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  1. S

    Common Sanskrit terms

    This may be a good candidate to be a sticky thread - https://www.vedanta.gr/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/3_GlossaryOfCommonSanskritTerms.pdf
  2. S

    Shankara on Brahman

    There has been some discussion on the nature of Brahman, Nirguna vs. Saguna, real vs.temporary, etc. Here is Shankara himself on the subject. I am pulling this text from his Brahma Sutra Bhashya (commentary on Sutra 1.1.11). Sutra 1.1.11 - And because revealed in the Upanishads. Excerpts...
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    [Christians/Muslims] Role of God

    A fundamental question for Christians and Muslims. 1. "Give us today our daily bread" implies God plays some role in our lives. The role is unclear as we are doing all the work in obtaining bread. Can you elaborate on the meaning of this prayer? It cannot be gratitude because the words clearly...
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    On Moksha...

    Moksha (the fourth Purushartha) is the theme of Vedanta philosophy. Q: I am always stressed. What can I do? A: This has nothing to do with the topic of Moksha. Seek a life style therapist who can counsel, tech meditation, etc. Q: I do not care about myself. I am only worried about my kids? A...
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    [Hindu Only] Yoga Vasistha

    Excerpts from the Utpatti Prakarana - All of this (creation, existence) is mere imagination or thought. Nothing has been created. Consciousness (Prajna) alone exists now and ever; in it are no worlds, no created beings. Rama: Is there only one Jiva or many Jivas or one huge conglomerate of...
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    Excerpts from day by day with Bhagavan (Ramana)

    (Thoughts alone) 1. All objects around you own their existence to you. They are your thoughts. You cannot get away from them. You can read any number of books on Vedanta, but the message is the same - realize your self. And you cannot find your self in books. (All are thoughts) 2. Q: How to...
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    Bhedabheda vs. Advaita

    If you think you are an Advaitin, the odds are you may actually be a Bhedabhedin - without your knowledge. 1. Bhedabheda is the system of Vedanta where the Atman is simultaneously one with Brahman and also different. This allows for the Atman to be one with Brahman, while still having a...
  8. S

    Reincarnation and Nirvana

    We have similar concepts in Hindu Vedanta and I have posed the following questions before to Advaitins ( I am part Advaitin, Btw). In Mahayana, who or what reincarnates? I ask because according to my rudimentary understanding of Anatta, there isn't anything permanent that can span multiple...
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    Traditional Advaita vs. Neo-Vedanta

    Shankara (7th Century CE) is traditionally accepted to be the founder of the present Smartha Sampradaya and the associated doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. Though a lot of works are attributed to him, it is likely that most of them are not really his works. Among the few works of indisputable...
  10. S

    drishti-srishti in modern times

    For those who are interested in drishti-srishti or ajati-vada or vijnana-vada (yogachara) - New test backs up theory that the world doesn’t exist until we look at it. Quantum mechanics states reality doesn't exist until it's measured. Read more, below...
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    God (Ishwara)'s role in Karma

    What do you think is Ishvara's role in Karma (if any)? There are various schools of Indian philosophy and in most cases, they accept that Karma is without beginning. That is, the system - including the rules - has been in place always, meaning it was not created by Vishnu or anyone else. The...
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    [Hindu-Advaita] Who attains Moksha?

    According to Advaita, who attains Moksha? This is an inconsistency because - for the above to hold true - someone has to be able to tell oneself "I have attained Moksha". Such a statement of recognition can only be made in a post-moksha state. That is, the individual has to persist as an...
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    Eliaticism

    Eliaticism is an ancient Greek school of philosophy which held that true being is singular and unchanging and that plurality, change, and motion are illusory. Since they deemed change as illusory, they held that nothing was born and nothing died. Parmenides, the founder, describes two views of...
  14. S

    Yoga Vasistha

    I am reading the YV and I felt it important to write about this text. The YV - an Advaitic text - is older than Shankara and possibly older than Gaudapada too - which shows that many Advaita ideas that we attribute to Shankara may have already been in existence before his time (This is also...
  15. S

    [Advaita] Rebirth

    I would like to hear views on why we should be concerned about rebirth. My thoughts - 1. No one remembers their past lives. Sure, we hear stories of some who claim they do, but we do not know any of them in real life. Even if we do come in contact with some of them, the claims are always not...
  16. S

    Immortality in Vedanta

    Katha Upanishad 2.3.16 and several other Upanishads talk of attaining immortality. What is your understanding of immortality? Does this mean living forever in some shape/form in linear time? What is the alternative to immortality (if any)? Please post your thoughts. This is not limited to Advaita.
  17. S

    Shankara - a Vaishnava?

    I am continuing the discussion here so as to not derail the other thread from its original topic. Quoting Shankara's Brahma sutra Bhashya (translated by Gambhirananda) - From 3.2.13 - Opponent: Since two classes of Upanishadic texts, speaking of Brahman as with form and also as without form...
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    Jagat Mithya

    Shankara says this in his Viveka Chudamani - Brahma satya, jagat mithya, jivo brahmaiva naparah I would like to discuss the interpretation of Jagat Mithya. It is abstract enough that everyone appears to have his or her own conception of it. My own understanding at this time is its meaning...
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