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Transcending Science
All objective sciences deal with the objectifiable entities and ignore in the process the very subject, who is doing the analysis. This book deals with the limitations of the objective sciences and also discusses how to prepare the mind so that it can see the truth. Transcending Science, therefore, involves how to transcend the subject-object duality, using the Yoga-Sastra discussed in the Gita and the Upanishads, and how to abide in the knowledge by overcoming all the mental obstacles that arise in the process. This forms the very purpose of life itself.
528 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 10, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 17, 2021
Just finished reading this well written and deep book but it took me 5 months. You simply cannot read it casually; you must study it. Not a simple book to read as the concepts are so subtle, and not the normal way of our thinking or experiencing the world.
His argument is this - Objective sciences by definition need an inert object, where that object is different from the subject who is viewing it.
But when it comes to Sprituality, this is not the case. The object of study is the subject himself hence the normal techniques of Science cannot work well
The author has written 500+ pages to explain by principles and analogies how the mind can be prepared for self realisation. He is certainly a qualified person on this topic, being both a scientist and a senior practitioner following the parampara of Swami Chinmayananda.
Then follows many subtle and detailed explanations on Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, the analysis of mahavakya Tat Tvam Asi, how a self realised person stays in nidhidhyasana and engages with the world.
He quotes extensively from Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads and other texts and provides both the transliterated text and its translation. Beautiful analogies especially of the gold and ornaments while explaining Brahman, and the limitations of the BMI Body Mind Intellect phenomenon. The same topic of Tat Tvam Asi is critically explained from various angles.
He also says frequently that all this does need a competent teacher who himself has learnt it from his teacher. This is because there are many concepts which just stretch one’s understanding, such as Tat Tvam Asi, using mind to analyse mind, why Bhakti Yoga is not a separate path, etc. it is not enough to know it theoretically but to know it for a fact.
He also refers to Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi’s “Who am I?” enquiry. One interesting comment he makes is that mere inquiry is not enough but studying Shaastras as pramanam is needed. Ramana Maharishi also used to stress that there is no realisation to be acquired but to remove false notions from the mind,
Frankly, such books cannot be understood fully without practising the path of self realisation as the concepts are subtle and need to be lived. But this book beautifully provides a canvas for approaching self realisation the Vedantic way.
His argument is this - Objective sciences by definition need an inert object, where that object is different from the subject who is viewing it.
But when it comes to Sprituality, this is not the case. The object of study is the subject himself hence the normal techniques of Science cannot work well
The author has written 500+ pages to explain by principles and analogies how the mind can be prepared for self realisation. He is certainly a qualified person on this topic, being both a scientist and a senior practitioner following the parampara of Swami Chinmayananda.
Then follows many subtle and detailed explanations on Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, the analysis of mahavakya Tat Tvam Asi, how a self realised person stays in nidhidhyasana and engages with the world.
He quotes extensively from Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads and other texts and provides both the transliterated text and its translation. Beautiful analogies especially of the gold and ornaments while explaining Brahman, and the limitations of the BMI Body Mind Intellect phenomenon. The same topic of Tat Tvam Asi is critically explained from various angles.
He also says frequently that all this does need a competent teacher who himself has learnt it from his teacher. This is because there are many concepts which just stretch one’s understanding, such as Tat Tvam Asi, using mind to analyse mind, why Bhakti Yoga is not a separate path, etc. it is not enough to know it theoretically but to know it for a fact.
He also refers to Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi’s “Who am I?” enquiry. One interesting comment he makes is that mere inquiry is not enough but studying Shaastras as pramanam is needed. Ramana Maharishi also used to stress that there is no realisation to be acquired but to remove false notions from the mind,
Frankly, such books cannot be understood fully without practising the path of self realisation as the concepts are subtle and need to be lived. But this book beautifully provides a canvas for approaching self realisation the Vedantic way.
April 6, 2021
Firstly thankyou Indic Academy for sending ' Transcending Science' by Dr. K Sadananda, an American Vedantin who was previously a Material Scientist.
It starts with a introduction by Benjamin Root which itself makes the reader curious to know on blending subject- object dualism, on exploring the consciousness and its reflection on our actual life. The author has given various examples from Gita and Upanishads with a very clear and relatable examples. This is a must read book for anyone interested in Vedantic philosophy as this book throws light on various important aspects from them.
The book explains sequentially the profound meaning of Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, about vasanas, viveka and how they help to know the Self(excluding the attributes of Body Mind Intellect), obstacles for self- realisation mainly avidya, ashraddha, samshaya and the role of sravana- manana- Nidhidhayasana to overcome the same, about the difference in Means- love, end- love and self- love and a lot more.
