About Vedanta Philosophy

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About Vedanta Philosophy

The word "Vedanta" literally means "the end of the Vedas," and is the study of the philosophy and practices found in the Upanishads. The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas, and are Hinduism's most sacred scriptures. Vedanta can be called the Science of Self Knowledge. It teaches that the essence of every one of us is Divine, and that this Divine Self can be directly realized in this very life. This Self Realization is not just a philosophy, but a direct experience.

The Sanskrit term Satchitananda is used to describe the Self. The word has three elements, each of which reveals a dimension of Self Realization.

 

The word Sat means being, truth, and reality. The Self IS, and in truth is the only real existence. It is eternal and unchanging, yet vast and boundless. It is devoid of any limiting qualities such as time, space or form.

 

The word Chit means consciousness, or awareness. The Self is not just Being, but Sentient Being. It shines as the light of awareness, illuminating the phenomenal world of name and form, ever present as the limitless "I." This is not the little "I" of finite ego, but the universal "I," the Self of all beings.

 

The word Ananda means bliss absolute. The seeker comes to experience his or her true nature as the source of all good, all peace, all joy. A sense of complete satisfaction arises in the heart. The cravings for the things of this world are silenced forever.

 

Vedanta also teaches that the phenomenal world is not separate from this Self. Through the influence of spiritual ignorance (called maya), we see the world as separate from us. We perceive ourselves as limited, finite egos, in conflict with the world. Self Realization frees us from this ignorance, and gives us the direct experience that the Self in me is the Self in all.

 

Vedanta as a spiritual practice has three elements. First is listening to the teaching. This includes both the philosophical underpinnings and the nature of the practices. Second is deep contemplation. The student spends time discussing and reflecting on the teaching, until its truth takes root. Third is meditation practice. The direct experience of the Self is the fruit of long, continuous meditation on our own Self Nature.