Textual Tuesday

Hari OM

Advaita Vedanta is a philosophy - that too, a rather advanced one. However, as with all complex subjects, there are ways into it and different levels so that all who brush up against it can leave with at least a little gain to their understanding and knowledge. If nothing else, it will prompt them to question and begin deeper searches for themselves.

The traditional method of gurukula - master and disciple - is likely to be unavailable to most in the early stages. Or, indeed, is foreign to many. Gurudev knew this but also felt that all who could, should have available to them the means to begin their studies of this subject.

Thus was devised a schema of study. Just as you might receive from your school or college a list of the required texts, plus some 'desirable reading' items, so is the case with building your library for AV. Indeed, so powerful and worthy is the schema that was devised, it has been emulated by many other Vedantic institutions. All the texts referenced (other than those authored entirely by Chinmaya, or Maharishi, or Sivananda, or Sadguru...) have been in existence for a long time and can be approached in all different ways. However, the supremely logical and functional system from CM does mean that anyone can read and gain much, albeit without the aid of classes or a master to lean upon for guidance. 

Over the next few weeks, I shall introduce the titles and an intro to the texts. Many of the prakaranas (starter texts) have already been discussed in Chapter One of AV-bloggy and you can find there the links to CM centres where you can purchase the books.

Kindle Life. This is actually authored by Gurudev himself and was written as a response to those in Indian society who questioned his bringing what was considered protected knowledge to 'the masses.' That too in the English language! The thing was that, as an inevitable legacy of pre-independent India, this was the most widely spoken language. Gurudev wished to reach as many people as possible. 

Thus we find set out in this deceptively simple book the arguments for why one might study AV, why one ought to make the study, what its benefits are and how it might be approached. Then it lays out some of the basic tenets of the philosophy and indicates how to apply them to daily living.

To be fair, it is very much a book of its time, but still an important one and certainly recommended if at all you are wondering 'why bother with philosophy?'