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Thread: Vedanta Society?

  1. #1

    Vedanta Society?

    Greetings.

    I understand that Vedanta is the philosophy that underpins Hinduism, or at least some parts of Hinduism. But what about this society? Is anyone here a member? Where does it fall within Hinduism?

    Thank you.

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    Re: Vedanta Society?

    Quote Originally Posted by Big River View Post
    Greetings.

    I understand that Vedanta is the philosophy that underpins Hinduism, or at least some parts of Hinduism. But what about this society? Is anyone here a member? Where does it fall within Hinduism?

    Thank you.
    Vannakkam BR: I could be wrong, but I think Vedanta Societys came about because of the teachings of Vivekenanda, and were founded by other swamis who came after him, but in the same lineage Vedanta is a philosophy within Hinduism, just like several other philosophies.We have some Vedantins on here who could explain it better than me.

    Aum Namasivaya

  3. #3

    Re: Vedanta Society?

    Thank you.

    I was looking at an interfaith association's site that listed out all the faiths that were represented in that association. It listed Vedanta seperate from Hinduism, which I thought was odd. The Vedanta contact listed was from the Vedanta Society.

    Namaste.

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    Re: Vedanta Society?

    Quote Originally Posted by Big River View Post
    Thank you.

    I was looking at an interfaith association's site that listed out all the faiths that were represented in that association. It listed Vedanta seperate from Hinduism, which I thought was odd. The Vedanta contact listed was from the Vedanta Society.

    Namaste.
    Vannakkam: In some cases, and from my experience, some very Hindu like groups like to distinguish themselves or separate themselves from Hinduism, even though others would hold them within the greater fold. So it all depends on how the definition goes. The term 'Hindu' itself sometimes brings connotations they are trying to avoid ... or the audience/group is primarily Christian ... there are lots of reasons.

    But if you go and visit, you might get a better idea if it suits you.

    Aum Namasivaya

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    Re: Vedanta Society?

    Namaste,

    About 35 years ago the Govt. of India got the brilliant idea of taking over the Hindu religious institutions and run them through a trust. The idea was to be able to get hold of their assets and cash donations and use them whichever way the Govt. saw fit. The Vedanta Society disassociated itself from Hinduism and successfully fought in the court to keep control of everything. God works in strange ways. The Hindus have been asleep and there have never been any protests against the take over of religious institutions.

    As a side note, Vedanta society is sort of universalism type and takes in parts of Xitianity. It is more of a philosophical type of lineage and has less to do with bhakti. But, it does provide free community services and maintains extensive libraries that are open to general public, at a number of places.

    Pranam.

  6. #6

    Re: Vedanta Society?

    Quote Originally Posted by Believer View Post
    As a side note, Vedanta society is sort of universalism type and takes in parts of Xitianity.
    Thank you. Do you know if they recognize the virgin birth and resurection of Jesus or do they just recognize him as a man like us all who was aware of and used the same divinity within and available to all? Or is it that he was an avatar of Brahman (or Vishnu?) and worshipped as such?

    Namaste.

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    Re: Vedanta Society?

    Namaste

    The member called Indiaspirituality can give you more information on the Vedanta Society and Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda who were "teachers" of this society. In point of fact the Society did often mix prominent religious figures from Islam, Christianity, Jewish and Buddhist as well as from other religions into their discussions and would attempt to win over Westerners at times by flattering such figures, so the Society seems to have a washed over portrait of their landscape rather than a distinct portrait such as Hindu. But in regards to your question, I may stand corrected but they do not consider Jesus divine or from virgin birth but do glorify or make a point of his origins as being from "poverty" thus projecting this poverty as a perspective that endowed Jesus with special wisdom. However, some non Society aspirants point out that perhaps Jesus wasn't actually "poor" but in fact had royal blood and was not poor at all. However Vedanta Society members sometimes do say that the parents of such religious figures were endowed with "divine consciousness" that comes from "wisdom" which also is sometimes due to their "experience of poverty", and they include Hindu Devas such as Krishna into the same umbrella with Jesus and Buddha.

