I consider myself as a follower of the great Advaita Vedanta philosophy. Do i still need to follow moral virtues ?
Nowadays there is an attempt in the West to popularize Vedanta without stressing purity of mind. Many people in the West feel drawn to Advaita because of its loftiness and logical beauty. But intellectual appreciation alone is not enough. Many people
I am fully convinced of the evil effects of desires, but still unable to rid myself completely of them. What am i to do? How can i rise above them?
One way is to control them using will power. Another is to cultivate the witness attitude towards them. Neither of these is easy and in the beginning of one's spiritual life, well nigh impossible. What then is the way for a spiritual aspirant? He should
What is the ideal of Vedanta?
The ideal aimed at in Vedanta is to attain to a state that is beyond all birth and death, from which there is no falling off, a state of freedom. Freedom or liberation can come only by dissociating ourselves from our body and mind, in other words, from
How can I develop intense dispassion for worldly things?
If you want to realize God, then you must cultivate intense dispassion. You must renounce immediately what you feel to be standing in your way. You should not put it off till the future. 'Woman and gold' is the obstruction. The mind must be withdrawn
When will we be freed from the bondage of the world?
Ah, He [God] will free us when the disease is cured. He will liberate us from the world when we are through with the enjoyment of 'woman and gold'. Once a man registers his name in the hospital, he cannot run away. The doctor will not let him go away
Why has God put us in the world?
The world is the field of action. Through action one acquires knowledge. The guru instructs the disciple to perform certain works and refrain from others. Again, he advises the pupil to perform action without desiring the result. The impurity of the mind
How to transform I-Consiousness?
The Vedantist says, 'I am He.' Brahman is real and the world illusory. Even the 'I' is illusory. Only the Supreme Brahman exists. But the 'I' cannot be got rid of. Therefore it is good to have the feeling, 'I am the servant of God, His son, His devotee.
Is it safe to think of oneself as the servant or devotee of God?
The 'servant I' - that is, the feeling, 'I am the servant of God, I am the devotee of God' - does not injure one. On the contrary, it helps one to realize God. Reference: The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna (7.1 The Master And Vijay Goswami)
How to get rid of the Ego?
It is true that one or two can get rid of the 'I' through samadhi; but these cases are very rare. You may indulge in thousands of reasoning, but still the 'I' comes back. You may cut the peepal-tree to the very root today, but you will notice a sprout
What obstructs one from seeing God?
Maya is nothing but the egotism of the embodied soul. This egotism has covered everything like a veil. 'All troubles come to an end when the ego dies.' If by the grace of God a man but once realizes that he is not the doer, then he at once becomes a Jivanmukta.
Does an ordinary human being have the power to remove the worldly bondage?
How is it ever possible for one man to liberate another from the bondage of the world? God alone, the Creator of this world-bewitching maya, can save men from maya. There is no other refuge but that great Teacher, Satchidananda. How is it ever possible
How should a spiritual aspirant perform his worldly duties?
Yes, you can perform them too, but only as much as you need for your livelihood. At the same time, you must pray to God in solitude, with tears in your eyes, that you may be able to perform those duties in an unselfish manner. You should say to Him: 'O
What is Vedanta? Are there different schools in it? If so, what is the essential teaching of each school?
Meaning of the word ‘anta’ is ‘end’ or ‘essence’. Since the Upanishads form the end portions of the Vedas and contain their essence, they have been termed as ‘Vedanta’. The ‘Brahmasutras’ (of the sage Badarayana) which try to systematize the teachings
What is Moksha? What will that experience be like? How can one attain it?
We know from our direct experience that we are separate from the dress we wear or the house we live in. Similarly, we are separate from the body, the senses, the mind and egoism. When this fact is directly experienced, our essentially blissful nature
What are the doctrines of Vedanta?
The Vedantist says, "I am He". Brahman is real and the world illusory. Even the "I" is illusory. Only the Supreme Brahman exists. But the "I" cannot be got rid of. Therefore it is good to have the feeling, "I am the servant of God, His son, His devo
What has Hinduism to say about the nature of man and the purpose of human life?
Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divinity within by controlling nature, external and internal. Do this either by work, or worship, or psychic control, or philosophy – by one or more or all of these-and be free.
Does the Tantra prescribe spiritual discipline in the company of woman?
That is not desirable. It is a very difficult path and often causes the aspirant's downfall. There are three such kinds of discipline. One may regard woman as one's mistress or look on oneself as her handmaid or as her child. I look on woman as my mother. To
What has Hinduism to say about the nature of man and the purpose of human life?
He is born to no purpose who, having the rare privilege of being born a man, is unable to realise God in this life.
What is the nature of God according to Hinduism?
God is one only, one without a second. His nature is Sat-chit-ananda, that is, eternal Existence-Consciousness Bliss. He is the creator of this universe.He creates it by His power out of Him self, sustains it and then withdraws it into Himself, once its
What has Hinduism to say about the nature of man and the purpose of human life?
Although this question appears to be short and simple, it concerns a very profound subject discussed in our philosophical works.According to the Upanishads, which have been accepted as the supreme authority by all sections of Hinduism, man is essentially
How do we Hindus explain suffering in life?
In the Hindu religion there is no Devil. So he cannot be blamed for causing suffering. Hindus say that we are essentially spiritual beings (Atman); when we try and express ourselves in a physical manner (through the body) we pay a price for it. The price