What is Vedanta?
by Paul Hourihan

Vedanta, one of Hinduism's six main systems of thought, is a scientific approach to religion and religious truth. There is no one individual associated with the origin of Vedanta. Every other creed was founded by an individual. Not Hinduism. Only principles at the beginning; and Universal Truth and laws discovered and handed down by the rishis, the ancient Vedic sages.

The main Vedantic texts are: the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahma or Vedanta Sutras. This ancient philosophy of India is also readily found in the teachings of Buddha, Shankara, Ramakrishna-Vivekananda. It is open ended, a vast cathedral of thought encompassing both the personal and impersonal approaches to divine realization.

The Vedantic teachings are from the Vedas, which are the traditional Hindu scriptures. The Vedas are a diverse collection of Sanskrit writings extending back several thousand years and concerned with the knowledge of spiritual reality. The root word, "Ved," means to know in the mystical sense: to know spiritual truth. The suffix "anta" means "end" in the sense of termination and, secondly, of purpose. The end of the Vedas is the philosophical section, the "Vedanta," the portion known as the Upanishads.

The Upanishads are part of the Vedas as the New Testament is part of the Bible. They not only occur at the end of the Vedas, but are the culmination towards which the Vedas move.

Vedanta's basic principles are:

1)   Nothing exists except the Divine Being, or Brahman. It pervades, supports, determines, and explains everything. It is called the One. The doctrine of the Spiritual Oneness of Existence follows from this.     

2)      The very nature of the Soul is Divine: the Cosmic Self becomes the individual Self.

3)      The goal of the individual, then, is to realize and manifest the divinity, which is his/her true nature.

4)      The Universality of religious truth: there are many ways to realize God. (Prophets differ in their interpretation of religion as to details, but not in the essentials.)

The Upanishadic texts are unique in their endless emphasis on the central Vedantic discovery: The Supreme Being is the Self and your self is that Self.

Why Vedanta?

Each religion thinks it has the  truth, and therefore is superior to others. Every religion differs from others, and wherein they differ is not Vedanta, but rather wherein they are alike. Vedanta is in evidence when any given religion acts in a universal manner, pleasing everyone.

If each religion was deprived of those elements in its creed and practice that separate it from other religions, then what remains―that is Vedanta. For example: all religions teach the perfection of self-sacrifice as the highest virtue. Vedanta takes its stand on this at the start. So all religions resemble one another in this respect. They stress the virtue of renunciation, service to others, relating to others as though to one's own self, as though we had in common the same life, the same destiny and the same self, which is a simple but adequate rendering of the prime truth of Vedanta.

Vedanta is without creed or dogma or ritual or doctrine. Vedanta is the mysticism of spirituality. It is what is left over when all the differences that separate religions have been eliminated. Therefore, it is the essence of religion, the truth embedded in the heart of every religion. Vedanta is the Godhead that makes every religion divine.

Vedanta is the chief means whereby each religion will have the incentive to practice tolerance and acceptance toward all other faiths.

Each Religion a Path

One of the core principles of the Vedanta philosophy states that each religion is but a path to the hidden goal―not the goal itself. One takes the path that suits him or her, that is all.

Each religion differs in its emphases, in its doctrines, traditions, rituals, and so on―in other words, in the nonessentials of spiritual aspiration. With respect to the eternal reality that may be realized in this life, in the depths of one's consciousness, they are in agreement.

Therefore the essentials of religions are the same in all faiths. The difficulty comes when we compare our essentials with others' nonessentials! 

 

\ VEDANTA: ANCIENT WISDOM FOR MODERN TIMES

With the beginning of the new millennium we are witnessing more frequent and dramatic instances of Nature’s destructive power. In recent years we experienced the second largest earthquake on record, devastating parts of Southeast Asia with its resulting tsunami. On our own shores, we've seen the deaths, suffering and destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. For many of us these natural catastrophes, as well as manmade disasters, have caused deep reflection on the age-old questions of life. If tens of thousands of lives can be wiped out in an instant, without warning, what does it all mean? Life, as we know it, is so fleeting—why are we even here? Is there anything permanent we can latch onto in this world?

These events bring home the value and relevance of the great mystical teachings of all spiritual traditions, but in particular the Vedanta philosophy of India, as set down in the Upanishads. In an impermanent world they speak uncompromisingly of that permanent reality we are all seeking (consciously or not). In Vedanta that Reality is defined as eternal, immortal, unchanging, indivisible, beyond the pairs of opposites and, according to mystics from all traditions, can be directly experienced by us. Moreover, the purpose of life is to realize our identity with that Divine Reality.

The Vedantic principles speak of the unity of all existence, the universality of spiritual truth, and a God that is not distant at all. Although transcendent, It is also immanent—is the indwelling Presence that gives life. These basic truths are becoming more and more part of our thinking. Evidence of this can be seen in the works of many popular spiritual authors such as Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, Thomas Moore, and Neale Donald Walsch.

Through scientific studies we find that the interconnectedness of life on our planet is undeniable; and with the current communication advances it is possible to remain connected to the rest of the world. So we can see that modern technology is fostering a global consciousness, and a change in our worldview. For instance, satellite technology enables us to see catastrophes as they are happening. As we watch them unfolding, we can’t help but feel that the destruction is being wrought upon part of our human family.

With this newfound sense of global interconnectedness, can it be a coincidence that the Vedantic scriptures, which speak of the oneness of all life, are now accessible to us? It is our great fortune that we live at a time when these venerable teachings are available, for not that long ago they were kept hidden in the forests and mountain caves of India. It would appear that humanity on a larger scale then ever before is ready to hear these crucial ideas.
 

