Common Misunderstandings in Advaita Vedanta
By Prashant Parikh, a student of traditional Vedanta from Arsha Vidya Gurukulam
Vedanta is a very deep and delicate subject. Understanding it requires utmost dedication and preparedness. There are some errors I come across routinely in my discussions with people, so here are a few of them I addressed for our readers:
1) The Self can’t be experienced: The human mind is designed to go outwards (or even inwards) to gain experience. That is good, it allows us to innovate and progress in our worldly lives. However, when it comes to gaining AtmA jnAnam, the mind again looks for experience of an object called AtmA. This will fail miserable. AtmA is the very Self, the subject. Only an object endowed with attributes can be experienced. The consciousness, which is the Self, cannot be known as an object of experience. The Self can only be understood through the process of acquiring jnAnam through the timeless veda utterances. Tat tvam ask [Thou art That] is the teaching of the Guru, aham brahman asmi [I am Absolute Reality] is the understanding of the student.
2) Re: Internet knowledge: Swami Google-Ananda and Brahmacharini Wikipedia are not reliable teachers of Vedic knowledge. Please do not use search engines to learn scriptures, they will only add to the confusion.
3) Re: Finding a Guru: There is no substitute for a living teacher. If a person was not your Guru WHILE he was alive, after his passing away you cannot consider him your teacher. A guru is supposed to remove your ignorance in an interactive way. Those who are no longer with us simply cannot help us with our doubts.
Also be careful, too many cooks spoil the broth. This is to be avoided at all costs, please stick to one parampara if it is clarity that you wish to have, having a teacher from all possible faiths is not going to help better understand shAstra.
4) Mala Japa is NOT a substitute for knowledge to gain mokSha: Many falsely believe only chanting a particular mantra is the fastest way to mokSha. This is as far from the truth as it can get. Bhakti (devotion) leads to jnAnam (knowledge), and self knowledge alone is liberation. Krishna Bhagwan is crystal clear about this, it is unfortunate that people misinterpret his teachings. Gita Ch 4, verse 38 says ‘there is nothing more purifying than knowledge’. Gaining AtmA jnAnam (self knowledge) from a qualified teacher who can handle shAstra (scripture) as a pramANam (means of knowledge) is the only way to go.
5) Shraddha [trust in the teacher and scriptures] makes life easy… Very easy: Debate only generates heat, and no light. Either we argue or we learn. Humility is the key to opening the doors to knowledge, if one approaches the scriptures with a challenging attitude, the Vedas will always elude such a person. Sincere seeker-ship is always rewarded. shraddhA is faith in one’s dev-guru-shAstra (god, guru, scripture).
6) Re: Tradition: Respect the Vedic culture. Culture is the medium through which knowledge is propagated. You cannot separate knowledge from traditional practices. If one dies, the other will not last very long. Vedic culture and religion go hand in hand and are inseparable. Both need your support.
7) Re: Purpose of Meditation: Entering into meditation will NOT enlighten a person. Meditation can be divided into four types: a) Relaxation b) Concentration c) Expansion d) Value assimilation.
Relaxation does just what it says. Concentration hones your ability to focus on a vastu (thing) for longer uninterrupted periods. Expansion is where your cognition reaches out to incorporate a vishva rUpa of this jagat/ishvara, wherein you try to visualize yourself from the smallest particle, to the farthest reaches of space and time, where nothing in the universe is separate from you. Value-based meditation is where you bring about a transformation in thoughts.
Meditation before gaining knowledge is a good conditioning program to prepare your mind for knowledge, also called upAsana yoga. Meditation after studying scriptures is a program to help assimilate knowledge, also known as nidhidhyAsanam Of course to gain jIvan-mukti/moksha, shAstric jnAnam is indispensable.
