An Advaita Vedanta philosophy site, focusing on Realization, enlightenment, nisarga yoga, non-duality (nonduality), your original nature, dwelling as your natural state, and the teachings of Maharaj.
Announcing the closing of the Non-Duality Bookstore as the focus in the future will be on providing books electronically. See at the end of this post an offer to receive at lower-than-eBook prices the last of the paper books remaining in stock at 50% off with free shipping in the U.S. and half-price shipping internationally.
From a site visitor: So is Advaita a religion or a philosophy?
F.: In the banner at the top of this site, the word “philosophy” is used primarily as a disclosure to those seeking a version of Advaita Vedanta with a religious orientation. Far more who take themselves to be “Advaitins” prefer that conceptualization than the nisarga yoga presented here.
For those, AV involves as much doingness and activity and pursuit and endeavor as any organized religion. Those types seem to have broken with “the religion of their youth” but remain more comfortable with “some form of religion” than none at all, so the versions of AV with religion-like trappings have an appeal. So it is.
Some seekers are more prone to movement and motion rather than quiet contemplation or all-natural (supernatural-free) living in an AS IF fashion. Some in the style of the religious prefer accouterments and rituals—burning this or ringing that and wearing this and sitting on that—and some seem to find not just acceptable but also desirable a life that will always be subsumed with seeking and growing and developing, not at all unlike their religious counterparts.
Some AV’s, also like their religious counterparts, prefer what seems to be the “security” of having access to writings that are considered authoritative (or even "holy") and that can be cited for confirmation or corroboration of their beliefs and as teaching aids when desired.
Actually, though, for the more “advanced seekers,” there is an additional option to consider beyond the two mentioned in your question. The option is one that involves far less use of outer resources and far more use of the inner resource (a.k.a., the inner guru) in order to understand truth, in order to bring activity and searching to an end, in order to simply enjoy the dance to whatever music they choose, and in order to live naturally and without being encumbered with doingness.
The challenge for those trying to access that inner resource is the removal of all of the obstacles that block access to that source. It is that blockage (also known as “learned ignorance”) which obstructs access to the inner guru.
If the obstructions are removed, then the consciousness will no longer be blocked from seeing ItSelf and from seeing Truth. Once a person has been exposed to the false teachings of so many, an outer guru is usually required to facilitate the “un-learning” that must happen before the Truth that is already known can be recognized.
Religion makes no effort toward such “un-learning” but is dedicated to a lifetime of learning more and more. Philosophies, too, encourage additional learning by studying what “this philosopher” had to say or what “that philosopher” wrote.
Is Maharaj quoted here on occasion for those seeking a deeper understanding of his teachings after they have been exposed to his talks and found something that resonated…that inspired some notion that the consciousness speaking as “M.” is pointing accurately toward the understanding that they would grasp (even as he made clear that if they grasp that understanding, all of their so-called "spiritual travail and activity" can end)?
Yes. Is that a message that some teachers of AV would offer? No. Is that a message that any religious leader would offer? No. Is it closer to the tactic used by some teachers of philosophy who engage in talks and exchanges more for the sake of the dance—much like the nisarga approach offered here? Yes.
So having laid that groundwork of the broader contrasts involving AV vs. philosophy, AV vs. religion and even forms of AV vs. differing forms of AV, your question can be addressed by looking at the pointers in more detail.
Contrary to the answer that most would give, what if—per the purest form of the nisarga approach—AV is actually neither a religion nor a philosophy? Like the six blind men trying to answer the question, “What is an elephant like?” all six gave different answers, based on the part they touched.
Based on the “parts” of Advaita Vedanta or Advaita or Vedanta that a seeker or teacher has touched, answers to your question will vary. As mentioned previously on this site, there are a variety of teaching methods being used, there are a variety of yogas, and there are a variety of approaches. To review:
There are four methods of teachings (or five if you count pseudo-Advaita). The Traditional teacher (in the style of Shankara and using the Upanishads) will tell you to study the scriptures, which sounds religion-like, yes? The Neo-Vedantins (in the style of Vivekanada) will promote what many consider a “weakened version” of the Traditional method.
The Neo-Advaitin teacher might tell you that “there is no seeker, that there is nothing to seek, that You need merely to realize that, and that You will at that point be done.” Here, the Direct Path Method and nisarga yoga are offered.
Depending on the method that any given seeker might have been exposed to, some will say that AV is a religion; others will claim it is a philosophy.
As alluded to earlier, the “bent” of some seekers will make them want to master and then cite outer authorities (such as scriptures and texts and, yes, even teachers) who focus on the content of such scriptures and texts.
