Sankaracharya
Sankaracharya (from Saṅkara, a personal name + ācarya teacher) was an Indian reformer and teacher of Vedanta, who founded what has become known as Advaita… Read More »Sankaracharya
The Original Śaṅkarācārya
The once universal Wisdom Tradition, whose existence was made known to the modern world by H. P. Blavatsky, had been preserved for long ages in… Read More »The Original Śaṅkarācārya
Vakya Sudha (The Essence of the Teaching)
The power of vision in the eye sees form; the mind sees the power of vision in the eye; spiritual consciousness, the Witness, sees the… Read More »Vakya Sudha (The Essence of the Teaching)
Atma Bodha (The Awakening to the Spirit)
For the sake of those whose darkness has been worn away by purifications, who have attained to peace, whose passions have been conquered, who long… Read More »Atma Bodha (The Awakening to the Spirit)
Vivekachudamani (Crest Jewel of Wisdom)
[Translation] Invocation To Him I make obeisance, who is the end of all wisdom, the goal of all attainment, the unseen Lord of the flock,… Read More »Vivekachudamani (Crest Jewel of Wisdom)
The Age of Sankara
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION Ex Orientale lux; Ex occidente frux-from the East light; from the West fruit-is a suggestive old saying. ‘Spiritual light… Read More »The Age of Sankara
Tattva Bodha (Shankaracharya’s Catechism)
Introduction This charming little treatise bears in Sanskrit the title Tattva Bodha, which means “The Awakening to Reality,” or, to translate quite literally, “The Awakening… Read More »Tattva Bodha (Shankaracharya’s Catechism)
Short Survey of the Vedanta System
1. Introductory. Fundamental thought of the Vedanta § 1. The fundamental thought of the Vedânta, most briefly expressed by the Vedic words: tat tvam asi, “that art… Read More »Short Survey of the Vedanta System
Mandukya-Karika by Gaudapada (Natural, Psychical and Spiritual Bodies)
[Part I] [Introduction] The shortest of all the older Upanishads is the Mandukya. Yet in some ways it contains fuller and deeper teaching than any… Read More »Mandukya-Karika by Gaudapada (Natural, Psychical and Spiritual Bodies)
The Vedanta in Daily Life
Every land has something to contribute to our life. In many cases we may recognize our indebtedness. Thus from Rome we get the foundation of… Read More »The Vedanta in Daily Life
The Vedanta Philosophy
I. Two things seem to me to distinguish our philosophy in the West from the philosophy of India, especially in its golden age. Without disrespect… Read More »The Vedanta Philosophy
The Vedanta Philosophy
The keynote of the Indian Renaissance of today, is the great and increasing attention paid to the Vedanta Philosophy; and especially to the thought and… Read More »The Vedanta Philosophy
Shankara’s Thought
The glamour of India; the hot, luminous sky; palm trees, with their metallic glitter, fringing her sacred rivers; heavy-curtained mango groves, where the golden orioles… Read More »Shankara’s Thought
Schopenhauer and Shankara
It is a somewhat humiliating thing to think of, that in spite of all the good intentions and praiseworthy endeavours of Sir William Jones and… Read More »Schopenhauer and Shankara
Shankara, Teacher of India
A short time ago, an esteemed friend of mine who has devoted much study to Buddhism in writing of Indian philosophy, drew a comparison between… Read More »Shankara, Teacher of India
Vakya Sudha (The Essence of the Teaching)
[Translation] Seer and Seen The form is seen, the eye is seer; the mind is both seen and seer. The changing moods of mind are… Read More »Vakya Sudha (The Essence of the Teaching)
The Soul and the Self
The oneness of the soul with the Self is already a fact, and not a thing that requires a further effort to bring about; and… Read More »The Soul and the Self
Self and Eternal
“As the web-wombed spider puts forth and draws to him, as trees come forth upon the earth, as from a living man his locks and… Read More »Self and Eternal
Tattva Bodha (Shankara’s Catechism)
Introductory In the “Awakening to the Self” [Atma Bodha], and, still more, in the “Crest-Jewel of Wisdom”, Shankara the Teacher uses many words in a… Read More »Tattva Bodha (Shankara’s Catechism)
Atma Bodha (The Awakening to the Self)
This awakening to the Self is recorded for those whose inner darkness has been worn away by strong effort, who have reached restfulness, from whom… Read More »Atma Bodha (The Awakening to the Self)
Sankara, the Teacher
The Upanishads, Buddha, and Sankara: these are the three great lights of Indian wisdom. The Upanishads far away in the golden age; in the bright… Read More »Sankara, the Teacher
Vivekachudamani (Crest-Jewel of Wisdom)
First Steps on the Path Prologue (Verses 1–15) I bow before Govinda, the objectless object of final success in the highest wisdom, who is supreme… Read More »Vivekachudamani (Crest-Jewel of Wisdom)
The Occultism of Southern India
[A Note on Authorship: In its original printing this article closed with the following note: “The foregoing is a summary of a discussion with Mr.… Read More »The Occultism of Southern India
Qualifications for Chelaship
The power of the Adepts over forces of nature, not generally recognized, has been enlarged upon on various occasions, but no account of them can… Read More »Qualifications for Chelaship
Sri Sankaracharya’s Date and Doctrine
8. Sankaracharya’s date is variously given by Orientalists, but always after Christ. Barth, for instance, places him about 788 A.D. In Esoteric Buddhism he is… Read More »Sri Sankaracharya’s Date and Doctrine
Prakriti and Purusha
The editorial at the head of the article that precedes will explain to the learned Hermit of Almora and the readers of the Theosophist the… Read More »Prakriti and Purusha
“A Personal and Impersonal God”
A letter signed by H. X. has appeared in the December issue of the Theosophists under the heading abovementioned containing some observations on “the Theoretical… Read More »“A Personal and Impersonal God”
Atmanatmaviveka (Discrimination of Spirit and Not-Spirit)
Introductory Note An apology is scarcely needed for undertaking a translation of Sankara Acharya’s celebrated Synopsis of Vedantism entitled “Atmanatma Vivekah.” This little treatise, within… Read More »Atmanatmaviveka (Discrimination of Spirit and Not-Spirit)
“The Philosophy of Spirit”
[Note: the following addresses the book “The Philosophy of Spirit,” by William Oxley.] The book bearing the above title, and professing to expound “the philosophy of… Read More »“The Philosophy of Spirit”
The Aryan-Arhat Esoteric Tenets on the Sevenfold Principles in Man
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Probably the Aryan (we shall for the present call it… Read More »The Aryan-Arhat Esoteric Tenets on the Sevenfold Principles in Man
[Explanation of Incidents in the Life of Sankaracharya]
Article selections from “The Life of Sankaracharya, Philosopher and Mystic” by Kashinath Trimbak Telang | Notes by H.P.B. The question of Sarasvati as to the… Read More »[Explanation of Incidents in the Life of Sankaracharya]
Sankaracharaya, Philosopher and Mystic
At the request of Col. Olcott I have permitted the following paper to be published with materials collected by me for a paper read to… Read More »Sankaracharaya, Philosopher and Mystic