The mahavakya 'Tat- tvam- asi' part of the book was my personal favourite portion. Its explained in the simplest way possible. Also the significance and ways to chant Gayatri Mantra is beautifully explained emphasing on every word of the mantra with its application in daily life.
This is surely one of the best books giving a basic idea on Vedatantas in a very simple but precice language. Every few pages have something new and sensible to teach. Definitely a must read book.🙏
Na yogena na saankhyena karmanaa no na vidyayaa
brahmaatmaikatva bodhena mokshaH siddhyati, na anyathaa.
It starts with a introduction by Benjamin Root which itself makes the reader curious to know on blending subject- object dualism, on exploring the consciousness and its reflection on our actual life. The author has given various examples from Gita and Upanishads with a very clear and relatable examples. This is a must read book for anyone interested in Vedantic philosophy as this book throws light on various important aspects from them.
The book explains sequentially the profound meaning of Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, about vasanas, viveka and how they help to know the Self(excluding the attributes of Body Mind Intellect), obstacles for self- realisation mainly avidya, ashraddha, samshaya and the role of sravana- manana- Nidhidhayasana to overcome the same, about the difference in Means- love, end- love and self- love and a lot more.
The mahavakya 'Tat- tvam- asi' part of the book was my personal favourite portion. Its explained in the simplest way possible. Also the significance and ways to chant Gayatri Mantra is beautifully explained emphasing on every word of the mantra with its application in daily life.
This is surely one of the best books giving a basic idea on Vedatantas in a very simple but precice language. Every few pages have something new and sensible to teach. Definitely a must read book.🙏
Na yogena na saankhyena karmanaa no na vidyayaa
brahmaatmaikatva bodhena mokshaH siddhyati, na anyathaa.
September 8, 2021
Thank you so much Indic Book club for sending me this wonderful book.
Transcending Science by Dr. K Sadananda is an amazing book based on the limitations of objective sciences and also discuss how to prepare the mind so that it can see the truth. Using the Yoga Sastra discussed in the Geeta and Upanishads, Author tries to involve in this book that how to transcend the subject object duality.
Dr. K Sadananda is a material scientist by profession and a disciple of Swami Chinmayananda Ji. He wrote this book after doing great research. It is a little lengthy and thick book consists around 520 pages but yes it is worth reading.
Book starts with the good introduction which is given Benjamin Root and later Book contains the chapter based science and Vedanta, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, etc. Then, he tells us about Tat Tvam Asi and ends his book by including the chapters on Application of Geeta in Daily life, self realization, life problems etc.
Throughout the book author has used very simple language but it is possible that you have to read the book or few chapters multiple times to absorb the knowledge properly. Definitely a must read book.
Transcending Science by Dr. K Sadananda is an amazing book based on the limitations of objective sciences and also discuss how to prepare the mind so that it can see the truth. Using the Yoga Sastra discussed in the Geeta and Upanishads, Author tries to involve in this book that how to transcend the subject object duality.
Dr. K Sadananda is a material scientist by profession and a disciple of Swami Chinmayananda Ji. He wrote this book after doing great research. It is a little lengthy and thick book consists around 520 pages but yes it is worth reading.
Book starts with the good introduction which is given Benjamin Root and later Book contains the chapter based science and Vedanta, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, etc. Then, he tells us about Tat Tvam Asi and ends his book by including the chapters on Application of Geeta in Daily life, self realization, life problems etc.
Throughout the book author has used very simple language but it is possible that you have to read the book or few chapters multiple times to absorb the knowledge properly. Definitely a must read book.
March 24, 2021
This is a remarkable book. Unlike most Western work on Hindu philosophy, this book does not treat it as a museum artifact to be preserved and admired but rather as a lens to be applied to cutting-edge problems, including to that iron bastion of ‘modern’ thought: the scientific method. At the same time, unlike postmodernist work that has attempted to deconstruct or at least to complicate our understanding of science, it is not focused on condemning science as a method of Western domination or exclusion, but rather on bringing a hitherto ignored Indic perspective to critique and improve it.
The book is written by a scholar who is now a leading American Vendantin and has previously been a respected material scientist, and his expertise in both areas shines through on every page, as the book goes through empirical science, ethics, epistemology, metaphysics, ontology, and spirituality, over the course of sixty three chapters, in roughly this order. As Benjamin Root, another Vedantin and former scientist, notes, “this is a scholarly work based on a lifetime of study”, which astonishes the reader by “the sheer amount of material covered”.
