Neo-advaita

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The term Neo-Advaita was chosen by the representatives of the traditional Advaita Vedanta in order to distinguish themselves from the current Satsang movement.

Origin and meaning

The forerunner of Neo-Advaita, the traditional Advaita-Vedanta, goes back to Shankara and was taught by Ramana Maharshi , among others . Through students from the lineage of Ramana, Advaita found access to the western world and is reproduced there by numerous teachers in satsangs, who often combine western psychology and philosophy with Indian wisdom . The delimitation by the new creation of the word "Neo-Advaita" arose from the discrepancy that followers of the traditional Advaita see in the teaching of the mostly Western Satsangs to the original teaching. Neo-Advaita is a correct but misunderstood method that lacks a fundamental exposition of the Advaita principles. The expression "Neo-Advaita", which is based on the term Advaita (Sanskrit for non-duality) with the Greek prefix neo- (German: new), describes a new form of Advaita-Vedanta. Both terms stand for a doctrine which, according to its objective, should lead to the knowledge of absolute being and the unity of the divine world soul (Sanskrit Brahman) and the individual soul (Sanskrit Atman).

A basis for the teaching of Neo-Advaita Vedanta was laid by the teachings and life of Ramakrishna , which his disciple Swami Vivekananda developed. This newly defined Advaita Vedanta came to Europe and America through his speech to the Parliament of the World Religions in Chicago in 1893. Vivekananda's core theses: (1) Hinduism is a religion whose (2) central philosophy is Advaita Vedanta. In order to propagate Advaita Vedanta as a way of salvation for the general public, Vivekananda gives up the traditional, exclusively ascetic-brahminic approach. At the same time he hereby establishes a direction of Hindu piety as a guideline for Hindu piety per se. Originally, however, this is associated with a strictly ascetic group. This universal claim of the newly interpreted form of Advaita Vedanta is then taken up by other thinkers in order to grasp Hinduism in general. One example is Ernst Troeltsch . Vivekananda also relativizes the scriptural authority of the Vedas in favor of religious experience. The caste system as a religious-social institution is rejected. He refers to the commonality of religions (all refer to Brahma). The social ethics is inherent to all people.

Neo-Advaita and Advaita Vedanta in comparison

According to traditional advaita advocates, what they call "Neo-Advaita" reduces the original teaching by important elements. The latter differentiates between a 'lower knowledge', the Veda and the 'highest knowledge', the Advaita itself. This distinction goes back to the Mandukya Upanishad . According to the Upanishadic and traditional Advaita teachings, the student must first, as a rule, practice exercises such as meditation , bhakti and rituals ( yajnas ), as well as comply with ethical standards. The traditional rule of three of Jnana Yoga is Shravana (listening to the teachings), Manana (intellectual reflection) and Nididhyasana (meditation, inner exploration, see Jnana Yoga ). In the Neo-Advaita, however, these conditions were suspended. The highest teaching of the Mahavakhyas, how you are Das (Brahman / God) - ( Tat Twam Asi ) is conveyed directly and unprepared in Satsangs. Teachers like Shankara and Ramana emphasize techniques like Jnana Yoga or self-exploration as an aid to losing identification with body and mind, which can result in the appearance of one's own reality. The Neo-Advaita, on the other hand, attach greater importance to a description of the last, absolute state which, according to the Advaita-Vedanta, cannot be reached by anyone. The emphasis that no one has to get anywhere and that nothing can be created that is already there means that in Neo-Advaita neither a line is drawn between absolute being and relative, individual being, nor is efforts made by the students, to exceed this. However, according to traditional teachers, efforts such as meditation are necessary to prepare the restless mind through self-exploration and devotion in order to reveal the conditioned and innate pathways (vasanas) and ultimately the ego as illusions. According to the traditional advaita, giving up these exercises is only the last stage of the path of practice.

See also

literature

  • OM C. Parkin : Face to face with yourself. Advaita Media, Hamburg 2003, ISBN 978-3936718010 .
  • Dietmar Bittrich, Christian Salvesen: The enlightened are coming. Satsang: Answers to the most important questions in life. Munich 2002, ISBN 978-3442216123 .
  • Madhukar : Oneness. Lüchow Verlag, Stuttgart 2007, ISBN 978-3-363-03120-1 .
  • Madhukar: Awakening to Freedom. Lüchow Verlag, 2nd edition. Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-363-03054-1 .
  • Edgar Hofer (OWK): Satsang with OWK. Questions and answers about spiritual practice. Bohmeier Verlag, Leipzig 2006, ISBN 3-89094-482-5 .
  • Liselotte Frisk: The Satsang Network. A Growing Post-Osho Phenomenon. Nova Religio 6/2 (2002), pp. 64-85.
  • Christian Salvesen: Advaita. The happiness of being one with oneself and the world. Bern 2003, ISBN 978-3502675006 .
  • Michael Utsch : The Satsang movement. In: Reinhard Hempelmann u. a. (Ed.): Panorama of the new religiosity. Search for meaning and promise of salvation in the 21st century. Gütersloh 2001, ISBN 978-3579023205 , pp. 192-199.
  • Swami Vivekananda: Hinduism. Address given at the International Religious Congress, Chicago, 1893. German translation by Emma von Pelet. Zurich: Rascher, 1935.

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