Is Spirituality the Key to Lasting Peace and Joy?

By Bhuban Pandey

According to spiritual masters (e.g., sages, seers, yogis, mystics, etc.), whether we know (or believe) it or not, we already are and will always be the only pure being (or awareness) there is, which is eternal, infinite, indivisibly whole, innately peaceful, and absolutely fulfilled. This claim implies that we are not individuals with mind-body mechanisms. Therefore, it is our birthright to recognize our true nature as it is and naturally manifest that true nature in our daily lives to live a complete and fulfilled life with lasting peace and joy. This guidebook is meant to help us recognize our true nature as it is.
A little over twelve years ago, I began to be very interested in spirituality. Since then, every year I have been spending hundreds, even thousands, of hours on activities such as listening to YouTube discourses on spirituality, conducting internet research on spiritual topics, contemplating the knowledge, understanding, and insight I have gained, and so on. Writing books has been one of my spiritual practices, with the purpose of sharing what I have been able to learn, discover, and intuit.
Are the physical objects that seem to exist in the external world real? Are the subtle objects that we experience internally real? What about the reality of our bodies and minds? Do they have independent existences of their own? What is the true nature of my being? What am I? What is it that is aware of (or knows) my experiences? What is the continuous element in all my experiences? What is it that cannot be removed from me? How do I know that I exist? What can I be certain of? Why can't I have lasting peace and joy in life? Is it possible to recognize my true nature? What do eastern wisdom traditions, such as Vedanta, teach?
If you are looking for answers to any of the questions mentioned above, then please consider reading this book, which is based mainly on the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and Shri Ramana Maharshi, the two greatest spiritual giants of modern times. Topics include:

1. Different Aspects of Spirituality
1.1 Meaning of Spirituality
1.2 Spirituality and Reality
1.3 Spirituality and Knowledge
1.4 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

2. Vedanta Philosophy
2.1 Upanishads and Vedanta
2.2 Schools of Vedanta
2.3 Uniqueness of Advaita (Nonduality)
2.4 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

3. Advaita in Modern Times
3.1 Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda
3.2 Sri Ramana Maharshi and Self-Inquiry
3.3 Advaita and Science
3.4 Relevance of Advaita in Our Daily Lives
3.5 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

4. Pure Being
4.1 Intrinsic Existence
4.2 Names and Forms versus Pure Being
4.3 Language versus Pure Being
4.4 Manifestation of the Universe
4.5 Recognizing Our True Nature as Pure Being
4.6 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

5. Pure Awareness
5.1 Doctrine of Three Bodies
5.2 Perception and Perceiving Activity of the Mind
5.3 Different States of the Mind
5.4 Source of Mind
5.5 Recognizing Our True Nature as Pure Awareness
5.6 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

6. Pure Joy
6.1 Joy and Its Source
6.2 Pure Being, Pure Awareness, and Pure Joy
6.3 Worldly Joy versus Spiritual Joy
6.4 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

7. Important Goals Pursued by Human Beings
7.1 Dharma (Living Our Lives in the Right Way)
7.2 Different Aspects of Dharma
7.3 Law of Karma and Reincarnation
7.4 Artha (Attaining Prosperity and Security)
7.5 Kama (Fulfilling Worldly Desires)
7.6 Moksha (Recognizing Our True Nature)
7.7 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

8. Yogas
8.1 Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action)
8.2 Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Devotion)
8.3 Practice of Bhakti Yoga
8.4 Dhyana Yoga (Yoga of Meditation)
8.5 Practice of Patanjali Yoga (or Dhyana Yoga)
8.6

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bhuban Pandey
• Release date: Dec 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215449516