The chief influences on the author are clearly Jiddu Krishnamurti, the swamis of the Chinmaya Mission, and the Advaita Vedantic tradition more generally. Yet, as the book unfolds its argument for the non-duality of subject and object, alongside its implications for modern science and life, one detects a striking parallel with Kant, Hegel, and Peirce, some of the most influential Western philosophers. Perhaps this indicates a convergence on common truths achieved by the wisest minds across cultures; perhaps a strong Indic influence on Western philosophy; and more likely both. At any rate, it provides hope for a more jnaani world.
Yet, three flaws must be pointed out. Firstly, there is insufficient attention paid to either pacing or structure, something that acts as a hurdle to comprehension, at least for beginners such as this reviewer. Secondly, the sources of the arguments from scripture are often (though not always) not specified clearly, which makes deeper research into specific topics difficult. Thirdly, it might have benefitted the book to decrease some of its breadth to more extensively cover philosophical debates, both within Advaita, and with other traditions.
On the whole, however, Dr. Sadananda must be commended for this magisterial work of scholarship, which, even wherever it falters, betrays an excess rather than lack of erudition. May many others, who are influenced by it, bring Advaita into their daily work and life.
The book is written by a scholar who is now a leading American Vendantin and has previously been a respected material scientist, and his expertise in both areas shines through on every page, as the book goes through empirical science, ethics, epistemology, metaphysics, ontology, and spirituality, over the course of sixty three chapters, in roughly this order. As Benjamin Root, another Vedantin and former scientist, notes, “this is a scholarly work based on a lifetime of study”, which astonishes the reader by “the sheer amount of material covered”.
The chief influences on the author are clearly Jiddu Krishnamurti, the swamis of the Chinmaya Mission, and the Advaita Vedantic tradition more generally. Yet, as the book unfolds its argument for the non-duality of subject and object, alongside its implications for modern science and life, one detects a striking parallel with Kant, Hegel, and Peirce, some of the most influential Western philosophers. Perhaps this indicates a convergence on common truths achieved by the wisest minds across cultures; perhaps a strong Indic influence on Western philosophy; and more likely both. At any rate, it provides hope for a more jnaani world.
Yet, three flaws must be pointed out. Firstly, there is insufficient attention paid to either pacing or structure, something that acts as a hurdle to comprehension, at least for beginners such as this reviewer. Secondly, the sources of the arguments from scripture are often (though not always) not specified clearly, which makes deeper research into specific topics difficult. Thirdly, it might have benefitted the book to decrease some of its breadth to more extensively cover philosophical debates, both within Advaita, and with other traditions.
On the whole, however, Dr. Sadananda must be commended for this magisterial work of scholarship, which, even wherever it falters, betrays an excess rather than lack of erudition. May many others, who are influenced by it, bring Advaita into their daily work and life.
March 23, 2021
I am still on the 15th chapter of this book out of 63. since, the basic theme of book is vedanta, which will eventually take time to read and comprehend with an intention to review afterwards. I have decided to give review based on the thematic sections of the book. The first of it I am taking is 'Karma Yoga' which has approximately 11 chapters based on different aspects of Karma yoga.
the phenomenal thing about the author I want to mention is that he is a material scientist himself and his involvement with saadhna and darshan gives a different edge to his writing style. because the author understands that there are many people who have no idea of modern sciences, there are many people who do not know anything about vedanta, there are some who know one of the two, so he takes up the task to incorporate these two aspects of life and tries to convince readers to understand that there is something, so say, much more beyond intellect. There is intuition, there is anubhuti and there is conciousness, the chit. Basically, touching that dimension he beautifully incorporates the bhagvadgita by Bhagwan Shri Krishna, who most of the people cannot deny to know. Quoting bhagwanuvaacha from Gita, author has correlated the practical application of Dharma with vedantic philosophy of Advaita and oneness. Karma Yoga is the practice of Advaita vedanta. Concepts of buddhi, mann, ahankar, chitta, pancha yagna, swadharma are untangled with clear representation by the author.
The lucid writing style is very smooth and does not let one to skip a beat there onto. the aesthetics of the font style, pages and the cover gives a sudden attraction towards the book.
ishall keep reading and updating this review with every thematic segment being completed, the next thematic concern id Jnana Yoga.
the phenomenal thing about the author I want to mention is that he is a material scientist himself and his involvement with saadhna and darshan gives a different edge to his writing style. because the author understands that there are many people who have no idea of modern sciences, there are many people who do not know anything about vedanta, there are some who know one of the two, so he takes up the task to incorporate these two aspects of life and tries to convince readers to understand that there is something, so say, much more beyond intellect. There is intuition, there is anubhuti and there is conciousness, the chit. Basically, touching that dimension he beautifully incorporates the bhagvadgita by Bhagwan Shri Krishna, who most of the people cannot deny to know. Quoting bhagwanuvaacha from Gita, author has correlated the practical application of Dharma with vedantic philosophy of Advaita and oneness. Karma Yoga is the practice of Advaita vedanta. Concepts of buddhi, mann, ahankar, chitta, pancha yagna, swadharma are untangled with clear representation by the author.
