Vedanta: A Simple Introduction

by Pravrajika Vrajaprana

A concise, and delightful introduction to Vedanta, the philosophical backbone of Hinduism.Written with verve and charm by a Western nun for a Western audience, this brief book gives a comprehensive overview of Vedanta philosophy while emphasizing its practical Western application.

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

90 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1999

Reviews

[Scriptor Ignotus · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ideal introduction to Vedantic thought and practice for those with no background knowledge, this bite-sized survey provides simple and accessible elucidations of the most fundamental concepts of India's most highly-regarded spiritual philosophy: including the nature of the Self (Atman) and its relation to absolute, universal reality (Brahman); the nature of Maya, karma, reincarnation, and liberation; the prominent schools of Vedanta and the yogic practices commensurate with them; and the indispensable role of ethics and moral virtue in the Vedantin's quest for God-realization.

Having come in with some basic knowledge of Vedanta, the final chapter was the most new and interesting for me: a short hagiography of Ramakrishna, who seems to have been a most extraordinary man; a devotee of Kali who immersed himself in many different spiritual traditions (including Islam and Christianity) to better understand their mutual legitimacy and the essential unity of experience underlying them all. His wife Sarada Devi became a great master in her own right, and one of his disciples, Swami Vivekananda, became one of the first major expositors of Vedanta for the Western world.

[Michael Baranowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to get a quick overview of Vendata, and a bunch of sources suggested that this was the place to start. They were right. It's an extremely quick (90 pages) and informative read - perfect for anyone with almost no knowledge of Vendata who wants to quickly understand the absolute basics.

[Rajesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tonnes of volumes are written about vendanta. This book present the idea of Vendanta in very crisp language which is easy to understand. I have tried to read other books on Vendanta philosophy but found it too complicated. It is time to revisit those works with the foundation laid out by Vendanta A simple introduction.

[Peter Allum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pocket-sized guide to Vedanta, the philosophical foundation of Hinduism.

A good introduction to Vedanta for those with no prior knowledge. As a newcomer to Vedanta after reading much Buddhist literature, I was surprised by the common features of the two religions (natural, of course, given their common origins and parallel existence in ancient India).

Vedanta, like Buddhism, is concerned with understanding the origins of suffering in life, which both religions attribute to the misperception that the true self has its identity in our mind/body existence. Both teach that meditative practices can help overcome false beliefs regarding the true self, leading to an end of suffering. The principles of reincarnation and karma are also central to both faiths (though many modern Buddhists take an agnostic position on these elements--just as some Christians do on the virgin birth and Jesus's resurrection.)

For those interested, there is a useful Wikipedia entry on "Buddhism and Hinduism" that compares and contrasts the two faiths. From this and other sources, it seems that apart from the similarities, there are a number of key differences:
--Vedanta holds that ever-changing existence has a single divine substratum, "Brahman", which gives the universe its existence. Similarly, our true self (separate from the personal mind/body) is "Atman", which is at one with Brahman. Buddha, by contrast, speaks of the "no-self", but is ambiguous about the existence of an ultimate reality such as Brahman/Atman.
--Buddhism focuses on tackling mental patterns of desire in order to mitigate suffering, while Vedanta also encourages the doing of good deeds to generate positive karma that can improve one's lot in life.
--Hindu religious practices were adopted within a rigid caste system, but the Buddha opposed this, offering ordination regardless of caste.

Author's biographical details

Pravrajika Vrajaprana is a female swami (religious teacher) at the Vedanta Society of Southern California, affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order. She resides at Sarada Convent in Santa Barbara, CA. and is a writer on Vedanta, and the history and growth of the Vedanta Societies. She is a well known speaker and scholar on Hinduism and is the Hindu chaplain at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. In addition to writing Vedanta: A Simple Introduction (1999), she was editor of Living Wisdom (1994) and was co-author, with Swami Tyagananda, of Interpreting Ramakrishna: Kali's Child Revisited (2010). (Source: Wikipedia.)

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent intro

As someone new to Vedanta and very eager to learn, this book was a great source! Highly recommended to those looking for a quick but still deep intro to this philosophy.

[Emma Sager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for my Dharma Traditions course. Absolutely wonderful. An easy to read guide of Dharma traditions. I feel inspired and truly amazed at how many different religions and traditions are out there that speak more to me than the more well known Abrahamic traditions.

[Giorgos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Μικρό, ευκολοδιάβαστο βιβλίο και καλή εισαγωγή στη φιλοσοφία της Ατβάιντα Βετάντα.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know what Vedanta was; now I do, and I learned it quickly.

[Dan Gabree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but very simple intro. Raises some interesting questions.

[Dan Zwirn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear introduction for the beginner covering the universal, non-dogmatic aspects of Hinduism…

[Krish Radhakrishna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less about Vedantha, but more about Ramakrishna Mission! a bit disappointed!

[Mert Topcu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very simple and short intro to Vedanta philosophy.
You get what you expect.
That's all.

[Anjalica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple Introduction

A clear and concise introduction to Vedanta philosophy. If you're new to the concepts of the core teachings of Hinduism, this is a great place to start.

[Alissa Caruso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for my class and I love the introduction it gives to Vedanta

[Amit Srivastava · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple and crisp introduction to the Vedanta philosophy. Just the right book to get you started (and decide if this is for you!). No detailed analysis or explanations. It simply puts the essence as-is. Avoid if you already know about Vedanta and/or have read Swami Viveknanda's works. I was aware of most of the things. But the book helped aligning it all together in a short volume and prepare for some more serious reading on the subject! Good book overall.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am unfamiliar with the Vedanta Philosophy, but wanted to learn more about it after visiting the Vedanta Temple in Santa Barbara, California. I felt this short book offered a wonderful introduction the Vedanta Philosophy.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little more than a pamphlet, that devolves into proselytizing for the Ramakrishna order. This does contain some good basics of Vedanta, but starting with a good translation of the Gita would stand one in better stead.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hey, this religion doesn't sound too bad! Of course the last book on religion I read was on Scientology...

[Fabrizzio · Rating 5 out of 5]

O autor foi absoluto em dizer coisas tão profundas e de difícil compreensão de forma simples, clara e calorosa

[Cristiano Luchini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linguaggio chiaro, libro arricchente. Assolutamente da leggere.