For more on the Vedanta philosophy, see Children of Immortal Bliss by Dr. Paul Hourihan, an American, who introduces the principles of the Vedanta philosophy in a way that makes these sublime, yet practical teachings accessible to Western readers in particular.

Exclusivism―A Universal Disease

Every religion, every sect, thinks it has found the truth―and it alone has found it.

A universal disease!

Throughout history it is the same....To this day. Not only Christians, Jews, and Moslems, but Hindus, Buddhists, Sufis, etc.

How to break the hold of this compulsion?

Vedanta shows the way. It teaches that Truth is universal, that it is continually revealed, that the prophets keep coming, that the Truth may be known via many paths ... if followed sincerely, faithfully, and spiritually.

One more golden virtue of the Vedanta philosophy: With the help of Vedanta we can practice our personal devotions, fervent in our faith and dedication, without feeling that we alone can reach the goal, and quite convinced that others, too, may succeed, though on another path.

Vedanta provides a strong intellectual basis for peace among all religions in our troubled world.

Further Thoughts:

Vedanta is not a matter of belief―but realization. We are not asked to believe but to realize. If there is a God or Divine Reality, then we should be able to experience Him, Her or It.

Not faith alone, but function.
Not belief, but behavior.

Vedanta gives freedom to individuals to advance along their own line of development.
                                                                         __________

No religion can be unique because of the universal nature of Truth. Truth can't be confined to a single channel. The same mystical strain, the same subterranean currents flow through the phenomena of all religions.                                                                                                        
                                                                        

Recommended Reading:

The Upanishads, Breath of the Eternal, trans. Swami Prabhavananda and Frederick Manchester. Hollywood: Vedanta Press, 1987; New York: Mentor Books, 1975. Excellent translation of the major scripture of India. Clear, helpful introduction. For the general reader, not the scholar.

Adiswarananda, Swami. The Vedanta Way to Peace and Happiness. Woodstock, VT: Skylight Paths Publishing, 2004. A valuable and thoroughgoing reference text for the Vedanta Philosophy.

Hourihan, Paul. Children of Immortal Bliss: A New Perspective on our True Identity Based on the Ancient Vedanta Philosophy of India. Anna Hourihan, ed. Redding, CA: Vedantic Shores Press, 2008. A compelling introduction to the Vedanta philosophy of India, showing how these profound teachings can deepen and enrich our understanding of life and bring us closer to enlightenment.

Vrajaprana, Pravrajika. Vedanta, A Simple Introduction. Hollywood: Vedanta Press. As the title states this is a short,  easy-to-read introduction to Vedanta by a Western nun of the Ramakrishna Order. Well-written and clear explanation of Vedanta.

Swami Vivekananda. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama. Any lectures or works by this mystic, a gigantic figure in India's religious history, are valuable. He is the great modern expounder of Vedanta to the West. Individual volumes are also available covering different subjects, such as the following one.

Swami Vivekananda. Vedanta: Voice of Freedom. Swami Chetanananda, ed. St. Louis: Vedanta Society of St. Louis, 1986. A collection of the important letters, speeches and writings on the subject of Vedanta by Swami Vivekananda, the modern interpreter of Vedanta.

Isherwood, Christopher, ed. Vedanta for the Western World and Vedanta for Modern Man. The mystical traditions of three great faiths―Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity―are explored at depth in two richly interesting collections of essays written by many gifted authors. Good advice on meditation.

Easwaran, Eknath, The Upanishads, Translated for the Modern Reader. Tomales, CA: Nilgiri Press, 1987, Reprinted 2003. An interesting introduction and translation with commentary.

Prabhavananda, Swami. The Sermon on the Mount According to Vedanta. Hollywood: Vedanta Press. Shows how the illuminations of Vedantic mysticism clarify some of the difficult passages in Christ's famous Sermon.  A reverent, discerning, highly spiritual treatment by a Hindu monk.

How to Know God, The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali. Trans. with a commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood. Hollywood: Vedanta Press, 1996. A classic translation of the yoga system. One of the indispensable works for understanding the mysticism of India. Sound, important advice on meditation offered.

The Song of God: Bhagavad-Gita, Trans. with a commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood.  Signet Classics, 2002. A companion volume to The Upanishads, Breath of the Eternal. A poetic, evocative translation. Brilliant introduction by Aldous Huxley. The Gita is often called the Gospel of Hinduism.

Swami Tathagatananda. The Journey of the Upanishads to the West. New York: The Vedanta Society of New York, 2002. Well-researched and documented study covering the history of how the Upanishadic ideas and teachings influenced the West from the early times of ancient Greece to the American Transcendentalist movement and into the 20th century in the West.

Huxley, Aldous. The Perennial Philosophy. Has been called the masterpiece of all anthologies of mysticism. Huxley's own commentary accompanying each of his selections is almost as valuable. (He was a practicing mystic as well as a renowned intellectual.) A classic in this field.

James, William. Varieties of Religious Experience. First published in 1902. Another indispensable classic, written with literary brilliance and great verve by the famous American psychologist-philosopher. Concentrates primarily on Christian figures.

Reincarnation, an East-West Anthology, ed. Joseph Head and S. L. Cranston. Its expanded version is known as Reincarnation: The Phoenix Fire Mystery.  Either volume is engrossing for the beginner, the advanced student, or the skeptic.

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