Showing posts with label Books - Traditional. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books - Traditional. Show all posts

Tuesday 17 March 2015

Avadhoota Gita - Traditional Vedanta Books - Nisargadatta Maharaj

Avadhuta Gita is a Hindu text based on the principles of Advaita Vedanta (nondualism). It has been dated to approximately the 9th or 10th century. The singer of the Avadhuta Gita is Dattatreya, an Avadhuta, and according to the Nath Sampradaya, the work was heard and transcribed by two of Dattatreya's disciples—Swami and Kartika. The Nath tradition is a heterodox siddha tradition containing many sub-sects. It was founded by Matsyendranath and further developed by Gorakshanath. The Inchegeri Sampradaya, also known as Nimbargi Sampradaya, is a lineage of Hindu Navnath from Maharashtra which was started by Shri Bhausaheb Maharaj and has become well-known throughout the western world due to the popularity of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.

The Avadhuta Gita is a small book of only eight chapters and is written in spirited Sanskrit verse, which breathes the atmosphere of the highest experience of Brahman. It goes into no philosophical argument to prove oneness of reality, but is content to make the most startling statements, leaving the seeker of truth to imbibe them and be lifted from illusion into the blazing light of Knowledge (jnana).

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Saturday 6 December 2014

Brahma Sutras - Traditional Vedanta Books - Nisargadatta Maharaj

The Brahma sūtra, also known as the Vedānta Sūtras, are one of the three canonical texts of the Vedānta school of Hindu philosophy. The Brahma sūtra is an early exposition of the Vedanta-interpretation of the Upanishads. It is an attempt to systematise the various strands of the Upanishads which form the background of the orthodox systems of thought. It is intended to be a summary of the teaching of the Upanishads. The Brahma Sūtras attempt to reconcile the seemingly contradictory and diverse statements of the various Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gītā, by placing each teaching in a doctrinal context.

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Vivekachudamani - Traditional Vedanta Books - Nisargadatta Maharaj

The Vivekachudamani is a famous Sanskrit poem ascribed to Adi Shankara in the eighth century. It expounds the Advaita Vedanta philosophy and is in the form of 580 verses in the Shardula Vikridita metre. The Vivekachudamani describes developing Viveka the human faculty of discrimination as the central task in the spiritual life and calls it the crown jewel among the essentials for Moksha. The title Vivekachudamani translates to Crest Jewel of Discrimination. Through the centuries, the Vivekachudamani has been translated into several languages and has been the topic of many commentaries and expositions.

 It has the form of dialogue between the master and the disciple, where the master explains to the disciple the nature of the Atman and the ways to research and know the Atman. The book takes the disciple on a step by step instructions to reach Brahman. The Vivekachudamani describes the characteristics of an enlightened human being (Jivanmukta) and a person of steady wisdom (Sthitaprajna) on the lines of Bhagavad Gita.

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Dasbodh - Traditional Vedanta Books - Nisargadatta Maharaj

Shreemat Dāsbodh, loosely meaning "advice to the disciple", is a classical 17th century Hindu Advaita Vedanta spiritual text. It was orally narrated by the Navnath saint Samarth Ramdas, to his disciple Kalyan Swami. The Dāsbodh provides readers with spiritual guidance on matters such as devotion and acquiring knowledge.  It is a comprehensive volume in verse form providing instructions on the religious life, presented in the format of a conversation between a Guru and disciple. The narration is believed to have taken place in a cave called Shivatharghal in the Raigad district of Maharashtra in India.

Dāsbodh prescribes the path of devotion to God or "Bhakti mārg", and the path of Knowledge or "Jnana Marg" for liberation. Through knowledge, Ramdas clears away all doubts and gives the understanding of one's "True Self". Ramdas also reveals the true meaning and significance of "Discrimination" and "Detachment". It deals with diverse aspects of human life such as politics, conducting business dealings and taking care of one's body and family life.

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Tripura Rahasya - Traditional Vedanta Books - Nisargadatta Maharaj

The Tripura Rahasya meaning The Mystery beyond the Trinity, is an ancient literary work in Sanskrit believed to have been narrated by Dattatreya to Parashurama.It is an ancient prime text is one of the treatise on Advaita school of classical Indian Metaphysics. The Tripura Rahasya expounds the teachings of the supreme spiritual truth. It is a dialogue between Lord Dattatreya and Parasurama.

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The Principal Upanishads - Traditional Vedanta Books - Nisargadatta Maharaj

The Upanishads are a collection of Vedic texts which contain the earliest emergence of some of the central religious concepts of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. They are also known as Vedanta ("the end of the Veda"). They are regarded as the source of Vedanta and Samkhya philosophies. The Upanishads are considered by Hindus to contain revealed truths (Sruti) concerning the nature of ultimate reality (brahman) and describing the character and form of human salvation (moksha). The Upanishads are found mostly in the concluding part of the Brahmanas and Aranyakas and have been passed down in oral tradition. More than 200 Upanishads are known, of which the first dozen or so are the oldest and most important and are referred to as the principal or main Upanishads.

