WHAT IS
VEDANTA?
Vedanta,
India’s most ancient religion and philosophy, became a renewed
spiritual force with the advent of Sri Ramakrishna (1836–86),
Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902), and Sri Sarada Devi (1854–1926)
on the cusp of a new age.
Vedanta is based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of
Hinduism; specifically, it is based on the sublime
philosophical teachings of the Upanishads that appear at the
end of Vedas. These spiritual principles, eternal verities,
have been realized by sages throughout the ages and are as
true today as they were thousands of years ago.
Spiritual consciousness is One and Truth is
universal: these are the core concepts of Vedanta’s
all-embracing ideals.
Vedanta emphasizes three
basic principles:
In other words, the individual soul (Atman) is
identical with God (Brahman); the goal of human life is to
realize and express that inherent divinity; and all religions
lead to the same God-consciousness.
What is it, though, about the universal teachings of
Vedanta that can light the fire of God-realization in modern
hearts? How do these philosophical precepts become the basis
for an intense, transformative, and lifelong commitment to
spiritual practice?
Many devotees, now old-timers in the movement, first
came to Vedanta in the 1950s when the “second generation” of
monks (swamis) were sent to the West; the swamis themselves
had been initiated and trained by the monastic disciples of
Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Sri Sarada Devi (Sri
Ramakrishna’s spiritual consort, also called Holy Mother). The
Vedanta movement gained momentum as they imparted Vedanta’s
perennial wisdom as practical teachings, spiritually fresh and
intense.
These monks, among them Swamis Nikhilananda,
Ashokananda, Aseshananda, Akhilananda, Prabhavananda, and
Satprakashananda, expanded the work of the Vedanta centers and
became, in their own right, highly respected spiritual
teachers.
The current generation of swamis in the West continue
the sacred tradition of teaching the practice of Vedanta with
purity, integrity, and selflessness at the centers of the
Ramakrishna Order.
WHAT IS THE PRACTICE OF VEDANTA?
Swami
Vivekananda taught what he called “practical Vedanta.” It
is spiritualizing everyday life to develop, and then to firmly
establish, a higher state of consciousness.
The ordinary mind, thinking ordinary thoughts, is far
away from the numinous experience of
God-consciousness.
The practice of elevating the mind requires persistent
effort and a lifetime of patience. The practice needs to be
constant, with attention to thoughts, emotions, and actions as
they occur in every waking moment; it isn’t enough to pray
regularly in a church or temple, or to meditate for an hour or
two every day.
The practice consists of four yogas, each a path well
suited to a particular temperament; but, as it were, a
four-lane highway to God-consciousness when practiced together
through the combined mastery of thoughts, feelings, actions,
and concentration.
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Jnana Yoga, the path of knowledge, is reasoning
with discrimination. It uses the power of thought to
unravel the outer layers of body, mind, and ego in order
to find the source of all knowledge—the Self—within.
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Bhakti Yoga, the path of love, is intense feeling
for the Divine as the Beloved, and for others as
manifestations of the Divine.
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Karma Yoga, the path of work, is action performed
as egoless service, unmotivated by the need for
recognition, rewards, or any personal gain.
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Raja
Yoga, the path of meditation, is focused
concentration—bringing the dispersed and conflicted mind
into a state of calm, one-pointed attention in order to
perceive the divine Self within. The ability to stay
focused is essential to every aspect of spiritual
practice, and, indeed, to the success of any human
endeavor. |
These
yogic practices, however difficult, gradually bring joy as the
mind comes under control and the loving expansion of the heart
brings with it the realization of infinite bliss and power
within. 
