What Is Vedanta? “Vedanta For The Western World,” Edited by Christopher Isherwood

Why Read It

“First of all, what is Vedanta?” These words open the introduction of Vedanta For The Western World, and the editor, the esteemed Christopher Isherwood, provides an answer.

“Vedanta is the philosophy of the Vedas, those Indian scriptures which are the most ancient religious writings now known to the world. More generally speaking, the term ‘Vedanta’ covers not only the Vedas themselves but the whole body of literature which explains, elaborates, and comments upon their teaching, right down to the present day. The Bhagavad Gita and the works of Shankara belong to Vedanta: so do many of the articles of this Volume. In its simplest form, Vedanta Philosophy may be regarded as a statement of the Philosophia Perennis, or Perennial Philosophy, the least common denominator of all religious belief.”

Vedanta For The Western World was published in America in 1945 during the final stages of World War II. The book is an anthology that includes over 60 essays by notable Vedantic mystics and teachers, including Swami Prabhavananda, Swami Yatiswarananda, Swami Adbhutananda, Gerald Heard, Aldous Huxley, and others. Each essay is short, no more than a few pages, but the words conveyed are codes that unlock the nature of reality and act as pointers to that which, ultimately, cannot be spoken or conceptualized.

Chris Isherwood was an English-American writer known for his novels, plays, screenplays, and autobiographical works. He had a keen interest in Vedanta, the spiritual philosophy based on the Upanishads of Hinduism, and was a disciple of Swami Prabhavananda, a monk of the Ramakrishna Order. Isherwood’s life was impacted so deeply by his encounter and embrace of Vedantic Thought that he decided to assemble, edit and publish this series of essays, in hopes that it would find an audience amongst the American and European individuals that had lost hope in the materialist promises of capitalism and democracy and were searching for spiritual fulfillment outside the walls of a dead Church.

Vedanta For the Western World did, in fact, go on to influence an entire generation of spiritual seekers in the 1960s when the counter-cultural revolution unfolded in the United States and Europe. Stan Trout read the book in his 20s, and he says it profoundly impacted his life path and set his feet squarely on the “path to realization.” Stan went on to write The History of Mysticism.

Overview

Vedanta For The Western World is a comprehensive anthology that introduces the profound teachings of Vedanta, a spiritual philosophy rooted in the Upanishads of ancient India. These teachings include the principles of the non-dual nature of reality, the concept of Brahman as the ultimate existence, and the illusory nature of the material world (Maya). It addresses the pursuit of self-realization, emphasizing the inner journey to discover the Atman, or True Self, which is beyond the physical and mental realms.

The anthology also delves into the ethical dimensions of Vedanta, highlighting the importance of selfless action and moral living as paths to spiritual growth. Additionally, it discusses the limitations of language in conveying spiritual truths, advocating for direct personal experience as the most authentic path to understanding. Vedanta for the Western World serves as a pivotal guide for those on the path to spiritual awakening, offering insights that resonate with contemporary quests for meaning and self-knowledge.

Key Takeaways

Non-Duality of Brahman: The book highlights the Vedantic view that the ultimate reality, Brahman, is non-dual. This perspective asserts that the distinctions we perceive in the world are illusory, and at the most fundamental level, everything is a unified existence. This idea challenges the conventional perception of separation between the individual self and the universe.

True Self as Atman: Vedanta teaches that the real essence of an individual is not the ego or physical body, but the Atman, which is eternal and universal. This concept encourages a reevaluation of personal identity, steering away from material and transient aspects towards a deeper, more enduring sense of self.

Illusion of Maya: The anthology discusses the concept of Maya, which in Vedanta is the illusion that veils the true nature of reality. Understanding Maya is crucial for spiritual seekers as it helps in recognizing that everyday experiences and perceptions might not accurately reflect the ultimate truth.

Transcendence of Language and Thought: Vedanta suggests that the ultimate reality transcends the capabilities of language and rational thought. This principle acknowledges the limitations of conventional communication and thinking in comprehending spiritual truths, pointing towards a more intuitive and experiential form of understanding.

Integration of Opposites: The anthology explores the Vedantic concept of reconciling and integrating opposites, promoting a holistic view of existence. This approach helps in understanding how seemingly contradictory aspects of life can be harmonious and interconnected at a deeper level.