Bhuban Pandey

According to spiritual masters (e.g., sages, seers, yogis, mystics, etc.), whether we know (or believe) it or not, we already are and will always be the only pure being (or awareness) there is, which is eternal, infinite, indivisibly whole, innately peaceful, and absolutely fulfilled. This claim implies that we are not individuals with mind-body mechanisms. Therefore, it is our birthright to recognize our true nature as it is and naturally manifest that true nature in our daily lives to live a complete and fulfilled life with lasting peace and joy. This guidebook is meant to help us recognize our true nature as it is.A little over twelve years ago, I began to be very interested in spirituality. Since then, every year I have been spending hundreds, even thousands, of hours on activities such as listening to YouTube discourses on spirituality, conducting internet research on spiritual topics, contemplating the knowledge, understanding, and insight I have gained, and so on. Writing books has been one of my spiritual practices, with the purpose of sharing what I have been able to learn, discover, and intuit.Are the physical objects that seem to exist in the external world real? Are the subtle objects that we experience internally real? What about the reality of our bodies and minds? Do they have independent existences of their own? What is the true nature of my being? What am I? What is it that is aware of (or knows) my experiences? What is the continuous element in all my experiences? What is it that cannot be removed from me? How do I know that I exist? What can I be certain of? Why can't I have lasting peace and joy in life? Is it possible to recognize my true nature? What do eastern wisdom traditions, such as Vedanta, teach?If you are looking for answers to any of the questions mentioned above, then please consider reading this book, which is based mainly on the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and Shri Ramana Maharshi, the two greatest spiritual giants of modern times. Topics include:1. Different Aspects of Spirituality1.1 Meaning of Spirituality1.2 Spirituality and Reality1.3 Spirituality and Knowledge1.4 Further Reading and Bibliographic References2. Vedanta Philosophy2.1 Upanishads and Vedanta2.2 Schools of Vedanta2.3 Uniqueness of Advaita (Nonduality)2.4 Further Reading and Bibliographic References3. Advaita in Modern Times3.1 Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda3.2 Sri Ramana Maharshi and Self-Inquiry3.3 Advaita and Science3.4 Relevance of Advaita in Our Daily Lives3.5 Further Reading and Bibliographic References4. Pure Being4.1 Intrinsic Existence4.2 Names and Forms versus Pure Being4.3 Language versus Pure Being4.4 Manifestation of the Universe4.5 Recognizing Our True Nature as Pure Being4.6 Further Reading and Bibliographic References5. Pure Awareness5.1 Doctrine of Three Bodies5.2 Perception and Perceiving Activity of the Mind5.3 Different States of the Mind5.4 Source of Mind5.5 Recognizing Our True Nature as Pure Awareness5.6 Further Reading and Bibliographic References6. Pure Joy6.1 Joy and Its Source6.2 Pure Being, Pure Awareness, and Pure Joy6.3 Worldly Joy versus Spiritual Joy6.4 Further Reading and Bibliographic References7. Important Goals Pursued by Human Beings7.1 Dharma (Living Our Lives in the Right Way)7.2 Different Aspects of Dharma7.3 Law of Karma and Reincarnation7.4 Artha (Attaining Prosperity and Security)7.5 Kama (Fulfilling Worldly Desires)7.6 Moksha (Recognizing Our True Nature)7.7 Further Reading and Bibliographic References8. Yogas8.1 Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action)8.2 Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Devotion)8.3 Practice of Bhakti Yoga8.4 Dhyana Yoga (Yoga of Meditation)8.5 Practice of Patanjali Yoga (or Dhyana Yoga)8.6 Jnana Yoga (Yoga of Knowledge)8.7 Practice of Jnana Yoga8.8 Further Reading and Bibliographic ReferencesThanks for your interest and support!

Book preview

IS SPIRITUALITY THE KEY TO LASTING PEACE AND JOY?

By Bhuban Pandey

Copyright © 2023 Bhuban Pandey

Smashwords Edition

Acknowledgements

I have been living in the United States with my family for almost 35 years. It has been a wonderful and fulfilling life all along. A little over twelve years ago, I began to be very interested in spirituality. Since then, every year I have been spending hundreds, even thousands, of hours on activities such as listening to YouTube discourses on spirituality, conducting internet research on spiritual topics, contemplating the knowledge, understanding, and insight I have gained, and so on.

Writing this book has also been part of my spiritual activities, with the purpose of sharing what I have been able to learn, discover, and intuit so far. This book would not have been possible without those who have made spiritual discourses, writings, publications, etc. available on the internet. I like to express my heartfelt thanks to all of them, especially for making available the teachings of sages, seers, saints, yogis, mahatmas, mystics, and so on that have inspired me.

I would like to thank my lovely daughter, Bhumika Dawson, and her amazing family, husband Anthony, son Dean, and daughter Lucy, for their love and support over the years. Moreover, I’m indebted immensely to Prabha Pant Pandey, my wonderful and beloved wife of more than forty years, for her love and the great life we have been having together in the United States of America. Finally, I’m eternally indebted to my mother, Ek Kumari Pandey, and father, Hem Raj Pandey, who passed away this year, for bringing me to this world more than 65 years ago and raising me in a Nepali family environment conducive to spiritual growth.

