Vedanta - Discussion Forum I (introductory))

[Sunder]

Very helpful link for beginners to Advaita (the writeup has few typos that we can live with.)

http://www.katha.org/Academics/Advaita-FrontPg.html



TABLE OF CONTENTS of ADVAITA VEDANTA

Part 1 – Preface

Part II – Outline of Advaita Vedanta philosophy

Section 1 – Nature of self. Changing and unchanging consciousness

Section 2 – Brahman, the ultimate reality

Section 3 – Identity of the individual self and Brahman

Section 4 – Transmigration and karma

Srction 5 – Free will

Section 6 – Status of the world – Orders of reality

Section 7 – Creation

Section 8 – The concept of Maya (Avidya, Prakrit, Pradhana, avyaktam, avyaakrtam, ajnaanam and tamas are synonyms)

Section 9 – Liberation – What it means

Section 10 – Significance of Liberation

Section 11 – Knowledge sole means of liberation. Liberation is possible in this life itself. One who is liberated, called jiivanmukta, attains videhamukti when the body falls

Section 12 – Kramamukti



Part III – Philosophy of Advaita philosophy as expounded in the Upanishads

Section 1 – Preparatory spiritual practices

Section 2 – Enquiry into one’s real nature. Sub-section (1) –Drgdsyaviveka. Sub-section (2) Pancakosaviveka.

Sub-section (3)Avasthatrayaviveka

Section 4 – Description of Brahman, the absolute reality

Section 5 – Unreality of the world

Section 6 – Pramanam (authority of the Upanishads) for Brahman not being the actual creator

Section 3 – Orders of reality

Section 7 – Brahman as Existence, the sub-stratum of the universe of names and forms

Section 8 – Creator is Iswaratogether with Maya

Section 9 – Status of Maya



Part III A

Section 10 – Brahman s Consciousness – All pervading and immanenrt in beings as atma

Section 11 – Reflected consciousness (cidabhasa)

Section 12 – Pramana for cidabhasa

Section 13 – How to distinguish the original consciousness from the reflected consciousness – Illustration

Section 14 – Significance of cidabhaa



Part IIIB

Section 15 – Brahman as Bliss

Section 16 – Benefit of identification with Brahman

Section 17 – Benefit of knowing that I am all

Section 18 - Karma is not means of liberation. Knowledge of identity with Brahman is the only means of lliberation. Liberation is possible while one is still alive

Section 19 –Liberation in this life itself – jivanmukti

Section 20 – Vedehamukti

Section 21 – Purpose of teaching about Gods with attributes

Section 22- Kramamukti

Section 23 - Process of obtaining knowledge of identity with Brahman



TABLE OF CONTENTS OF APPENDICES
Note No.1 - Can Brahman be known

Note No. 2– Concept of a real creation negated

Note No. 3– Significance of videhamukti

Note No. 4– Relationship of Brahman and Maya

Note No. 5– Maya’a avarana sakti does not affect Iswara

Note No. 6 – Moksha not an event in time

Note No. 7 – Mithya not mere imagination

Note No. 8– A criterion of Mithya

Note No.9– Illustratios for Brahmasatyam jaganmithya

Note No. 10– Original and reflected consciousness - An illustration

Note No. 11 - Views of Buddhist schools about reality refuted

Note No.12– Karma not means of Moksha – Reasoning

Note No.13– Logic of “Adhyasa

Note No.14– Ignorance and knowledge of identity with Brahman - both operations of the intellect

Note No.15 -Appreciation of the locationless consciousness

Note No.15A – Brahman beyond time and space

Note No.16 - Logic of postulating cidabhasa

Note No.17 – Iswara srshti and jiva srshti

Note No.18 – Samsara due to sense of limitation

Note No.19 – Jnani’s moksha

Note No.20 – Process of cognition

Note No 21. – Samsara not for Atma

Note No. 22. – Negation of “anatma”

Note No. 23 – Role of Mahavakyam

Note No. 24 – Form is not substance

Note No. 25 – Self-effulgence – meaning

Note No. 26 – All pervading attributeless existence is the real nature of jiva

Note No. 27– Appreciation of pure existence – Illustration

Note No.28 – Punya papa not one’s nature

Note No.29 –Consciousness has no origin or end

Note No. 30 – Existence has no origin or end

Note No. 31- Meaning of “sakshi-bhasyam”

Note No. 32- Suspension of prarabdha.