8 ) There aren’t MANY gods: So many needless Vishnu vs Shiva fights can be avoided. Vishnu and Shiva are manifestations of the same Ishvara, presented to you in whichever form you prefer Same goes with other representations such as Ganesha, Matajis etc.The whole purpose of this diversity is to appreciate Ishvara’s creation, not create divisions within Ishvara… Every form is a form of Ishvara alone. This is the beauty of advaita which so few understand and appreciate. To be clear, there is only one Ishvara.
9) Vedanta is a means of self-knowledge: Upanishads stand as a consistent part of the Vedas, there are no contradictions. The former half of the Vedas treat you as a doer, prescribing necessary actions/karmas that you can perform in the form of rituals, prayers, duties etc, the latter half reveals the nature of the very inquirer.
10) Different religions do NOT lead to the same goal: All religions are not the same. Often I read posts like. Church = Temple = Mosque = 6 letters. Bible = Quran = Geeta = 5 letters, so all religions teach the same thing. While I can appreciate the intention, it is just a dishonest pseudo secular way to look at things.
The goal of most other religions is a temporary heaven. Logic says that a limited action cannot earn a permanent result. Limited actions on earth can only buy you limited stay in heaven, the concept of eternal heaven and hell are logically faulty.
The goal of a Vaidika is mokSha, and that is absolute freedom from all limitations – bodily or otherwise. As Swamiji says, when you are in heaven, you still may have to struggle to get a “front seat” to see your favorite God! So let us accept that all religions are different, and let us accommodate the differences without badmouthing them, and focus on our own
11) Different yogas do NOT give the same result: Karma yoga, jnAana yoga, bhakti yoga and dhyAna yoga are not different ways to achieve the same end. Karma yoga and dhyAna yoga (or more precisely, upAsana yoga) are preparatory steps to achieve jnAana. Bhakti is the attitude with which we conduct all our activities. Ultimately it boils down to mokSha through jnAna alone: jnAnam is equivalent to mokSha.
12) AtmA is NOT a part/product/property of Brahman: AtmA is brahman, that’s all.
13) AtmA does NOT take rebirth: AtmA is often mistaken to be the sukshma sharira (subtle body: the mind, sense powers, powers of action and the prANas). It is the subtle body that goes from birth to birth, inhabiting one physical body after another.
14) There is only ONE AtmA: The AtmA is an all pervading entity, and there is only one AtmA. Rather, there is ONLY AtmA/brahman, and this world of names and forms is a manifestation. When one dreams, a single individual creates an entire universe of forms within his own mind, and then enters that very dream to experience it, and now the dream that was within the individual suddenly appears to be a real world outside of the individual.
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It is an excellent treatise on Indian philosophy covering all the important aspects there-in.
There is no scope,I think, for the readers to question in this treatise. So nicely the philosophy
was explained in this treatise touching the salient points.
Hearty Congratulations.
excellent one ..thanks a lot , which is really needed in the age of internet…
vaishnavites mainly iskcon guys have made their best effort to demean advaitha
your article would help for neo vedanthins
Harih Om, Iragavarapu ji, Narendra ji
Thanks very much, truly some institutions have ‘hijacked’ our philosophy. Neo-advaita has been a cause of massive concern. I highly recommend reading the works of Rajiv Malhotra (he also has a plethora of youtube videos up). He discusses how the West appropriates our philosophy, and then re-packages it back to us for consumption. Neo-vedanta, transcendental meditation and tons of other problematic non-traditional schools of thought have sprung up as a result. We can certainly try raising awareness along those lines as well
Thanks once again, hope all is well
hariH Om
Such writeups are absolutely necessary to remove some ingrained doubts in the minds of a god number of our people.In fact, these clarifications are energise you, you can build huge confidence that way to successfully face the present day onsloughts put on you by your own ones.
I am not an advaitin, but I am very impressed with your article. Most neo-Vedantins have been quick to dismiss the importance of Vaidikam from an Acharya in achieving brahma-jnanam. I am glad that there is an effort to correct us on this.
