far are the preparatory

 

sections. If you are interested, you may join the group at

 

 

 

 

    USBrahmins/

 

 

Regards,

 

K. Ramakrishna.

 

 

 

 

 

Message 3

 

    "Sudesh Pillutla" sudeshpillutla

 

    Mon May 22, 2006 5:58pm(PDT)

 

A Curriculum for Advaita....

[Guest guest]

Namasta Sudesh Ji

 

Swami Dayanand Sarasvati (the founder of the Arya Samaj) in his

Satyarth Prakash chalks out a life time study plan. I quote from the

English translation of this book called "The Light of truth".

 

THE SCHEME OF STUDIES

 

 

First of all comes Phonetics (shikshaa) by Panini. Parents and

teachers should teach their children and pupils how to pronounce

different letters in their right places, with the right amount of

effort and the right agent. For example, take the letter P. The right

place to pronounce it is the lips, the proper amount of effort is

what is called full and the right agent is the tongue.

 

Then comes grammar. It includes Ashtaadhayayi; Dhaatupaath (Book of

roots), Ganapath (book of groups), Unaadikosh (Book of prefixes and

suffixes, etc.). Last of all comes Mahaabhaashya (Exposition of the

above four books of Panini or Patanjali.

 

If the teachers and their scholars be intelligent, energetic, honest

and extremely anxious to advance their knowledge, the pupils can

master the Science of Grammar in three years, and thus become

profound Grammarians thoroughly acquainted with the construction of

every word - Vedic or Laukika (i.e., of ordinary Sanskrit literature)

 

Other sciences are easier to learn. The amount of labour that is

required to learn the Science of Grammar is greater than that

required to master any other subject; and the amount of knowledge

acquired by the study of the above books on Grammar in three years

cannot be gained by the study of such books as Saarswata Chandrikaa,

Kaumadi, and Manormaa, in fifty years.

 

The reason is that the great sages have expounded the most abstruse

subjects in their books in such an easy way that it is entirely

impossible or ordinary ment to approach it. The aim of those great

souls in writng their books was to make the subject so easy as to be

readily grasped in the shortest possible time; whilst the object of

little minds has always been to clothe their subject with such a

difficult-round -about style as would necessitate great labour and

waste of time, on the part of the student, to comprehend it, whilst

he would profit but very little.

 

We can liken this to digging up a whole mountain and finding a penny-

worth of gold; whilst the study of the books of the great sages can

be well likened to the diving of a man into the sea and finding most

valuable pearls in one plunge.

 

 

Then let them read Nighantoo and Nirukta (books on Vedic Vocabulary

and Philology) by Yaska in six to eight months, but not waste years

of their valuable time over Amarkosha and other such books written by

atheists.

 

Thereafter they should study Chhandograntha (Prosody) by Pingala, so

that they may thoroughly master the rules that govern versification -

Vedic and Sanskrit - an be able to compose poems of their own. This

can be done in four months. They should not waste their time over

Vritratnaakar and the like books written by mean scholars.

 

 

Then they should study the Manu Smriti, the Vaalmiki Raamaayana, the

Vidurniti and other selections like this from the Mahabhaarat. The

tutor should teach these as poetry ought to be taught. The study of

these books tends to eradicate evil habits and bring culture. It

should not take the students more than a year to finish them.

 

Then they should study the six Shaastraas (commonly called the six

schools or systems of philosophy and are Poorva mimansaa,

Vaisheshika, Nyaaya, Yoga, Saankhya and Vedanta ) with the

expositions of Rishis - the enlightened great souls, the true seers

of nature - as far as possible, or in the absence of these, with the

help of the true commentaries of other honest scholars. But before

taking up Vedant Shaastraa They should learn the ten Upnishads (I'sh,

Kena, Katha, Prashna, Moonduka, Aitreya, Taitreya, Chhandogya and

Vrihadaaranyka). All these books should be finished in two years.

 

Thereafter, they should study the four Vedas(Rig, Yjur, Saama and

Atharva Veda.)  with their four Braahmanaas (Aitreya, Shatapatha,

Saama and Gopatha) with proper accent meanings, (and finish this

course in six years). The Vedaas should be both taught by example and

precept.

