Brahman

[Guest guest]

Today, Vivekananda Centre wrote:

 

<snip>

VC>'Alan Watts' may be a good Western Scholar, but learning Hinduism

VC>from him? If anyone is serious about learning Hinduism he should

VC>look up the contributions of these recent figures

VC>

VC>(1) Sri Ramakrishna

VC>(2) Sri Raman Maharshi

VC>(3) Vivekananda

<snip>

 

An excellent list, but I'd add some others to it as well:

 

(4) Sri Aurobindo

(5) Swami Prabhavananda

(6) Christopher Isherwood (educated western perspective of an

actual student of the Dharma as opposed to Watts, who

was a Zen Buddhist/Taoist).

 

And really, anyone *serious* about Hinduism should go as close to the

original texts as possible. I'd suggest these five reads (all available

at Vedanta Press, I think) for beginners:

 

1. THE UPANISHADS: BREATH OF THE ETERNAL. Swami Prabhavananda/Frederick

Manchester. English paraphrase of the principal Upanishads.

2. THE UPADESHA SAHASRI (THOUSAND TEACHINGS) of SRI SHANKARACARYA. If I

knew how easy this text was to follow, I would have ordered it two

years ago. The Ramakrishna Math edition is *highly* recommended.

3. HOW TO KNOW GOD: THE YOGA APHORISMS OF PATANJALI. Prabhavananda/

Isherwood. Good general introduction to the only school of

Indian philosophy instantly comprehensible to beginners.

4. CRADLE TALES OF HINDUISM. Sister Nivedita. What we call Hinduism

isn't just a philosophy, after all.

5. THE BHAGAVAD-GITA. It's hard to pick a favorite translation; Sir

Edwin Arnold's is still my favorite as a translation even though

it's not entirely faithful to the text at times, as Arnold was

a gifted literary genius and his translation reads like

Shakespeare. Still, Arnold's translation is free on the Web

(URL available upon request), so for money-spending I'd splurge

$10 or so and get the Gambhirananda translation of the Gita

with Shankara's commentary from Advaita Ashrama, skipping all

of the Sanskrit passages. It's 600+ pages, but very easy to

read.

 

In addition, for those of a strong Christian background I recommend:

 

6. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT ACCORDING TO VEDANTA. Swami Prabhavananda.

 

I second Jay's recommendation of Swami Vivekananda, and third, and fourth

it -- it's worth the $30 to buy his eight-volume collected works, IMHO, as

the man is an excellent popularizer and explains many difficult concepts

painlessly.

One caveat: almost all names on this list are Advaitins. When

Vivekananda says Hinduism, he means Advaita. When Shankara writes, he's

describing Advaita. Many Hindus by birth actually living the life are not

technically dedicated to the specific ideals of Advaita; it is one of six

sampradaayas (paths). So for an alternative perspective, check out

Shrisha Rao's most excellent Dvaita/Tattvavaada FAQ at

http://www.dvaita.org. You will not be disappointed. (I myself

contribute to this site and find its mailing list to be absolutely

indespensible.) When you get a little more advanced in your studies,

splurge at Vedanta Press for a copy of:

 

7. THE BRAHMA-SUTRAS ACCORDING TO SRI RAMANUJA.

 

Even though Ramanuja was a non-dualist just as Shankara was, his

philosophy is regarded as being more in line with the ideal of

personalized bhakti and the extremely linear/rational Brahma-Sutras,

particularly with Ramanuja's commentary, will be a striking contrast to

the other works described above. I warn you, though: this *is* a somewhat

difficult text, and you probably don't want to read it until you're

comfortable in your skin with the other texts.

Oh, one other caveat: I'm not an expert. Still, if you run into a

word you don't understand or would like my recommendations on anything,

feel free to drop me a line.

 

 

 

 

Peace,

 

Tom

 

" Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth

and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods. "

-- Albert Einstein

[Guest guest]

The consciousness of Atman as opposed to the existence of Atman

 

We may all agree that there is nothing

but Consciousness.

 

Yet, because there is One, thus - must there be infinity.

An infinity …… of multiplicity identifying itself;

Just as the count of one begets infinite number.

 

Unbound - except to itself

Knowing - by the re-cognition of itself!

Pre-cognition of itself, It IS –

yet the re-cognition has not yet occurred.

 

The constituents of Pre-cognition are

Time and consciousness in unity;

Spatial or physical reality is not yet manifest.