Quotes

~ “The minimum working hypothesis would seem to run to about this: that there is a Godhead, Ground, Brahman, Clear Light of the Void, which is the Unmanifested principle of all manifestations. That the Ground is at once transcendent and immanent. That it is possible for human beings to love, know and, from virtually, to be become actually identical with the divine Ground. That to achieve this unitive knowledge of the Godhead is the final end and purpose of human existence. That there is a Law or Dharma which must be obeyed, a Tao or Way which must be followed, if men are to achieve their final end. That the most there is of self, the less there is of the Godhead; and that the Tao is therefore a way of humility and love, the Dharma a living Law of mortification and self-transcending awareness.”

~ “We should have the ideal fixed that neither worldly nor heavenly pleasures are our goal and that our ultimate goal is Self-Realization. It is neither this world nor heaven, nor any other world we seek. Heavenly enjoyment is no better than earthly enjoyment, and so long as there is hankering after heavenly enjoyment, we can never attain the goal. We must yearn for God more than for His creation either in heaven or on earth. Before we actually begin our spiritual life in real earnest, we must decide if we are really fully prepared to pay the price. We must fix once for all our ideal, our conduct of life, and then stick to it whatever happens. If we wish to transcend all the unrealities, there must always be a certain amount of the dare-devil in us, a certain amount of fearlessness and true heroism. Unless we are prepared to sacrifice all our worldly desires and our sense of I-ness, we can never hope to realize the higher ideal. “Give us discrimination, give us renunciation, give devotion and knowledge” — let us pray to the Divine.”

~ “The true purpose of human birth is to fulfill this one, this only will, to realize God — which is truly the motive power behind all other desires. Unhappy is the man who forgets this purpose, and loses himself in the meshes of petty desires and impulses. Desiring first one thing, then another and yet again something else is but impulse, and can be likened unto a man, who, desiring to sink a well, digs first in one place and then in another, never completing one well, and never reaching the water. Not by such impulses and desires can the thirst for God be quenched. Therefore, I say unto you, will to attain the Truth, the Kingdom of Self. This Kingdom is never lost. It may lie hidden, covered with dirt, but it is forever within. Brahman is ever pure, ever free, self-luminous, and that Brahman is one’s very Self. Just as a gold vessel may be covered with dirt, yet lose nothing of its true nature, so the true Self lies hidden within, and remains forever unaffected by the dirt of ignorance covering it. Man is ever conscious of the existence of this Self. Every time he says ‘my body,’ ‘my mind,’ ‘my intelligence,’ etc, he unconsciously admits the existence of an ‘I,’ of a ‘Self.’ Because of this ignorance which clouds man’s true Self, he is unable to manifest his real nature. Hence the necessity of spiritual disciplines, and the firm will to unfold this latent divinity.”

~ “Let us take the question of anger. Why are we angry? Only because some one or other is standing in the way of what we think to be the object of our enjoyment. This is the only reason for all our anger. Always we find that anger is closely connected with the overstressed ego or a strong sense of personality, and without this strong sense of the ego and an inordinate desire for enjoyment, physical and mental, anger could never even rise in our hearts. So this ego, this desire of enjoyment, is the only cause of our becoming angry. If we do not desire any enjoyment, if we do not expect anything from anybody, but just give and act without ever expecting any return, giving up all expectations, there can never be any rise of anger. So we should get angry with our desires for sense-enjoyment and not with the objects as such. This is the only practical way of uprooting anger and eventually eliminating it. And without eliminating anger and other associated evils to a great extent, we can never make progress in spiritual life. Lust and anger are the two greatest enemies in the spiritual path. So they should be carefully avoided by all aspirants.”

~ “It is only through the grace of the Lord, the grace of the Guru, and the grace of the individual mind — or Self, that the variety of aspects, the multiples of the One are realized to be but different aspects of the same Substance, the One unchanging principle of Light, of Consciousness, of Bliss. The Self in one is the Self in all; the Lord in one is the Lord in all; the Substance in one is the Substance in all. We have to seek to find the shadowless light, the flickerless light, the silent light of eternity. And by this light we shall consciously realize that the light, the lighted and the lighter — the seen, the seer, and the sight — the hearer, the heard and the word are One, have always been One, and always will be One. The omnipresent light of Consciousness is the omnipresent presence of God, the source of All. May we nourish, cultivate, and intensify our belief in the Word, and by so doing may we conquer our racial, inherited and acquired beliefs. May we realize God here and now. May we seek Him wholeheartedly. May He teach us to believe in His holy name, the True Self. May we consciously dwell in Him, even as He dwells in us. May our famished souls be nourished by that Bread of life, which is our very Self.