2. The philosophy of yoga
- The philosophy of yoga in Kali yuga has followed a shifting
erratic evolution from atheism to devotion.
3. How did we get here?
- To understand where we are we might follow the path that yoga
has taken over the last 5000 years
4. Progression of the Philosophies (a history of spiritual
revolutions)
- It is the evidence of history that at a certain time every
society attains its manhood, when a strong conflict ensues between
the ruling power and the common people.
- The life of society, its expansion and civilization, depend on
its victory or defeat in this conflict.
5. Progression of the Philosophies (a history of spiritual
revolutions)
- Support often comes like a wave crashing on the scene cleansing
everything.
- But when the wave recedes what remains?
6. Progression of the Philosophies
7. Progression of the Philosophies
- The Social Wants at the Time of Buddha
- Buddhism was the rebellion of the newly formed kshatriyas
against Vedic priestcraft.
- [After the lull cause by the reconciliation effected by Sri
Krishna], the ambition of the two classes - brahmin and kshatriya -
to be the masters of the poor and ignorant was [still] there, and
the strife once more became fierce.
8. Progression of the Philosophies
- Buddhism Combated Not Only Priestcraft and Animal Sacrifice: It
was the First to Break Down the Barriers of Caste
- These different social divisions developed or degenerated into
iron-bound castes and an organized and crystallized priestcraft
stood upon the necks of the nation. At this time Buddha was born
and his teaches were the revolution .
9. Progression of the Philosophies
- Original Buddhism ... was but an attempt to combat caste and
priestcraft; it was the first in the world to stand as champion of
dumb animals, the first to break down caste, standing between human
beings.
- Buddhism... broke the chains of the masses. All castes and
creeds alike became equal in a minute.
- Brahmanya power was almost effaced from its field of work in
Indian during the Jain and Buddhist revolutions;
10. Progression of the Philosophies
- Buddha Broke the Mental and Spiritual Bonds of Men by Preaching
Vedanta to the Whole World
- India was full of witchcraft in Buddha's day. There were the
masses of the people, and they were debarred from all knowledge. If
just a word of the Vedas entered the ears of a man, terrible
punishment was visited upon him. The priests had made a secret of
the Vedas - the Vedas that contained the spiritual truths
discovered by the ancient Hindus!
- What Buddha did was to break wide open the gates of that very
religion which was confined in the Upanishads and to a particular
caste.
11. Progression of the Philosophies
- Buddha preached the most tremendous truths.He taught the very
gist of the philosophy of the Vedas to one and all without
distinction; he taught it to the world at Large, because one of his
great messages was the equality of humanity.
- Human beings are all equal. No concession there to
anybody!
- Buddha was the great preacher of equality. Every man and woman
has the same right to attain spirituality - that was his
teaching.
12. Progression of the Philosophies
- The Reasons Why Buddhism Had to Die a Natural Death in
India
- To Break the Tyranny of Priestcraft Buddhism Swept Away the
Idea of the Personal God
- The aim of Buddhism was reform of the Vedic religion, by
standing against ceremonials requiring offerings of animals,
against hereditary caste and exclusive priesthood, and against
belief in permanent souls. It never attempted to destroy that
religion, or to overturn the social order.
13. Progression of the Philosophies
- The Reasons Why Buddhism Had to Die a Natural Death in
India
-
- Buddha is said to have denied the Vedas because there was so
much killing.
-
- Buddha wanted no pandering to the priests, the powerful, the
kings. No bowing before superstitious traditions, however hoary; no
respect for forms and books just because they came down from the
distant past. He rejected all scriptures, all forms of religious
practice.
-
- Even the very language, Sanskrit, in which religions had
traditionally been taught in India, he rejected, so that his
followers would not have any chance to imbibe the superstitions
that were associated with it.
14. Progression of the Philosophies
- The Reasons Why Buddhism Had to Die a Natural Death in
India
-
- A lack of practicality (original Buddhism eventually required
monasticism) and the lack of virtue in this age within a century
Buddhism splintered into a mass of superstition and
ceremonialism.
-
- In this state neither the priestly class nor the administrative
class emerged as the clear ruling class india was in disaray and
modified vedic tantric rituals began to remerge.
15. Progression of the Philosophies
- Buddha fashion (and brahmanya fashion) sets the stage for the
next revolution.
16. Progression of the Philosophies
- My dear sir, always remember this: akara akara skd r akarcrya
is Lord iva himself.
- r akarcrya is the spiritual preceptor of all the Vaiavas and
for this reason r Caitanya has acclaimed him as an crya, great
preceptor. r akarcrya is a perfect Vaiava.
