Vedanta fundamental

http://vedanta.org/vedanta-overview/

Advaita Vedanta: Four steps to a logical understanding of God/Brahman/Absolute.

February 5, 2010 by P.J.Mazumdar

In trying to form a metaphysical explanation for the world, we can argue through these four steps which lead ultimately to the Advaita Vedanta conception of god.

1. The world is a non-absolute or relative reality.

2. There is an absolute principle which exists beyond the world.

3. This absolute principle also forms the basis for existence of the individual consciousness.

4. The individual consciousness can ‘touch’ this absolute consciousness for a mystical experience.



The different types of knowledge discussed so far are shown in the form of a chart below.
 jñāna 

1        Knowledge ____________________________________ i i Ātma-jñāna Vi aya- ṣ jñāna Self-knowledge I exists  Brahman exists

2          Objective knowledge ________________ __________________ i i i i Astitva-jñāna Svarūpa-jñāna Sūk Vision of Devata Perception of sense-objects     WORLD




 Discrimination between the ‘Seer’ and the ‘seen’ is the road leading to the realization of Truth. The ‘Seer’ is the unchangeable and homogeneous Consciousness, or the knowing principle. It is the perceiver, the Subject, the real ‘Ego’. The ‘seen’ is what is perceived; it is outside the ‘Seer’ and therefore identical with the object. It is matter, non-Self, and ‘non-Ego’. The ‘seen’ is multiple and changeable.—

SERVE, LOVE, GIVE, PURIFY, MEDITATE, REALIZE So Says Sri Swami Sivananda

Vedantic Assertions )wan:ö b:ÒÉ praj¤ànaü brahma Consciousness is Brahman. Ahö b:ÒÉaesm: ahaü brahmàsmi I am Brahman. t:¶v:m:es: Tattvamasi That thou art. Ay:m:atm:a b:ÒÉ ayamàtmà brahma This Atman is Brahman. s:v:üö K:elv:dö b:ÒÉ sarvaü khalvidaü brahma All this, indeed, is Brahman. Om Santi! Santi! Santi!
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The most fundamental teaching in Vedanta (Hinduism) is that all that exists is divine. Thus every human being is innately divine. And the ultimate goal of life is to manifest this inherent divinity. Divinity is equally present everywhere, but not equally manifest everywhere. So far as human beings are concerned, divinity is most manifest in a spiritually illumined soul.

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“Nothing exists except the Divine Being, or Brahman…. As the essence of all, it pervades, supports, and explains everything. The doctrine of the Spiritual Oneness of Existence follows from this.

“Truth is One; Sages call it by different names. Prophets differ in their interpretation of religion due to their cultural backgrounds, and the need of the people, but not in the essentials, so that the various religions are different paths to the same goal.

“The very nature of the Soul is divine: the Cosmic Self manifests as the individual Self or Atman as it is called in Hinduism. Therefore, as heirs to the Divine Self, we truly are all Children of Immortal Bliss.

“The primary goal in life is to realize, through direct personal experience, the divine nature within our own self.


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The Vedanta uniquely describes four purusharthas of life. The four basic purpose of human life or purusharthas are as follows: dharma, artha, kama and moksha.

(1)Dharma:  'That which sustains' is dharma. The word dharma stems from the Sanskrit root ‘dhr’ meaning ‘to sustain’ or ‘to support’. Dharma sustains or maintains life. Dharma supports the society. Man lives in the society with fellow-men and various life forms. Dharma lays down duties and obligations expected of man. An individual and the society, for their conduct and actions, get guidance from dharma. Man has obligation to his own self, to the fellow-men and to the society, in fact, to the whole environment of the world.  All the mutual obligations of these inter-relationships are spelt out by dharma.

(2)Artha:      The Sanskrit word artha means ‘that which one seeks.’ Whatever activity and physical material a man needs to support life can be considered as artha. Artha, in a broad sense, covers man’s professional activities, job, business, wealth, property and all such earthly material helpful in maintaining his life.

(3)Kama:       Man seeks pleasure in various activities and material objects. Pursuit of happiness and pleasure is a basic, natural instinct in man. Man derives pleasures from relationships and material objects like food, drink etc. This is kama.  Man largely accumulates artha for kama. But artha and kama should be closely linked with the dharma. They should be directed towards dharma.

(4)Moksha:  Moksha means liberation or total freedom. The Sanskrit word moksha is derived from the root ‘muk’. This root means ‘to emancipate’ or ‘to release’ or ‘to free’. Vedanta considers moksha as the ultimate goal of life. The sufferings of man are due to avidya, his original ignorance about self. He has been oblivious of his true identity. He attaches himself to worldly objects.  Tempted and pressed by everlasting lust and insurmountable desires, he remains bonded to the mundane objects. When knowledge (vidya) dawns on him, he overcomes the dualities of the world and identifies himself as the infinite, eternal Being. Having been completely free from all attachments, expectations and desires, the liberated soul attains moksha.