Note No. 33 – Iswara, Karma and free will (This is an elaboration of a topic already included in the main paper.)

Note No. 34 – Miracles and Karma

Note No. 35 – Moksha means knowing one’s Infinite nature

Note No. 36 – Mind is matter

Note No. 37 – Importance of “asi” in “Tattvamasi”

Note No. 37A – Duality – two kinds

Note No. 38– Denial of consciousness-self-contradictory

Note No. 39 – Mixing up orders of reality

Note No. 40– Corollaries of Brahman being infinite

Note No. 41-Description of Brahman in terms of contadiction

Note No. 42– “Anoraniiyaan mahato mahiiiyan”

Note No. 43– Atma motionless

Note No. 44– Atma is neither the known nor the unknown

Note No. 45– “neti neti”

Note No. 46– Guru and Brahman synonymous

Note No. 47– Relative immortality

Note No. 48– The unnegetable remainder

Note No. 49– Flowing eternity

Note No. 50– Who is a brahmana?

Note No. 51 Five definitions of mithya

Note No. 52 – Avastha traya viveka in Mandukya karika

Note No. 53– Translation of “satyam” “satyam jnaanam anantam Brahma” Existence

Note No. 54 – Recognising Brahman as existence

Note No. 55– Recognising Brahman as consciousness

Note No. 56– Recognising Brahman by negation of the knower

Note No. 57– Atma is the same in all

Note No. 58– Mithya versus vyavaharic reality

Note No. 59– Clay pot Example

Note No. 60– Problem in clay pot example, alternative

Note No. 61–Deriving one item of definition of brahman from another

Note No. 62– Atma is self – evident

Note No. 63–Mind is self - evident

Note No. 64– Maya does not have a cause

Note No. 65– Maya cannot be Paramarthika

Note No. 66– Iswara is witness of everything

Note No. 67– Refutation of plurality of Atmas and of atmas being part of brahman

Note No. 68– Refutation of world being real and brahman being transforming cause (Parinaami Kaaranam)

Note No. 69– Refutation of brahman being saguna

Note No. 70– Moksha by negation of jivas is not futile

Note No. 71– Enjoyment and suffering depends on upaadhi

Note No. 72– Meaning of jnani having all pleasures

Note No. 73– Dream is example for unreality of jagrat prapanca

Note No. 74– Meaning of jivtma being resolved in brahman in sushupti

Note No. 75– Analysis of mahavakyas

Note No. 76– Meaning of the word ‘jivatma’ depends on the context

Note No. 77– Five-fold Pramanas

Note No. 78– For brahman there is no Maya or universe

Note No. 79– Dharma and dharmi adhyaasa

Note No. 80–Ecology in Satra

Note No. 81– Sukshma Sarira is a continuous Entity

Note No. 82– Duties of a householder – Grahastha-asrama-dharma

Note No. 83– Siddhis

Note No. 84– Disidentification with anaatma and identification with atma are both the jobs of ahamkaara

Note No. 85–Hiranyagarbha is an elevated jiva

Note No. 86– Visishta and Upahita

Note No. 87– Brahman is beyond time and space

Note No. 88– Light is an example for Brahman as the imperceptible existence-consciousness

manifesting when names and forms are superimposed on it

Note No. 89– Only if you are infinite yourself you can discover your infinite nature.

Note No. 90– Anyonya asraya of world and cognition of world is proof of mithya

Note No. 91– The word, ‘UPANISHAD’. Four meanings

Note No. 92– Man’s shadow is an example of world being not away from but not part of Brahman

Note No. 93– Jnani has no rebirth – exceptions

Note No.94- Videhamukti is merger in Iswara from the vyavaharika point of view

Note No. 95– Summary of the teaching

Note No. 96– Explanation of the santhipatha of sukhala Yajurveda