17. Progression of the Philosophies
- About 800 AD Lord Adi Sankaracarya (Shiva) delivered the
philosophy of Nirvisesa Advaitam (Advaita Vedanta)
- Reintroduced the validity and importance of the Vedas
- Focused the philosophy on suddha monism
-
- Idea of oneness without variety or identity
-
- 1 with God, all beyond that is illusion (false)
-
- Everything including God is false, only theconcept of Godis 1
without variety and is real
- It was a veiled Buddhism, meant to mislead the atheists
(Mayavadi)
18. Progression of the Philosophies
- FANATICISM leads to misunderstanding: Fanatism + Fashion =
Fascism
- Their theory is that as long as Brahman, the non-dual
transcendental truth, remains singular, He is transcendental to my.
They propose that when He accepts form and becomes the jva, He
acquires diverse shapes and is thus afflicted by my
19. Progression of the Philosophies
- This notion was rejected by akarcrya who said, Healways remains
separate.
- nryaa paro 'vyaktt,or Nryaa exists separately, apart from the
impersonal creative energy.
20. A major miscalculation
- advaita-siddhi vs. mahbhva:
- (impersonalist vs. personalist)
21. Progression of the Philosophies
- In about 1017 AD Ramanuja Acarya delivered the philosophy
Vasista Advaita(qualified monism)
- Although everything is indeed united with God, there are real
differences between the souls and God
22. Progression of the Philosophies
- Ramanuja established philosophy by using the 7 impossible
tenants to Advaita Vedanta
-
- Nature of Avidya (ignorance, real or unreal)
-
- Incomprehensivenessof Avidya (ignorance is neither real or
unreal)
-
- Grounds of knowledge of Avidya (obscuring layer, positive
darkness)
-
- Location of Avidya (enter point)
-
- Avidyas obscuration of Brahman (its an impossibility)
-
- Removal of Avidya by Brahma-vidya (god knowledge, whatever
exists has attributes)
-
- Removal of Avidya (discloses bondage as real because knowledge
indicates it)
23. Progression of the Philosophies
- Circa 1100 AD Dvaitam (dualism) is established by
Madhvacarya
-
- Emphasizes and defines the differences between God, the world
and the souls
-
- Direct opposite to monism
-
- Madhvacarya was portion of Vamana, Brahma, Ananta Sesha and
Sanaka Kumara
24. Progression of the Philosophies
- Vishnuswami was the founder-acharya of the Rudra sampradaya and
is the oldest of the four recognized sampradayas
-
- Born in 3,000 BC, recorded teachings in 300 BC, 900 AD and 1300
AD
- In 1300 AD taught Visuddhadvaita
- Note:Vallabhacarya was the son of a student of Vishnuswami
-
- He taught Suddha Veda = everything is one with personal god
Krishna
25. Progression of the Philosophies
- Circa 1200 AD, Dvaitadvaita-vada was introduced by
Nimbarka
-
- First to identify the Supreme as the divine couple
-
- The 4 kumars (the sage children of Brahma who didnt want to
grow up, just wanted to meditate) initiated Nimbarka
26. Progression of the Philosophies
- Circa 1486 Caitanya Mahaprabhuexpounded
Acintya-bhedabheda-tattva
- God is inconceivable and simultaneously one and different
-
-
- Systematized the knowledge communicated by Lord Caitanya
-
-
- Distinction between quality and quantity
27. Philosophy of yoga today
- Near the beginning of the year 5000 of the current Vedic age
(approx. 2011 AD) yoga philosophy approaches the yoga philosophy of
Satya yuga the Golden Age: achinta-bedhabedha
28. Progression of the Philosophies
- Summary: Vedanta (yoga philosophy) demonstrates multiple facets
of the absolute truth
-
-
- God as good behavior (vedanta of Buddha)
-
-
- God as energy (vedanta of Shankaracharya)
-
-
- God as form (vedanta of Ramanuja)
-
-
- God as a separate person (vedanta of Madhava)
-
-
- God as the source and maintainer of all creation
(Visnuswami)
-
-
- God as a loving couple (vedanta of Nimbarka)
-
-
- God as all of the above and then some (Chaitanya)
29. Progression of Philosophies Year 3000 BC 500 BC 800 AD 1014
AD 1100 AD 300 BC - 1300 AD 1200 AD 1486 AD Philosophy
Buddhi-Bhakti Yoga Ahimsa & Sunya-vada Nirvisesa Advaita
Visista Adviatan Dvaitam Visuddh-advaita Dvaitadvaita-vada
Acintya-bheda-bheda-tattva Delivered by Krishna Lord Buddha Lord
Adi Sankar-acarya Ramanuja Acarya Madhv-acarya Visnu-swami Nimbarka
Lord Caitanya Maha-prabhu