This book is dedicated to all those mentioned above and all the others not mentioned above who may have contributed directly or indirectly to my spiritual journey.

Sincerely,

Bhuban Pandey, Author

Austin, Texas, USA

August 2023

Contents

1. Different Aspects of Spirituality

1.1 Meaning of Spirituality

1.2 Spirituality and Reality

1.3 Spirituality and Knowledge

1.4 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

2. Vedanta Philosophy

2.1 Upanishads and Vedanta

2.2 Schools of Vedanta

2.3 Uniqueness of Advaita (Nonduality)

2.4 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

3. Advaita in Modern Times

3.1 Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda

3.2 Sri Ramana Maharshi and Self-Inquiry

3.3 Advaita and Science

3.4 Relevance of Advaita in Our Daily Lives

3.5 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

4. Pure Being

4.1 Intrinsic Existence

4.2 Names and Forms versus Pure Being

4.3 Language versus Pure Being

4.4 Manifestation of the Universe

4.5 Recognizing Our True Nature as Pure Being

4.6 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

5. Pure Awareness

5.1 Doctrine of Three Bodies

5.2 Perception and Perceiving Activity of the Mind

5.3 Different States of the Mind

5.4 Source of Mind

5.5 Recognizing Our True Nature as Pure Awareness

5.6 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

6. Pure Joy

6.1 Joy and Its Source

6.2 Pure Being, Pure Awareness, and Pure Joy

6.3 Worldly Joy versus Spiritual Joy

6.4 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

7. Important Goals Pursued by Human Beings

7.1 Dharma (Living Our Lives in the Right Way)

7.2 Different Aspects of Dharma

7.3 Law of Karma and Reincarnation

7.4 Artha (Attaining Prosperity and Security)

7.5 Kama (Fulfilling Worldly Desires)

7.6 Moksha (Recognizing Our True Nature)

7.7 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

8. Yogas

8.1 Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action)

8.2 Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Devotion)

8.3 Practice of Bhakti Yoga

8.4 Dhyana Yoga (Yoga of Meditation)

8.5 Practice of Patanjali Yoga (or Dhyana Yoga)

8.6 Jnana Yoga (Yoga of Knowledge)

8.7 Practice of Jnana Yoga

8.8 Further Reading and Bibliographic References

1. Different Aspects of Spirituality

1.1 Meaning of Spirituality

Spirituality is related to the root word spirit. Spirituality is a very broad concept. It can mean different things to different people. According to an English dictionary, some meanings of the word "spirit" are:

the principle of conscious life; the vital principle in humans, animating the body or mediating between body and soul.

the incorporeal part of humans:present in spirit though absent in body.

conscious, incorporeal being, as opposed to matter:the world of spirit.

One of the ways spirituality could be explained is through the lens of Sanatana Dharma, an ancient name for what is now called Hinduism. The Sanskrit word Sanatana means eternal. Whereas dharma cannot be accurately translated into English in a one-to-one fashion. The closest word in English for dharma may be religion in a broad sense. Its etymological root is dhri, which means to uphold. Thus, viewing it from the perspective of Sanatana Dharma, spirituality can be defined as a set of eternal spiritual principles that are followed in life to uphold body, mind, and spirit in harmony with each other.

In other words, Sanatana Dharma represents a universal vision meant for human beings to recognize their true nature and naturally manifest that true nature in their daily lives to live a naturally complete and fulfilled life with lasting peace and joy. Our true nature is not an abstract concept. To give an example, ask yourself the question, What is it that is aware of my thoughts, including my deepest secrets? Our true nature is that which is essential to us, implying that we are much more than a person limited by a changing mind-body mechanism. The source of these eternal spiritual principles is claimed to be the Veda, which is a Sanskrit word that literally means knowledge. According to an English dictionary, some of the meanings of the word "veda" are:

Sometimes Vedas. the entire body of Hindu sacred writings, chief among which are four books, the Rig-Veda, the Sama-Veda, the Atharva-Veda, and the Yajur-Veda.

Also called Samhita. each of these four books.

Vedas, these four books, along with the Brahmanas and Upanishads.

It is argued that the Veda is not a book but an eternally existent, vast source of spiritual knowledge. Also, it is claimed that from time immemorial, different people have discovered Vedic spiritual knowledge. Or, we can say that Vedic spiritual knowledge has been revealed to different people from time immemorial. These people became known as sages, seers, saints, yogis, mystics, and so on. In this book, they are collectively called spiritual masters.