Some will be more prone to engaging in activities and spiritual exercises. Some are dedicated to the accumulation of spiritual knowledge, thrilled to replace “old and bad” worldly beliefs with “new and improved” spiritual concepts…rejecting the simplicity of the nisarga approach for the pursuit of a more complex undertaking.
Some might prefer the "lofty" pronouncements of someone like Vivekanada, enjoying “inspirational” but often dualistic concepts as opposed to more direct, non-dualistic pointers, possibly employing a philosophy-like methodology in dealing with the content of the teachings. Again, there is no effort here to make a definitive statement about the superiority of one method over another.
One approach led to My Realization; other methods have led to Realization by other specks. Here, there is no suggestion that another method is not as good as the method and approach employed here, but there is a presentation via use of the Direct Path method and nisarga yoga—at times (a) “pointing out” and at times (b) offering pointers simply because that is what triggered the peripetia for this speck.
Again, though, a partiality for one method over another will determine the way that various seekers or teachers “describe the elephant.” Those who value scriptures might offer the characterization of AV as a religion. Some with an affection for “an authority” or “a school” might describe AV as either a religion or a philosophy.
Here, at times, “philosophy” has been used in discussions with some seekers who have tried religion and are seeking something beyond its dogmatic teachings. To the more “advanced seekers” at retreats or in satsang sessions, something beyond both has been offered for consideration, and it is this:
When presented via the nisarga yoga approach, Advaita is neither a religion nor a philosophy; instead, it is science. “Science? In what fashion?” some have asked. That will be discussed tomorrow. Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
For those, AV involves as much doingness and activity and pursuit and endeavor as any organized religion. Those types seem to have broken with “the religion of their youth” but remain more comfortable with “some form of religion” than none at all, so the versions of AV with religion-like trappings have an appeal. So it is.
Some seekers are more prone to movement and motion rather than quiet contemplation or all-natural (supernatural-free) living in an AS IF fashion. Some in the style of the religious prefer accouterments and rituals—burning this or ringing that and wearing this and sitting on that—and some seem to find not just acceptable but also desirable a life that will always be subsumed with seeking and growing and developing, not at all unlike their religious counterparts.
Some AV’s, also like their religious counterparts, prefer what seems to be the “security” of having access to writings that are considered authoritative (or even "holy") and that can be cited for confirmation or corroboration of their beliefs and as teaching aids when desired.
Actually, though, for the more “advanced seekers,” there is an additional option to consider beyond the two mentioned in your question. The option is one that involves far less use of outer resources and far more use of the inner resource (a.k.a., the inner guru) in order to understand truth, in order to bring activity and searching to an end, in order to simply enjoy the dance to whatever music they choose, and in order to live naturally and without being encumbered with doingness.
The challenge for those trying to access that inner resource is the removal of all of the obstacles that block access to that source. It is that blockage (also known as “learned ignorance”) which obstructs access to the inner guru.
If the obstructions are removed, then the consciousness will no longer be blocked from seeing ItSelf and from seeing Truth. Once a person has been exposed to the false teachings of so many, an outer guru is usually required to facilitate the “un-learning” that must happen before the Truth that is already known can be recognized.
Religion makes no effort toward such “un-learning” but is dedicated to a lifetime of learning more and more. Philosophies, too, encourage additional learning by studying what “this philosopher” had to say or what “that philosopher” wrote.
Is Maharaj quoted here on occasion for those seeking a deeper understanding of his teachings after they have been exposed to his talks and found something that resonated…that inspired some notion that the consciousness speaking as “M.” is pointing accurately toward the understanding that they would grasp (even as he made clear that if they grasp that understanding, all of their so-called "spiritual travail and activity" can end)?
Yes. Is that a message that some teachers of AV would offer? No. Is that a message that any religious leader would offer? No. Is it closer to the tactic used by some teachers of philosophy who engage in talks and exchanges more for the sake of the dance—much like the nisarga approach offered here? Yes.
So having laid that groundwork of the broader contrasts involving AV vs. philosophy, AV vs. religion and even forms of AV vs. differing forms of AV, your question can be addressed by looking at the pointers in more detail.
Contrary to the answer that most would give, what if—per the purest form of the nisarga approach—AV is actually neither a religion nor a philosophy? Like the six blind men trying to answer the question, “What is an elephant like?” all six gave different answers, based on the part they touched.
