James Swartz Knihy

This excellent book is based on talks by Swami Paramarthanada of Chennai, South India, disciple of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, one of India’s pre-eminent teachers of traditional Vedanta, gives a straightforward outline of the essential teachings in clear modern English. It includes chapters on motivations, the means of self knowledge, society, meditation, devotion, the five personality layers, the Self, creation of the universe, the nature of liberation and karma. It is lovingly transcribed by one of the Swami’s disciples and beautifully edited by Rory McKay. In keeping with ShiningWorld standards it is Sanskrit lite but retains essential terminology. It is recommended for beginning and intermediate students of Vedanta and the growing number of people who wish to teach Vedanta, as it provides the basic concepts with remarkable clarity.

The popular and often misunderstood Mandukya Upanishad is considered the “king” of the Upanishads because its simple, elegant logic in the hands of an accomplished teacher removes the belief that the Self is a finite entity, revealing its limitless fullness. The famous commentaries of Gaudapada, a great sage of the Vedantic sampradaya, presents a radical Creation teaching, non-origination. Creation teachings are important because the Upanishads unequivocally state that reality is non-dual consciousness/existence. If it is, then how can we explain the presence of duality, which we continually experience?

A template for living both profound and practical, the Bhagavad Gita has for millennia provided sincere seekers with nothing less than a roadmap to enlightenment. Set on a battlefield at the onset of a terrible war, the warrior-prince Arjuna, overcome by despair and on the verge of giving up, seeks guidance from his charioteer and divine mentor, Krishna. What follows is a remarkable and life-changing dialogue, dealing with themes of life and death, the nature of the self and creation, purpose, duty, devotion and freedom from worldly suffering. Rory Mackay's new translation renders the original Sanskrit into clear and understandable English, and comes with an in-depth commentary inspired by the works of Adi Shankara and traditional Advaita Vedanta. With a timeless message as relevant now as it was two thousand years ago, 'The Divine Song' makes a perfect starting point for both beginner and intermediate students of Vedanta and, indeed, anyone seeking a better, happier and more successful life.

This complete guide to enlightenment presents the wisdom of the ancient science of self-inquiry, a time-tested means for achieving spiritual freedom. The author convincingly refutes the popular view that enlightenment is a unique state of consciousness and debunks a host of other myths. In his straightforward style he reveals proven methods for purifying the mind, and takes the reader from the beginning to the end of the spiritual path, patiently unfolding the logic of self-inquiry.

The counterintuitive, radical message of Vedanta, the ancient science of self-inquiry, is that reality is non-dual consciousness. What this means and how it benefits people in their quest for freedom from limitation is the subject of this inspirational book. In an accessible style, James Swartz's new book develops teachings introduced in his popular first one, How to Attain Enlightenment, covering topics such as values and the enlightened person, dharma and the essence of enlightenment, and the relationship between consciousness, the individual, and the total. Demystifying enlightenment, Swartz makes Vedanta understandable to all.

Because reality isn’t what it seems to be, Vedanta exists. Animals don’t need scriptures on enlightenment. They don’t worry, because they accept reality as it is. Worry distinguishes us from every other living being; the ancient texts define human beings as “those that worry.” Aside from the natural worries of everyday life, some of us are bedeviled by an obvious why, if reality is one – as is clear to any thinking person – does it appear to us as a duality, a division between the self and the world? This existential confusion compromises our ability to enjoy the freedom that is our birthright. Why and how non-dual reality appears as a duality – and what can be done about it – is the essence of Vedanta and the main theme of this analysis of existence/consciousness by Vidyaranya Swami, Panchadasi, with commentary by James Swartz.

Jedes Wesen ist von Natur aus eine Manifestation bedingungsloser, reiner Liebe. Wie wir diese Liebe erkennen und bewusst im Alltag leben können, ist Gegenstand dieses Buches.James Swartz greift hierbei zurück auf das Bhakti Sutra von Narada, einen klassischen indischen Text und Leitfaden für Bhakti Yoga, den Yoga der Hingabe. Dabei kommentiert er jeden Sanskrit-Vers aus der Sicht der Vedanta-Philosophie und zeigt uns, wie wir mit Kopf und Herz ein erfülltes Leben und das Höchste, die Selbstverwirklichung, erreichen können.