 

Because re-cognition constitutes awareness itself –

and of itself – re-cognition -

is that which constitutes the infinite consciousness.

 

Because consciousness exists Pre-recognition

e.g we are conscious of other things before the recognition

of something else, consciousness thus exists Pre-cognition.

 

Consciousness therefore exists beyond mind itself.

 

Consciousness in this way is existent beyond cognition;

and is thus self-aware!

 

In a creation…….

Of a timeless birth – born of itself, within itself, out of itself.

Thus! - we have Cosmos.

 

Cosmos, an ocean of concepts

An ocean of the unformed flashes forth

An ocean of potency –

Ultimately!

Of Concept itself!

 

Hence –

the never ending ladder of evolution

evoluting, changing, manifesting.

 

Of beings and objects,

of worlds,

from dreams to waking

From young to old,

from ignorant to aware;

Manifesting -

from the light of Consciousness

 

Ever conscious,

Consciousness conscious of being conscious.

 

Car knows car, table knows table

for the light vibration has given it form, texture, hardness

which form is not only defined by its physical attributes

but also by it’s interaction with Consciousness/Light

through Consciousness/Light in various forms.

 

Thus a car knows car-ness

through being driven by light in the form of a human,

through light in the form of air,

on light in the form of road,

moving with light in the form of tyres.

Thus, the car is conscious as a car,

perceiving as only a car can.

 

As humans,

So too are we defined by the same light.

Yet, looking at this from the level of energy

So can we understand -

That a human is conscious as a human.

 

The “I-ness” that allows us to perceive as a human

Is based on the perception that we are the doer, the controller

Where the consciousness manifests due Mind delusions of individual I-ness

of physicalness – of I am - body

of emotion – of anger, sadness, happiness, being measures of the validity of

individual I

of thought – I am the thinker

of sense – smell, taste, seeing..etc

of cosmic I-ness -

All of which are that non-different light/Consciousness

which maintains the existence of car and table.

 

Consciousness, is constantly conscious of Itself.

Yet the very awareness as Consciousness being conscious of Itself is denied,

blinded -

by the very I-ness of individuality

 

Where separation -

Of I am the doer,

The perceiver, the controller -

Demanding interaction with separation -

isolates the Oneness from acknowledgement of itself -

within the consciousness of that perceiver

into the multiplicity of Cosmos.

 

In This-ness –

By perception we have Thing-ness

Again we are deluded by cognition itself.

 

We name a thing (conceptualize) this or that

Ascribing this or that as this or that;

In that moment we then have I-ness.

 

***********************************

[Guest guest]

Dear Tom,

 

By and large I agree with your choices but wonder why you did not

include Shankara's Prabhavananda/Ishwerwood CREST-JEWEL OF

DISCRIMINATION? And I have to say that their BHAGAVAD-GITA is my

favorite Gita: concise, easy to read and understand, in beautiful

language. Thanks for your input.

edtipple

[Guest guest]

Brahman means 'Creation' (Manifest, Saguna) as well as

Potential (Unmanifest, Nirguna).

 

The purpose of all existence is to understand the

creation (brahman) and its laws (dharma), and to

become one with the creation.

 

There is nothing apart from the creation. It is a

mass of energy-intelligence.

 

The purport of the vedas is only to say that " All this

is indeed Brahman. "

 

 

 

---

Gurorangripadme ManaScenna Lagnam tata: kim! tata: kim! tata: kim! tata: kim!?

Sarva Kartha, Sarva Dhartha, Sarva Hartha, Mangalam!

Satchidananda, Satchidananda, Satchidananda Mangalam!

Tasmai Sri Guru-murthaye Nama Idam Sri Dakshinamurtaye!

 

Ata Nityo Narayanaha, Brahma Narayanaha, Sivascha Narayanaha, Kalascha

Narayanaha. Disascha Narayanaha, Vidisascha Narayanaha, Urdwamscha Narayanaha,

Adhascha Narayanaha, Antar-bahischa-Narayana.Narayana Eh Vedam Sarvam, Yat

BhootamYacchha Bhavyam.Nish-kalango Niranjano Nirvikalpo Nirakyadhas,suddhho

Deva Eko Narayanaha, Na dwiteeyosthi kaschit,ya evam Vedas Vishnu reva Bhavati,

Sa Vishnureva Bhavathi, Etat yajur veda sirodeeyathe.

 

~*Om * Ayim * Hreem * Sreem * Siva * Rama * Anagha * Dattaya * Namaha*~