The lucid writing style is very smooth and does not let one to skip a beat there onto. the aesthetics of the font style, pages and the cover gives a sudden attraction towards the book.
ishall keep reading and updating this review with every thematic segment being completed, the next thematic concern id Jnana Yoga.
April 6, 2021
The book titled ‘Transcending Science’ written by Dr K. Sadananda covers a whole range of topics related to the study of Vedanta from an intellectual standpoint.
“All objective sciences deal with the objectifiable entities and ignore in the process the very subject, who is doing the analysis”- this very statement is the essence of the book. The author, who is a scientist by profession and along with his expertise on Vedantic Philosophy brings in a scientific, logical and rational understanding of the nature of human beings.
Dr. K Sadananda’s book is extremely well-written and there are definitely chapters that get you hooked because he really stretches, dissects and presents his arguments concerning the subject-object duality. He has presented the complexity of these topics in very simple words allowing it to be easily accessible , therefore, making it captivating.
However, for readers with absolute unfamiliarity with Indian Philosophy may find it a tad bit difficult to comprehend it. But, with a few re-reads, the reader will be just fine. It is easier for those who have some familiarity, or even a general overview of the philosophy, which was the case for me. So, it brought in more clarity and increased my understanding of consciousness and who or what the ‘I’ really is.
In this book, there are many chapters allotted to the explanation of Jnyan yoga and ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ which has been beautifully and marvelously written. The author’s ability to expand on this quite sequentially and logically is to be applauded. However, the book would have benefitted with perhaps, more proportionate distribution of chapters to topics. For instance, perhaps more time and space could have been given to Karma Yoga.
On the whole, it is a good book add to your collection and re-visit from time to time.
“All objective sciences deal with the objectifiable entities and ignore in the process the very subject, who is doing the analysis”- this very statement is the essence of the book. The author, who is a scientist by profession and along with his expertise on Vedantic Philosophy brings in a scientific, logical and rational understanding of the nature of human beings.
Dr. K Sadananda’s book is extremely well-written and there are definitely chapters that get you hooked because he really stretches, dissects and presents his arguments concerning the subject-object duality. He has presented the complexity of these topics in very simple words allowing it to be easily accessible , therefore, making it captivating.
However, for readers with absolute unfamiliarity with Indian Philosophy may find it a tad bit difficult to comprehend it. But, with a few re-reads, the reader will be just fine. It is easier for those who have some familiarity, or even a general overview of the philosophy, which was the case for me. So, it brought in more clarity and increased my understanding of consciousness and who or what the ‘I’ really is.
In this book, there are many chapters allotted to the explanation of Jnyan yoga and ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ which has been beautifully and marvelously written. The author’s ability to expand on this quite sequentially and logically is to be applauded. However, the book would have benefitted with perhaps, more proportionate distribution of chapters to topics. For instance, perhaps more time and space could have been given to Karma Yoga.
On the whole, it is a good book add to your collection and re-visit from time to time.
Read
March 31, 2021Kartum shakyam, akartum shakyam or anyathaa kartum shakyam. I chose to join the Indic club, chose to read this book and chose to write this review. Let me start by saying that as I am choosing to ACT by writing this review, I am only the doer. I don’t control or own the result of my actions.
This is not a book but a course in understanding the science behind Vedanta. It requires the reader to be patient while reading, thinking through the points mentioned, going back and reading again till you grasp the concept.
The book discusses about multiple topics and shares perspective on success, self-realization, meaning of gayatri mantra, yoga etc. The book is like a vast ocean and it is not possible for me to share my thoughts on every points. However, few points which stuck with me are:
3 channels which dissipate our energy
- regrets of the past
- Excitement while acting in the present
- Anxiety of the future
Discussion around the Wanting Mind. How our wants never get settled and we are always moving from one want to another. How "wants" are the root causes of lot of our problems and how renunciation is not renunciation of things but renunciation of the notion of ownership.
However, the book can be structured a bit more. It's talking about a complex topic and such a topic can be easily explained if the author presents them in a tone down way. Author should think of leveraging stories, illustration to share the concepts and thoughts. Doing so, will help the readers grasp the concept in a better way.
I am still reading/ re-reading the book and plan to edit the review with more thoughts. I do want to thank Dr. Sadananda for compiling and sharing his view points on this topic. His recommendation to listen different audio titles is also helpful as it helps to get deep into the subject.