    This is not the same as saying Jesus is from a virgin birth, but it does give Jesus special status which others who are Hindu do not share or consider pandering perhaps to win over others. But they are very nice. Though I did visit the Berkeley Vedanta Society building twice back in the 1970s I believe, and listened to one lecture, I didn't find all of their subjects they focus on to be exactly Hindu, it was very impersonal in aspects, so it wasn't my "cup of tea" in that I am drawn like a metal pin to a lodestone to Hinduism. Believer brings up some interesting background on the Society for consideration. There is no question that they have a large library of literature and are famous for very advanced teachers, and have done and continue to perform great deeds for humanity, but also they are very "scholastic" in orientation and like to given classes for fees and such.

    I am not involved with them since I am a Hindu more than a philosopher. But certainly I could learn a lot from them but I am a Bhakti Yoga and Saiva almost without choice and by second nature and circumstance so that Is not going to change. But I respect and like them even if they are very different from me. Who knows, you may be a Vedanta Society adherent by fate or by nature and that may be why you are asking questions about them.

    I hope Indiaspirituality chimes in however, he is very advanced in aspects of the Vedanta Society and can answer many questions. He also has a wonderful blog called http://indiaspirituality.blogspot.com/ ...

    Om Namah Sivays

  8. #8

    Re: Vedanta Society?

    Thank you ShivaFan.

    Another question that I would like to ask is:

    The group is called The Vedanta Society. My understanding is that Vedanta refers to the end of the Vedas but has become an umbrella for further elaborations of the philosophy - Advaita, Dvaita, Vishishtadvaita and so on... I believe I've read that Sri Ramanakrishna and Swami Vivekananda were Advaitans. Is the purpose of the Vedanta Society ultimately to lead one to the conclusions of Advaita? Or does the society keep to the more general Vedanta?

    Thank you.

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    Re: Vedanta Society?

    Quote Originally Posted by Big River View Post
    Thank you ShivaFan.

    Another question that I would like to ask is:

    The group is called The Vedanta Society. My understanding is that Vedanta refers to the end of the Vedas but has become an umbrella for further elaborations of the philosophy - Advaita, Dvaita, Vishishtadvaita and so on... I believe I've read that Sri Ramanakrishna and Swami Vivekananda were Advaitans. Is the purpose of the Vedanta Society ultimately to lead one to the conclusions of Advaita? Or does the society keep to the more general Vedanta?

    Thank you.
    "Vedanta Society" and Vedanta are two distinctly different things. The latter is an astika darSana of Hinduism. The former is a "group" that studies that branch of Hindu philosophy.

    Also, Vedanta means culmination, not "end", of the Vedas. The three types of Vedantas mentioned in your post are under the umbrella of Vedanta itself, which is under the umbrella of Hinduism which has 6 astika darSanas and 3 nastika darSanas.

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    Re: Vedanta Society?

    hariḥ oṁ
    ~~~~~~

    namasté

    for one's kind consideration...


    vedānta = veda + anta

    It is sometimes known as uttara-mīmāṃsā . Some too allude to the name as brahma-mīmāṃsā and śārīrakamīmāṃsā.
    So, why do some call this the 'end of the ved' ? Because of anta. At first look we know this 'anta' to mean end or limit and this is a correct definition. Yet there is a broader definition for anta, and this is 'whole amount'.
    Hence by referring to vedānta as veda + anta , we are saying the whole amount of the ved is contained within vedānta.

    Yet when we consider anta as the 'end of the ved' also, we're not inferring a hard stop as if the road ends; it is that of the fruit that has become ripe at the end of a growing season. Vedānta brings the ripe-ness of knowledge, the fullness of knowledge.
     
    praām
    यतसà¥à¤¤à¥à¤µà¤‚ शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṠśivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

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