The Advaita Worldview: God, World, And Humanity (s U N Y Series In Religious Studies)

2007 CHOICE Outstanding Academic TitleIn this book, Anantanand Rambachan offers a fresh and detailed perspective on Advaita Vedanta, Hinduism's most influential and revered religious tradition. Rambachan, who is both a scholar and an Advaitin, attends closely to the Upanisads and authentic commentaries of Sankara to challenge the tradition and to reconsider central aspects of its current teachings. His reconstruction and reinterpretation of Advaita focuses in particular on the nature of brahman, the status of the world in relation to brahman, and the meaning and relevance of liberation.Rambachan queries contemporary representations of an impersonal brahman and the need for popular, hierarchical distinctions such as those between a higher (para) and lower (apara) brahman. Such distinctions, Rambachan argues, are inconsistent with the non-dual nature of brahman and are unnecessary when brahman's relationship with the world is correctly understood. Questioning Advaita's traditional emphasis on renunciation and world-denial, Rambachan expands the understanding of suffering (duhkha) and liberation (moksa) and addresses socioeconomic as well as gender and caste inequalities. Positing that the world is a celebrative expression of God's fullness, this book advances Advaita as a universal and uninhibited path to a liberated life committed to compassion, equality, and justice. THE ADVAITA WORLDVIEW Contents Abbreviations Introduction 1. The Human Problem THE LIMITS OF KNOWLEDGE THE LIMITS OF WEALTH THE LIMITS OF PLEASURE THE REFLECTIVE LIFE 2. The Requirements of Discipleship THE NECESSITY OF VIRTUE VIVEKA VAIRAGYA SAMADIS ATKASAMPATTI MUMUKSUTVA SADHANA CATUSTAYA AND THE IMMEDIACY OF KNOWLEDGE ELIGIBILITY FOR DISCIPLESHIP AND THE CASTE SYSTEM 3. The Nature of the Atman OVERCOMING THE HUMAN PROBLEM WHO AM I? THE ATMAN AND THE BODY THE ATMAN AND THE MIND THE ATMAN AS AWARENESS THE ATMAN AS TIMELESS THE ATMAN AS ANANDA 4. The Source of Valid Knowledge THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A VALID MEANS OF KNOWLEDGE THE LIMITS OF PERCEPTION AND INFERENCE THE VEDAS AS THE MEANS OFKNOWLEDGE FOR BRAHMAN KNOWLEDGE AND THE ATTAINMENT OF BRAHMAN THE SELF-REVEALING NATURE OF BRAHMAN IGNORANCE AS INCOMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF BRAHMAN KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE THE DILEMMA OF KNOWING THE KNOWER NON-DUAL EXPERIENCE AND NON-DUAL KNOWLEDGE THE TEACHER AND THE TEXT BRAHMAN AS ULTIMATE MYSTERY 5. Brahman as the World DENYING THE REALITY AND VALUE OF THE WORLD THE ORIGIN OF THE WORLD FROM BRAHMAN BRAHMAN AS INTELLIGENT AND MATERIAL CAUSE THE UNIVERSE AS NON-DIFFERENT FROM BRAHMAN THE ATMAN AS NON-DUAL THE DOCTRINE OF MAYA ASYMMETRICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BRAHMAN AND WORLD IS THE WORLD AN ILLUSION? WORLD AS CELEBRATIVE EXPRESSION OF BRAHMAN SEEING THE ONE AND THE MANY 6. Brahman as God BRAHMAN AS NIRGUNA AND SAGUNA ARE HIERARCHIES IN BRAHMAN NECESSARY? THE PROBLEM OF CHANGE AND ACTIVITY IN BRAHMAN THE PROBLEM OF SUBSTANCE AND ATTRIBUTES THE PROBLEM OF PURPOSE THE VALUE OF THE CREATION FOR BRAHMAN 7. Liberation THE NATURE OF IGNORANCE LIBERATION AS I DENTICAL WITH THE NATURE OF BRAHMAN EMBODIED OR LIVING LIBERATION LIBERATION AS FREEDOM FROM DES IRE LIBERATION AS THE ATTAINMENT OF FULLNESS OF SELF LIBERATION AS FREEDOM FROM MORTALITY LIBERATION AS FREEDOM FROM THE CYCLES OF REBIRTH LIBERATION AS FREEDOM FROM KARMA LIBERATION AS FREEDOM IN ACTION LIBERATION AS IDENTIFICATION WITH ALL BEINGS LIBERATION AS KNOWING BRAHMAN TO BE SELF AND GOD Notes Bibliography Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y "In this book, Anantanand Rambachan offers a fresh and detailed perspective on Advaita Vedanta, Hinduism's most influential and revered religious tradition. Rambachan, who is both a scholar and an Advaitin, attends closely to the Upanisads and authentic commentaries of Sankara to challenge the tradition and to reconsider central aspects of its current teachings. His reconstruction and reinterpretation of Advaita focuses in particular on the nature of brahman, the status of the world in relation to brahman, and the meaning and relevance of liberation." "Rambachan queries contemporary representations of an impersonal brahman and the need for popular, hierarchical distinctions such as those between a higher (para) and lower (apara) brahman. Such distinctions, Rambachan argues, are inconsistent with the non-dual nature of brahman and are unnecessary when brahman's relationship with the world is correctly understood. Questioning Advaita's traditional emphasis on renunciation and world-denial, Rambachan expands the understanding of suffering (duhkha) and liberation (moksa) and addresses socioeconomic as well as gender and caste inequalities. Positing that the world is a celebrative expression of God's fullness, this book advances Advaita as a universal and uninhibited path to a liberated life committed to compassion, equality, and justice."--Jacket A New Interpretation Of Hindu Tradition Focusing On The Nature Of God, The Value Of The World, And The Meaning Of Liberation. Anantanand Rambachan. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 133-137) And Index.