This is not a book but a course in understanding the science behind Vedanta. It requires the reader to be patient while reading, thinking through the points mentioned, going back and reading again till you grasp the concept.
The book discusses about multiple topics and shares perspective on success, self-realization, meaning of gayatri mantra, yoga etc. The book is like a vast ocean and it is not possible for me to share my thoughts on every points. However, few points which stuck with me are:
3 channels which dissipate our energy
- regrets of the past
- Excitement while acting in the present
- Anxiety of the future
Discussion around the Wanting Mind. How our wants never get settled and we are always moving from one want to another. How "wants" are the root causes of lot of our problems and how renunciation is not renunciation of things but renunciation of the notion of ownership.
However, the book can be structured a bit more. It's talking about a complex topic and such a topic can be easily explained if the author presents them in a tone down way. Author should think of leveraging stories, illustration to share the concepts and thoughts. Doing so, will help the readers grasp the concept in a better way.
I am still reading/ re-reading the book and plan to edit the review with more thoughts. I do want to thank Dr. Sadananda for compiling and sharing his view points on this topic. His recommendation to listen different audio titles is also helpful as it helps to get deep into the subject.
Read
May 27, 2021K. Sadananda is a material scientist by profession, and the matter-of-fact analysis which is a prerequisite of his trade carries onto his writings in the 526 page work 'Transcending Science'.
I believe many readers would be put off by this approach, as they would also be by the piecemeal approach the author takes in approaching his subject. Rather than pursuing to highlight a 'grand vision' with interconnected ideas, Sadananda takes different aspects of the Vedantic approach, bifurcates them into different chapters (mostly of 10 pages) and then deals with them in isolation. This makes for a somewhat jarring read.
However, the book is abound in virtues as well. For one, it is very well-researched, and unlike modern commentators on Vedanta who feel the need to cite Western thinkers at every turn to draw parallels (and mostly to make the reader feel sophisticated), Sadananda's citations are almost completely primary sources ranging from the Upanishads, the Vedas, and Bhagvad Gita. This goes a good way in highlighting the relevance of the primary texts, as well as clearing the rubble over the mistranslation of Sanskrit words and misinterpretation of many Hindu philosophical concepts.
The second virtue is the titular one - Sadananda mounts an effortless rebuttal of the worldview of scientism which infects modern discourse, showing how the 'scientific method' (which is mostly Popper's empirical philosophy) is woefully inadequate to understand humanity. But the author is lacking to give a comprehensive case for accepting his own metaphysics (the Vedanta) against this worldview he has exposed, and one wishes he could have cited Shankaracharya more with regards to his philosophical rebuttals of materialism of the charvakas.
All in all, Transcending Science may be a struggle to read (it took me a month or so to complete), but much is to be gained from it.
I believe many readers would be put off by this approach, as they would also be by the piecemeal approach the author takes in approaching his subject. Rather than pursuing to highlight a 'grand vision' with interconnected ideas, Sadananda takes different aspects of the Vedantic approach, bifurcates them into different chapters (mostly of 10 pages) and then deals with them in isolation. This makes for a somewhat jarring read.
However, the book is abound in virtues as well. For one, it is very well-researched, and unlike modern commentators on Vedanta who feel the need to cite Western thinkers at every turn to draw parallels (and mostly to make the reader feel sophisticated), Sadananda's citations are almost completely primary sources ranging from the Upanishads, the Vedas, and Bhagvad Gita. This goes a good way in highlighting the relevance of the primary texts, as well as clearing the rubble over the mistranslation of Sanskrit words and misinterpretation of many Hindu philosophical concepts.
The second virtue is the titular one - Sadananda mounts an effortless rebuttal of the worldview of scientism which infects modern discourse, showing how the 'scientific method' (which is mostly Popper's empirical philosophy) is woefully inadequate to understand humanity. But the author is lacking to give a comprehensive case for accepting his own metaphysics (the Vedanta) against this worldview he has exposed, and one wishes he could have cited Shankaracharya more with regards to his philosophical rebuttals of materialism of the charvakas.
All in all, Transcending Science may be a struggle to read (it took me a month or so to complete), but much is to be gained from it.
Read
August 5, 2021for the minds who are constantly settling the storms of science and inner calls of dharma, this book is a must read. Coming from a material scientist, this text highlights the phases and vitality of dharma and sanatana vedant philosophy which is eternal and encompassing all the possible facets of material existence. This book needs the read to dive in completely without diversion. The author is crisp and yet elaborate. I enjoyed the read after reading the works of swami Vivekananda.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews