Advaita Vedanta and the Ontological Argument

AI Art Midjourney of person standing in golden library

This essay investigates Western theology’s ontological argument for God’s existence, analyzes its shortcomings, and puts forward the thesis that Advaita Vedanta’s ontological argument based on phenomenology escapes from Kant’s famous criticism. As always, I am indebted to Swami Sarvapriyananda from the Ramakrishna Order for his lectures on Advaita Vedanta. Any failure to do justice to … Read more

From Physicalism to the Pure Consciousness of Vedanta

AI Midjourney art of abstract whirls of oil paint

This is an essay about how I went from the world of physicalism and thinking consciousness is a mere linguistic illusion to the sublime heights of Advaita Vedanta, which argues Consciousness is the ultimate ontological foundation of reality. First, let me state I am not a teacher of Vedanta. I am but a mere student … Read more

Advaita Vedanta: the One and the Many

bust statue of Plotinus

Why did the One become the Many? Any student of philosophy, East or West, knows this question to be perhaps the most fundamental of all questions. In my opinion, traditional Advaita Vedanta has the most eloquent, precise, and spiritually enlightening answer to this question of any other competing philosophical school. I do not proclaim to … Read more

Advaita Vedanta and Christianity: Towards a Cosmopolitan Spirituality

photograph of Christian painting inside of cathedral

This essay is a partly autobiographical story of how I discovered the beautiful combination of Advaita Vedanta and Christianity, along with an attempt to work out a Cosmopolitan Christian-Vedantic Spirituality inspired by the wonderful wisdom of Swami Vivekananda and his still-unrealized vision for a religion of the future. I believe any modern spirituality worth its … Read more

What is Brahman in Advaita Vedanta?

Painting of the cosmos flowing into a human brain

What is Brahman in Advaita Vedanta? What is the Absolute? This short essay will attempt to answer this question in plain English, to the extent that is even possible given the inherent limitations of language when talking about this subject matter. I owe an infinite debt to the wisdom and erudition of Swami Sarvapriyananda for … Read more

Advaita Vedanta and Christian Love

an open book with pages folded in the shape of a heart

This post is a short meditation on the relationship between Vedanta and Christianity as it relates to the Christian ethics of love. I am grateful to Swami Sarvapriyananda for his teachings on Advaita Vedanta. All my knowledge of Vedanta is thanks to him, but any error is mine. “Be Grateful to the Man you help, … Read more

Soul or No-Soul? Advaita Vedanta and the Metaphysics of Self

Statue of eyeball

This essay is about Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism. Let me state at the outset that I am not an expert on either one, so any mistakes in understanding are entirely my own. According to my understanding, Advaita Vedanta states that (1) There is a True Self or Soul (The Atman) (2) This True Self is … Read more