Subject
The Fundamentals of Advaita Vedanta / Tattva-bodha Cycle II
Online
The School of the Wisdom (Online)
Venue
Time (IST)
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Cost
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Event pdf
Content
Course title: The Fundamentals of Advaita Vedanta / Tattva-bodha Cycle II
Facilitator: Dr Radha Raghunathan
Facilitator: Dr Radha Raghunathan
Dates: Sundays, from September 25 to December 11
September 25;
October, 2, 9, 16, 23, 30;
November, 6, 13, 20, 27;
December. 4 and 11
October, 2, 9, 16, 23, 30;
November, 6, 13, 20, 27;
December. 4 and 11
Time: 7 PM IST (India Time), 1:30 PM GMT
check your local time (scroll down in that link to find your city)
A pre-requisite is to have participated in Cycle I - or watched the videos and studied the material of Cycle I
APPLICATION: Click here
Synopsis
While studying any subject, it is preferable, if not imperative, to be familiar with the fundamental concepts, terms and definitions commonly used in that subject. So too with any philosophy. Studying Vedānta requires the study of the source-texts for Selfknowledge, namely the Upaniṣads, and supportive texts known as treatises. Before embarking on studying these texts, it will help the student to familiarise oneself with the concepts, terms and definitions generally used in these texts. Traditionalists generally opt for some elaborate texts like Śaṁkarācārya’s Ātma-bodha and Viveka-cūḍāmaṇi, Śrī Vidyāraṇya Swami’s Pañca-daśī and so on. In contrast to such books, Tattva-bodha is a small and simple text which presents the bare essentials in this area. It is a book not traditionally enjoined in the study of Vedānta. Rendered in the form of 50 and odd simple and short question-answer format, the beauty and profundity of this text is that it can be read within ten days, studied for months too or be re-visited repeatedly while progressing to advanced texts. ‘Tattva-bodha — The Fundamentals of Advaita Vedānta is intended for those who desire to study Śrīmad Bhagavadgītā, the Upaniṣad-s and Vedānta related treatises. This programme will acclimatise the student with the basic concepts, terms and definitions in Advaita Vedānta. There are two versions of Tattva-bodha, one authored by Śrī Vāsudevendra Saraswati and the other by an unknown author. Manuscripts of both versions are available at the Adyar Library and Research Centre. Śrī Vāsudevendra’s version is available in print. This will be the primary text followed in this programme with additional inputs, if necessary, from the other version.
While studying any subject, it is preferable, if not imperative, to be familiar with the fundamental concepts, terms and definitions commonly used in that subject. So too with any philosophy. Studying Vedānta requires the study of the source-texts for Selfknowledge, namely the Upaniṣads, and supportive texts known as treatises. Before embarking on studying these texts, it will help the student to familiarise oneself with the concepts, terms and definitions generally used in these texts. Traditionalists generally opt for some elaborate texts like Śaṁkarācārya’s Ātma-bodha and Viveka-cūḍāmaṇi, Śrī Vidyāraṇya Swami’s Pañca-daśī and so on. In contrast to such books, Tattva-bodha is a small and simple text which presents the bare essentials in this area. It is a book not traditionally enjoined in the study of Vedānta. Rendered in the form of 50 and odd simple and short question-answer format, the beauty and profundity of this text is that it can be read within ten days, studied for months too or be re-visited repeatedly while progressing to advanced texts. ‘Tattva-bodha — The Fundamentals of Advaita Vedānta is intended for those who desire to study Śrīmad Bhagavadgītā, the Upaniṣad-s and Vedānta related treatises. This programme will acclimatise the student with the basic concepts, terms and definitions in Advaita Vedānta. There are two versions of Tattva-bodha, one authored by Śrī Vāsudevendra Saraswati and the other by an unknown author. Manuscripts of both versions are available at the Adyar Library and Research Centre. Śrī Vāsudevendra’s version is available in print. This will be the primary text followed in this programme with additional inputs, if necessary, from the other version.
For Prior Reading and Revision
pdf of my lecture for a class will be posted one week before the given class.
Suggested Reading
Tattvabodha by H.H. Sw. Paramarthananda, founder-acarya of Vedanta Vidyarthi Sangha. – Book can be downloaded from the website of Arsha Avinash Foundation
Insights into to Vedanta – Tattvabodha, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, India
Tattvabodha of Sankaracharya, by Svarupa Chaitanya, Central Chinmaya Mission Trust, Mumbai
Tattvabodha, Arsha Vidya Gurukulam (Sruti Seva Trust), Anaikatti, Coimbatore – 641 108, India
For an Elaborate Reading
Tattvabodha by H.H. Sw. Dayananda, Arsha Vidya Research and Publication Trust, Chennai
FACILITATOR
Dr Radha Raghunathan is an author, editor, critic and independent researcher in manuscripts and Advaita and Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta.
Hon. Director and Gen. Editor, ALRC since Nov. 2019.
She published articles on philosophy in prestigious journals and presented papers at various seminars including Indian Council for Philosophical Research (ICPR), Indian Philosophical Congress (IPC) and Sree Shankaracharya Univ. for Sanskrit, Kalady, who have an MOU with ALRC.
Published works include Translation with Notes on Ādi Śaṃkarācārya’s Nirvāṇa-ṣaṭkam (Shankara Jyanti Vol. – 2013, Adi Shankara Vedanta Pratishthanam, Bhubaneswar), A Critical Edition and Translation of Jñānāṅkuśam with Two Commentaries (ALRC, 2017), Bellaṁkoṇḍa Rāmarāya Kavi’s Vedānta Muktāvalī with Introduction and Notes (Chinmaya International Foundation Shodhasansthan, Veliyanad, 2018), Special Volume of Brahmavidyā Commemorating Ramanuja’s Sahasrābdi (Adyar Library and Research Centre (ALRC) Annual Bulletin 2017-2018), Translation with Notes on Parāśara Bhaṭṭar’s Aṣṭaślokī in Sanskrit with Prativādi Bhayaṅkaram Annaṅgarācāryār’s Sārārtta Dīpikai commentary in Maṇipravāḷa (ALRC, 2019), Paramata Bhaṅga: An Exposition – Śrī Vedānta Deśika’s Critique of Non-Viśiṣṭādvaita Philosophies (ALRC, 2020).
She writes articles and reviews regularly for ALRC’s Brahmavidyā, and edits Brahmavidyā, the research journal of ALRC, since 2017.
She was also a guest faculty for Post-graduate courses in Advaita at Satya Nilayam, Chennai.
Her interests include building harmony through interfaith and intercultural dialogues.
Academic Qualifications:
• M.A (Indian Philosophy), M.A (Sanskrit), M.A (English)
• Ph.D in Indian Philosophy (Univ. of Madras).
Vedānta study:
Vedānta study:
Studied Advaita Vedānta for nearly two decades under H.H. Sw. Paramarthananda Saraswati, founder-ācārya of Vedanta Vidyarthi Sangha, Chennai.
This ācārya trained under H.H. Sw. Chinmayananda Saraswati and H.H. Dayananda Saraswati, and has been teaching Advaita Vedānta in a structured format in English regularly from the simplest to the most complex texts for almost 45 years now. He has written the Foreword to my Critical Edition and Translation of Jñānāṅkuśam with Two Commentaries, a Advaita work.
This ācārya trained under H.H. Sw. Chinmayananda Saraswati and H.H. Dayananda Saraswati, and has been teaching Advaita Vedānta in a structured format in English regularly from the simplest to the most complex texts for almost 45 years now. He has written the Foreword to my Critical Edition and Translation of Jñānāṅkuśam with Two Commentaries, a Advaita work.