 

Says Nirukta on this subject:-

 

"He, who reads the Vedaas even with proper accents, but does not know

their meanings, is like a tree weighed down by its fruit, branches,

leaves and flowers, or like a beast of burden carrying on its back

grain which it cannot eat. But he, who understands their meanings and

acts up to their teachings by avoiding sin and leading a virtuous

life, enjoys perfect happiness in this world and eternal (extreme)

bliss herafter in consequence thereof." NIRUKTA 1: 18.

 

 

Says the Rig Veda:-

"An ignorant man has eyes to see but sees nothing, has ears to hear

but hears nothing, has a tongue to speak but speaks nothing. The

ignorant can never understand the hidden mysteries of knowledge. But

it is to the learned alone that knowledge reveals its true nature,

just as a woman longing to meet her husband, dresses in her best and

puts on her finest jewelry, so as to display her charms to him." RIG

VEDA 10: 17.4.

 

"What good can the Vedaas do unto him who does not know that Great

Being, who is All-pervading and Eternal, Holiest of all, Who sustains

the Sun and the Earth, and is the support of the learned, the method

of Whose realization is the chief aim of Vedic teaching? But they

alone enjoy eternal bliss who study the Vedaas, live a righteous

life, become perfect Yogis and realize God. RIG VEDA 1: 164. 39.

 

 

After the study of the Vedaas they should learn the Upavedaas (or sub-

Vedaas) which are four in number:-

 

Ayurveda - Medical Science - Herein are included the works of Charak

and sushrut, and other sages. They should learn both theory and

practice, including Medicine, Therapeutics, Materia, Physiology and

Pathology, Hygiene with Dietetics and Climatology and the sciences of

Temperaments, Anatomy and Surgery with the proper use of instruments

in different operations, etc., in four years.

 

Dhanur Veda - Science of Government - It consists of two parts:-

(i)Civil part - is the art of governing people, protecting their

lives and property, developing the wealth and resources of the

country, making the people happy and contented by the right

administration of justice - protecting the good and punishing the

wicked, etc.

PAGE 73

 

(ii) Military part, comprises organization of the army, use of fire-

arms and the knowledge of different kinds of drill, tactics and

strategy, etc. The should learn both branches of the Science of

Government in two years.

 

 

Gandharva Veda - Science of Music - They should learn all the

different parts of music, such as tunes, modes, modifications of

modes, time, harmony, refrain. They should also learn singing,

playing, and dancing, etc., properly, but chiefly singing and playing

of the Saama Veda Mantraas on musical instruments. But they should

never sing amorous songs like Nauch-girls nor bray like sensual

Vairaagees..*

The books on this subject are Naarad Sanhitaa, etc., composed by

Rishis.

 

 

Artha Veda - science and practice of mechanical arts -also called

Shilpa Vidyaa. They should study the laws of matter and motion. They

should also know how to make various kinds of machines, etc.

In short, they should learn theoretically and practically, the nature

and properties of all substances from solids to A'kaashka. This is

the science that helps to increase the wealth and prosperity of a

country.

 

Thereafter, they should thoroughly study the Jyotisha Shaastra -

which includes Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Geography, Geology and

astronomy in two years. They should also have practical training in

these Sciences, learn the proper handling of instruments, master

their mechanism, and know how to use them. But they should regard

Astrology - which treats of the influence of stars and constellation

on the destinies of man, of auspiciousness and non-auspiciousness of

time, of horoscopes, etc. - as a fraud, and never learn or teach any

books on this subject.

 

Both the teachers and their scholars should so endeavour as to be

able to master all the sciences and arts, and become highly cultured

in twenty or twenty-one years, and thus accomplish the object of

their lives and live in happiness.

 

The knowledge that can be acquired by following the aforesaid schemes

in twenty or twenty-one years cannot be gained in any other way even

on one hundred years.

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "hersh_b" <hershbhasin> wrote:

>

> Namasta Sudesh Ji

>

> Swami Dayanand Sarasvati (the founder of the Arya Samaj) in his

> Satyarth Prakash chalks out a life time study plan. I quote from the

> English translation of this book called "The Light of truth".

 

   This is available on-line at:

 

http://www.aryasamajjamnagar.org/satyarth_prakash_eng.htm