Essence of Vedanta

by Brian Hodgkinson

Vedanta is a system of philosophy drawn from the Indian scriptures known as the Veda. Although Vedanta forms the philosophical basis for Hinduism. Its teachings are essentially rational and universal.

Genres: Philosophy, Spirituality, Hinduism, Religion, Nonfiction, India

230 pages, Paperback

First published May 24, 2000

Reviews

[Fergus, Weaver of Autistic Webs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully refreshing and most salubrious offering on the spiritual Big Picture that beckons us to a life of Joy, from the perspective of Hindu Philosophy!

I know, these days we think we don’t need yet another new philosophical take on life - bluntly put, we suffer from Brain Overload in this ugly viral age. Did you know that feeling is not new, though?

The great poet John Donne summed up our feelings 500 years ago:

And new philosophy calls all in doubt,
The element of fire (within us) is quite put out;
The sun is lost, and the earth, and no man’s wit
Can well direct him, where to look for it.

And add to that the stressors of living under tight control without socializing - when life in general seems a bleak oversized pressure cooker!

I know the feeling: in just such a constrained, don’t-know-what’s-next kinda mood I took up this little book, when at least the outside summery weather was pleasant.

I needed hope!

And Hodgkinson, with his affable demeanour was ready to oblige...

He says he belongs to the Advaita school of Vedanta, with no distinction between good and evil. Nothing wrong with that, for didn’t Pope Francis recently say that there are no bad people - only badly Confused people? A heartening thought indeed.

Why are there mainly confused and not-so-confused people? Because waking up is devilishly hard to do. Shedding our egos is a lifetime process.

But if you are persistent in avoiding evil and doing good, at the end of your labours you can come to see, with Hodgkinson and Ralph Waldo Emerson, that our personal selves never really existed - and that we are merely part of a vast Oversoul.

And so there I was, in a deck chair outdoors last summer, meditating on the Vedantic theory of One Mind pervading all nature - as a Christian meditating on the all-encompassing Mind of God.

I thought and I read. And as I read, as the odd bright red robin fluttered down to a low-hanging branch on our maple, I thought William Blake was right...

And “every bird that cuts the airy way is an immense world of delight -

Closed off by our senses five!”

[Rohan Rajesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

In general, but especially if you come from a more Western cultural background, this is a great introduction to Advaita Vedanta. It covers the salient philosophical arguments using both indigenous texts and philosophers and in comparison with those of Western texts and philosophers.

[Anthony]

I came to grasp a little more about existential philosophy.

[Madhuri Kudva · Rating 5 out of 5]

One reading is NOT enough for this book!

After the first few pages, I realised I would need a pencil for underlining with me at all times AND that I would like to read this book slowly, a chapter a week to let it soak in.

Why is it that foreigners are able to look at our scriptures and write about them in such a relatable manner whereas our own writers and scholars make the same messages from the scriptures sound impractical and outdated?

Every aspect of this book has inspired me. Even the practices of our system that I am not a fan of - the rituals, the caste breakups, language barriers etc seem to be explained in a holistic way that almost make them reasonable and understandable :)

One reading is not enough; the message is too deep and I am not mature enough to get it yet...I am looking forward to another reading in the months or years to come.

[Xavier Alexandre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read a bit about quantum mechanics, I had read there was a connection with some aspects of the Vedanta and the Upanishads... Especially the concept of a global consciousness. So went to look for a book about this. There is a connection indeed, and the book is about much more than this.

You will also find a comprehensive presentation of a religion vastly different from the dualist ones we know in the West, a monist approach where not just G-d (Brahman) is one, but everything else is as well.

The book is well structured and brings an excellent summary of difficult concepts without having to delve too deeply.

[Mohan Rao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eastern thought on language and Consciousness

[Gavin Whyte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very comprehensive overview of Vedanta. You can tell it was a labour of love to write.