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Science and the nature of absolute reality (Part 3)
Read part 2 The world is mithyA The universe and everything in it, including the objects that are being investigated, the person doing the investigation and the discipline of science itself are all...
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Science and the nature of absolute reality (Part 4)
Read Part 3 Science is not a pramANa (means of knowledge) While philosophy may remain satisfied with the conceptual comprehension of the absolute and science with the never-ending search for it,...
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manonAsha – not the literal death of the mind
Most seekers who have investigated the teaching of Ramana to even a small extent will be aware of the concept of manonAsha. This is often presented as the idea that enlightenment is synonymous with...
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Ecosystems
If you enjoy wildlife television programs, and you live in the UK, then you’re probably watching ‘Secrets of our living planet’ presented by Chris Packham. If, on the other hand, you’re not...
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Spiritual progress and the j~nAnI
Much of the Brahma Sutra can be extremely tedious. In particular the fourth section of the third chapter is really only of interest to the pUrva mImAMsaka, since it discusses the finer points of...
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Discussion on chidAbhAsa
In the comments following the Question and Answer on the subject of mAyA and Ishvara – Q.325, Peter and I began the following exchange on the subject of ‘reflection of Consciousness’ (between the...
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Subscription Deletions
We have recently been receiving large numbers of what appear to be spurious subscriptions to the site, presumably for the purpose of spamming. Accordingly, new subscriptions have temporarily been...
View ArticleAdvaita – not the only teaching
As readers will know, this site is wholly dedicated to Advaita as the teaching of the non-dual nature of reality. But I came across a reminder today that there are other sources for this truth! It is...
View ArticleIndian Philosophical Quarterly
I have just come across a site that I had not previously encountered, which holds the archives for all of the past 31 volumes of the Indian Philosopical Quarterly. Unfortunately, you can only select by...
View ArticleQ.345 – The Purpose of Life, part 5
Go to Dhanya’s answer to this question Part 5 – Dennis’ answer to this question Q345: What is the purpose of life? If, as stated in Advaita, we are actually in a state of sat-chit-Ananda and we are...
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Origin and Meaning of the word mithyA
Seekers often ask questions about the meaning of the word mithyA. It is, after all, one of the most important concepts in Advaita. Someone has just asked about the usage of the word itself: Did...
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Why Advaita Works
To explore the womb, or tomb, or dreams; all these are usual Pastimes and drugs, and features of the press: And always will be, some of them especially When there is distress of nations and perplexity...
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Difference
Vive la difference! I am still in the process of writing my next book on the Mandukya Upanishad and kArikA-s. I have just written the following section on the concept of ‘difference’. Since I posted a...
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Sanskrit for Seekers
Since you are reading this blog, you are presumably a spiritual seeker interested in Advaita. It is also very probable that your knowledge of Sanskrit is minimal or non-existent. I receive occasional...
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Knowledge and the Fruit of Knowledge
Following on from the l-o-n-g discussion we had on this topic under the thread ‘akhaNDAkAra vRRitti – The End of Suffering‘, I have written what was intended to be the commentary on kArikA 3.40 in my...
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Belief – a dangerous thing
Belief can be a dangerous thing, as Galileo discovered to his dismay early in the 17th century, when he was denounced to the Inquisition because of his claim that the earth went around the sun and not...
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What is Brahman? (Part 1)
Enlightenment is the realization in the mind of a person that ‘I am Brahman’. So what is this ‘Brahman’ that I am supposed to realize? Knowing this must constitute a significant aspect of the...
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What is Brahman? (Part 2)
(Read Part 1) Positive ‘definitions’ of Brahman are given by such expressions as satyam j~nAnam anantam brahma, in the Taittiriya Upanishad. The words are to be understood as svarUpa lakShaNa, i.e. a...
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What is Brahman? (Part 3)
(Read Part 2) The superficially contradictory ‘descriptions’ of Brahman as ‘neti, neti’ and ‘sarvaM khalvidaM brahma’ [all this is verily Brahman] are brought out in adjacent verses of the Atma bodha,...
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A Comparison of Bhagavad Gita Versions
There are very many versions of the Bhagavad Gita in print, although you will have to look to Indian bookstores to obtain most of these. This can be very worthwhile. Not only are they a lot cheaper...
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