Advait Vedant (An Old Book)

The author has endeavored, to outline the nature of spiritual consciousness in its different cultural contexts. Next he describes the spiritual awareness and discipline in some of the different systems of Indian Philosophy compared to what is found in Vedanta. He enunciates the views that action, worship and Meditation are inadequate for attainment of Moksha. The Philosophical attitude of Vedanta is the explication of or the justification for intuitive insight obtained through a particular Sadhana. Next he demonstrates how the Spiritual Sadhana is conditioned by the Central concepts of Jiva, Brahma Avidya Janana. He further stresses the importance of metaphysics of Vedanta to show it imparts a specific orientation to the Sadhana undertaken.

The book is worth reading by the students of Indian Philosophy and the persons interested in the subject.

The Advaita Vedanta has been treated by scholars belonging to different spiritual cohesions and from many points of view. A large number of works have appeared up to now on this philosophy. My object here has been to show to what extent the spiritual sadhana is inspired, sustained and determined by the Vedantic doctrine. This is an aspect of Vedanta which has not till now been dealt with in a specific way.

In carrying out this humble undertaking I have endeavored to outline the nature of spiritual consciousness in its different cultural contexts (Chapter I). Following this comes a description in Chapter II of the spiritual awareness and discipline in some of the different systems of Indian Philosophy compared to what obtains in Vedanta. The treatment of Action in Chapter III shows why Vedanta considers that karma is unable to uproot ignorance. This chapter deals only with the doctrinal point of view. That action, worship and meditation are inadequate for the attainment of moksa depends on certain metaphysical definitions. Actually Vedanta illustrates in a telling manner how its philosophical attitude is nothing but the explication of or the justification for the intuitive insight obtained through a particular sadhana. Consequently, Chapters IV-VII demonstrates how the spiritual sadhana is conditioned throughout all its stages by the central concepts of the jiva, Brahman, avidya, jiana. I have had to stress the importance of the metaphysics of Vedanta to show how it imparts a specific orientation to the sadhana undertaken. It was also necessary to emphasize the ontology of the Advaita simply to establish its reality to justify the validity and the purpose of spiritual experience. The last chapter contains an analysis of moksa, the direct and indirect methods of self-realization, and the description of the different types of freedom.