Based on the “parts” of Advaita Vedanta or Advaita or Vedanta that a seeker or teacher has touched, answers to your question will vary. As mentioned previously on this site, there are a variety of teaching methods being used, there are a variety of yogas, and there are a variety of approaches. To review:
There are four methods of teachings (or five if you count pseudo-Advaita). The Traditional teacher (in the style of Shankara and using the Upanishads) will tell you to study the scriptures, which sounds religion-like, yes? The Neo-Vedantins (in the style of Vivekanada) will promote what many consider a “weakened version” of the Traditional method.
The Neo-Advaitin teacher might tell you that “there is no seeker, that there is nothing to seek, that You need merely to realize that, and that You will at that point be done.” Here, the Direct Path Method and nisarga yoga are offered.
Depending on the method that any given seeker might have been exposed to, some will say that AV is a religion; others will claim it is a philosophy.
As alluded to earlier, the “bent” of some seekers will make them want to master and then cite outer authorities (such as scriptures and texts and, yes, even teachers) who focus on the content of such scriptures and texts.
Some will be more prone to engaging in activities and spiritual exercises. Some are dedicated to the accumulation of spiritual knowledge, thrilled to replace “old and bad” worldly beliefs with “new and improved” spiritual concepts…rejecting the simplicity of the nisarga approach for the pursuit of a more complex undertaking.
Some might prefer the "lofty" pronouncements of someone like Vivekanada, enjoying “inspirational” but often dualistic concepts as opposed to more direct, non-dualistic pointers, possibly employing a philosophy-like methodology in dealing with the content of the teachings. Again, there is no effort here to make a definitive statement about the superiority of one method over another.
One approach led to My Realization; other methods have led to Realization by other specks. Here, there is no suggestion that another method is not as good as the method and approach employed here, but there is a presentation via use of the Direct Path method and nisarga yoga—at times (a) “pointing out” and at times (b) offering pointers simply because that is what triggered the peripetia for this speck.
Again, though, a partiality for one method over another will determine the way that various seekers or teachers “describe the elephant.” Those who value scriptures might offer the characterization of AV as a religion. Some with an affection for “an authority” or “a school” might describe AV as either a religion or a philosophy.
Here, at times, “philosophy” has been used in discussions with some seekers who have tried religion and are seeking something beyond its dogmatic teachings. To the more “advanced seekers” at retreats or in satsang sessions, something beyond both has been offered for consideration, and it is this:
When presented via the nisarga yoga approach, Advaita is neither a religion nor a philosophy; instead, it is science. “Science? In what fashion?” some have asked. That will be discussed tomorrow. Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
THE FOLLOWING NON-DUALITY BOOKS ARE IN THE STORE IN LIMITED SUPPLY AND WILL BE OFFERED AT 50% OFF WHEN BOUGHT AS A PACKAGE:
While quantities last, the following package deal is being offered: Receive all nine (9) of the books listed below for $88 total with free shipping in the U.S. and ½ price shipping internationally.
[Sorry, but the offer does not apply to eBooks; this limited-time offer, however, is even less expensive than eBooks. This applies to the last of the paper books which are now in stock but which will never be available again. As various titles sell out, as happened with one title yesterday, the remaining paper versions will be offered at a pro-rated price of 50% off also.]
NON-DUALITY TITLES:
From the Absolute to the Nothingness
Consciousness/Awareness
From the I to the Absolute (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality)
It's All Bullshit (and Why Knowing it Sets You Free)
Self-Transformation Meditation Guide I
Self-Transformation Meditation Guide II
There's No Such Thing as ''Peace of Mind''
Spiritual Sobriety (Recovering What Religions Lost)
The Essence of the Teachings
or
PICK AND CHOOSE:
Order any six from the list above and you still receive 50% off + free shipping. (Smaller orders received 50% off but shipping fees apply)
To order, visit
Contact
to make arrangements for payment and delivery.
VISA or MC accepted.
[Sorry, but the offer does not apply to eBooks; this limited-time offer, however, is even less expensive than eBooks. This applies to the last of the paper books which are now in stock but which will never be available again. As various titles sell out, as happened with one title yesterday, the remaining paper versions will be offered at a pro-rated price of 50% off also.]
NON-DUALITY TITLES:
From the Absolute to the Nothingness
Consciousness/Awareness
From the I to the Absolute (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality)
It's All Bullshit (and Why Knowing it Sets You Free)
Self-Transformation Meditation Guide I
Self-Transformation Meditation Guide II
There's No Such Thing as ''Peace of Mind''
Spiritual Sobriety (Recovering What Religions Lost)
The Essence of the Teachings
or
PICK AND CHOOSE:
Order any six from the list above and you still receive 50% off + free shipping. (Smaller orders received 50% off but shipping fees apply)
To order, visit
Contact
to make arrangements for payment and delivery.
VISA or MC accepted.