  1. Isa Upanishad
  2. Kena Upanishad
  3. Katha Upanishad
  4. Prashna Upanishad
  5.  Mundaka Upanishad
  6. Mandookya Upanishad
  7. Taittireeya Upanishad
  8. Aitareya Upanishad
  9. Chhandogya Upanishad
  10. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
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Nirvana Shatkam - Traditional Vedanta Books - Nisargadatta Maharaj

Nirvana Shatkam is a śloka in six stanzas written by the great Ādi Śaṅkara (first Śaṅkarācārya) summarizing the basic teachings of Advaita Vedānta, or the Hindu teachings of non-dualism. When a young boy of eight (Ādi Śaṅkara), while wandering in the Himalayas, seeking to find his Guru, he encountered a sage who asked him, "Who are you?". The boy answered with these stanzas, which are known as "Nirvāṇa Śaṭkam" or Ātma Ṣaṭkam". The sage the boy was talking to was Svāmi Govindpada Ācārya, who was, indeed, the teacher he was looking for. These few verses can be of tremendous value to progress in contemplation practices that lead to Self-Realization.

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Manisha Panchakam - Traditional Vedanta Books - Nisargadatta Maharaj

Manisha Panchakam is a set of five verses composed by Shri Adi Shankaracharya, the Hindu philosopher. It is said that in these five verses Shankara brings out the essence of Advaita Vedanta. It is believed that Shankara wrote the Manisha Panchakam at Varanasi, the ancient sacred city of India, and the home to the famous Kashi Visvanatha temple.

According to the legend, Adi Shankaraachaarya, was on his way to the temple after finishing his bath. Suddenly he saw a chandaala (an outcaste) and his four dogs on the way, and gestured to him to keep a distance, as per the custom in those days. The outcaste then asked him some questions which form the substance of two verses which are a prelude to the main work. Among the questions asked, the significant one was like this-"Whether My body should give way to you or my Soul?". On hearing these questions, Sri Shankara realized that the person before him was no ordinary person but Lord Shiva himself, and the dogs, the four Vedas. Shankara replies to these questions in five verses.

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Bhagavadgita - Traditional Vedanta Books - Nisargadatta Maharaj

Part of the Mahabharata, this is considered as the most sacred Hindu scripture. The content of the Gita is a conversation between Krishna and Arjuna taking place on the battlefield before the start of the Kurukshetra war.

The Bhagavad Gita is part of the Prasthanatrayi, which also includes the Upanishads and Brahma sutras. These are the key texts for the Vedanta, which interprets these texts to give a unified meaning. Advaita Vedanta sees the non-dualism of Atman and Brahman as its essence. Although early Vedanta gives an interpretation of the sruti texts of the Upanishads, and its main commentary the Brahma Sutras, the popularity of the Bhagavad Gita was such that it could not be neglected.

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Yoga Vasishta - Traditional Vedanta Books - Nisargadatta Maharaj

Yoga Vasishta is a Hindu spiritual text written by sage Valmiki, containing dialogues between Sage Vasishta and Sri Rama, during which Advaita (the doctrine of non-duality) in its pure form of ajatavada (theory of nonorigination) is expounded, with illustrative stories in between. The contents of Vasistha's teaching to Rama is associated with Advaita Vedanta, the illusory nature of the manifest world and the principle of non-duality. This is one of the longest texts in Sanskrit after the Mahabharata, and an important text of Yoga.

Prince Rama returns from touring the country, and becomes utterly disillusioned after experiencing the apparent reality of the world. This worries his father, King Dasaratha, who expresses his concern to Sage Vasistha upon Rama's arrival. Sage Vasistha consoles the king by telling him that Rama's dis-passion is a sign that the prince is now ready for spiritual enlightenment. He says that Rama has begun understanding profound spiritual truths, which is the cause of his confusion; he needs confirmation.Then, in King Dasaratha's court, the sage begins his discourse to Rama, which lasts 21 days. The answer to Rama's questions forms the entire scripture that is Yoga Vasistha.

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Ashtavakra Gita - Traditional Vedanta Books - Nisargadatta Maharaj

The Song of Ashtavakra, also known as Ashtavakra Samhita is an Advaita Vedanta scripture which documents a dialogue between the Perfect Master Ashtavakra and Janaka, the King of Mithila. Ashtavakra Gita presents the traditional teachings of Advaita Vedanta. Ashtavakra's bent body - originally a symbol of disease and weakness ultimately represents the symbol of true and all powerful knowledge by the end of his journey. In a conversation between Janaka and Ashtavakra pertaining to the deformity of his crooked body Ashtavakra explains that the size of a Temple is not affected by how it is shaped, and the shape of his own body does not affect himself (the Atman). Ashtavakra Gita is a dialogue between Ashtavakra and Janaka on the nature of soul, reality and bondage. It offers an extremely radical version of non-dualistic philosophy. The Gita insists on complete unreality of external world and absolute oneness of existence. It does not mention any morality or duties and therefore, is seen by commentators as 'godless'. It also dismisses names and forms as unreal and a sign of ignorance.

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About Nisargadatta Maharaj

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj was an Indian spiritual teacher and philosopher of Advaita (Nondualism), and a Guru, belonging to the Navnath Sampradaya. Sri Nisargadatta, with his direct and minimalistic explanation of non-dualism, is considered the most famous teacher of Advaita since Ramana Maharshi. In 1973, the publication of his most famous and widely-translated book, "I AM THAT", an English translation of his talks in Marathi by Maurice Frydman, brought him worldwide recognition and followers.

According to Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, the purpose of spirituality is simply to know who you are. His discussions are not for academic scholars. He is a rebellious spirit, abrupt in his style of discussion, provocative, and immensely profound, cutting to the core and wasting little effort on inessentials. He talked about the 'direct way' of knowing the Final Reality, in which one becomes aware of one's original nature through mental discrimination, breaking the mind's false identification with the ego, knowing that "You are already That".

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