Prashant, It is an innvative compilation of your ideas worth putting them on record. Quite impressive. I might put on record as under:
1. In your one sentence, it is just an error of printing innocently but it may be misleading to unwary. Hence I thought to bring it in the notice of you as well as the Editor for a possible correction if possible.
“Tat tvam ask [Thou art That] is the teaching of the Guru, aham brahman asmi [I am Absolute Reality] is the understanding of the student.” I am enlightened by your explanation undoubtedly. Hoowever it should be “Tat tvam asi, instead”.
2. In your point no 8) There aren’t MANY gods, you are right but the concept of many Gods in Hinduism, if represented and understood well, it just represents the various forms for the sake of simplification foor the laity. Hence the concept of multiplicity f Gods or polytheism. Otherwise your next point makes it clear.
3. In your point no. 9) Vedanta is a means of self-knowledge and in point no. 12) AtmA is NOT a part/product/property of Brahman: AtmA is brahman, that’s all.
In these two points, it makes it prudently clear that all these apparent diversities collapse into one and the only one concept of ‘Reality’ called ‘Brahman’ or ‘Brahmah’ described in various words like ‘Atma’, ‘Self’, ‘Soul’, ‘Consciousness’, ‘Supreme Self” and so on. It represents the “Monotheism” of the Abrahamic religions and “Advaitvad” in Vedic or Vedantic concepts. Hinduism diversify into six schools of philosophical concepts and Advaitvad is only one of them.
Those who deride or argue relentlessly on Monotheism/Polytheism business, one just wonder, if they have at all studied anything of these vast concepts or cultures or ideas or ideologies. Mostly it the politicians who are heard oor seen crying hoarse on these topics which makes a vote bank issue everywhere. No country or society is exempt from this virus including the US which boasts itself of the highest and most modern or advanced nation. Perhaps US represents the filtheist of all in this matter, thanks to the internet that we can know about them all instantly.
In this wake of all these, your article would serve as a beacon for all. I cannot forget a US lawmaker in this twenty first century asking “Are you a Hindu Shia or a Hindu Sunni” on the floor of White House. This shows their depth of knowledge, yet they are supposed to frame the law and expected to guide the masses, whoo are themselves so misguided. Same appears to me about the curse of Castes in Hinduism. I for one is the person most against this menace but it is those who blame the Hindus for caste are the same peoople or societies who use this curse to their advantage either for conversion or to spread the venom of this divisive curse ti fragment the fragmented Hindus already.
Thanks for the corrections, Uncle ji, appreciate it
namaste,
Prashant
You are welcome Prashant. I have no doubt that you have a brilliant future ahead of you. God bless and keep it up.
A brilliant article and great posts. Awesome write up on the Indian philosophy. It has clearly enunciated the salient features and the depth of the Philosophy. Thank you so much. Such articles energize the readers. Keep up the good work.
Dear Jordan,
Thank you very much, I appreciate your kind feedback. If you are further interested in the pursuit of Vedanta please feel free to contact me:
Have an awesome week,
Prashant
Dear Prashant,
Thank you for this wonderfully explained note on clarity of what Vedanta is. Truly it is being made into a mess with a load of added information. I read this a few times and marvel at you.
Stay blessed
chaity
Dear Chaity ji,
Thanks for your kind words of appreciation, what I know is only a fraction of my AchAryas, and thus is nothing new
Please keep in touch, would love to discuss further
Regards,
Prashant
Dear Prashant,
Nothing can be possibly new…but a way that is put forward that makes it so appealing and clear. Would love to discuss, learn and introspect more…
chaity
Dear Chaity ji,
Very well said
What is the best way to get in touch? My contact details are
Email:
We also have an excellent study group on facebook where we share teachings of traditional advaita AchAryas (Arsha vidyA gurukulam paramparA, one of the most authentic names in the vedAnta world)
http://www.facebook.com/groups/geeta
Take care