Spiritual masters were ordinary people like you and me. They were interested in spiritual questions such as, What is the true nature of my being? What am I? What is it that is aware of (or knows) my experiences? What is the continuous element in all my experiences, such as thoughts, perceptions, emotions, memories, imaginations, and so on? What is it that cannot be removed from me? What is it that has been with me all my life? How do I know that I exist? What can I be certain of?

Spiritual masters noticed that they could not be the changing physical body because they were aware of the changes through the mind. Likewise, they noticed that the mind is a process of thinking, meaning it is a flow of intermittent thoughts (including perceptions, emotions, memories, imaginations, and so on), called "vrittis" in Sanskrit. They became convinced that they could not be the mind either because they were aware of the flow of intermittent thoughts. Thus, they began to explore: Who is it that is aware (or conscious) of the mind appearing and disappearing as a flow of intermittent thoughts? What is the nature of that aware (or conscious) being? In other words, they began to explore the source of the mind, or their true nature.

They practiced and experimented with different spiritual methods. They discovered that the mind has no independent consciousness or existence of its own. They practiced intuitively relaxing their attention away from the contents of their objective experiences, exploring the non-objectifiable source of their attention intuitively, and resting in or as (or surrendering to) that source naturally. Through these and other spiritual practices, they developed a natural and sustained ability to relax (or dissolve) the waking mind back into its source. When the waking mind relaxed back (or dissolved) naturally into where it emerged from, its non-objectifiable source revealed itself. Thus, the spiritual masters were able to recognize (or have a series of glimpses of) their true nature (not qualities) as the aware (conscious) being that is eternal (or timeless) and infinite (or dimensionless).

They deepened their initial recognition through further spiritual practices. Gradually, they were able to naturally manifest their true nature through thoughts, feelings, and actions amid normal day-to-day activities. As a result, they transcended their dissatisfaction and sorrow to live a naturally complete and fulfilled life with lasting peace and joy. According to spiritual masters, this kind of life is complete and full by itself, neither desiring (or missing) anything nor fearful of (or worrisome about) anything. It is not a state of mind or a pleasant sensation in the body that comes and goes. One experiences peace and joy that is causeless and does not fluctuate depending on circumstances most of the time.

Spiritual masters claim that whether we know it or not (or believe it or not), each one of us already is and will always be the only aware (conscious) being there is, whose nature (not qualities) is indivisibly whole, innately peaceful, and absolutely fulfilled. There are many spiritual practices that have been developed to help us recognize our true nature. Therefore, each one of us can live a naturally complete and fulfilled life with lasting peace and joy right here and now. According to spiritual masters, it is our birthright to claim our true nature as it is. It is also our sacred duty to discover who we really are and live our lives accordingly. The topic of different levels of reality is discussed next.

1.2 Spirituality and Reality

The concept of spirituality is also related to the concept of reality. According to an English dictionary, some meanings of the word "reality" are:

something that exists independently of ideas concerning it.

something that exists independently of all other things and from which all other things derive.

something that constitutes a real or actual thing, as distinguished from something that is merely apparent.

Most of us believe that we are separate individuals limited by mind-body mechanisms. Likewise, most of us think our physical body, including the brain, is conscious and houses the mind. We are aware that we are present. We use our powers of sensing to perceive physical objects that seem to exist in the external world. Internally, we experience subtle objects such as intermittent thoughts, perceptions, emotions, memories, imaginations, and so on. Are the physical objects that seem to exist in the external world real? Are the subtle objects that we experience internally real? What about the reality of our bodies and minds? Do they have independent existences of their own? Spiritual masters have been seeking answers to these questions concerning the reality of ourselves and the world around us. It is claimed that through their spiritual practices, they were able to discover eternally existent Vedic spiritual knowledge in the form of mantras. Mantra is a Sanskrit word. According to an English dictionary, the word "mantra" can be defined as:

Hinduism. a word or formula, as from the Veda, chanted or sung as an incantation or prayer.

an often repeated word, formula, or phrase, often a truism:If I hear the less is more mantra one more time, I'll scream.

Mantra represents the traditional form of Vedic spiritual knowledge revealed to spiritual masters. Every Vedic mantra is a sound consisting of letters and words. The spiritual symbol Om (pronounced as AUM) is speculated to be the primordial mantra, representing the source of all other mantras. According to an English dictionary, the word "Om" means:

a mantric word thought to be a complete expression of Brahman and interpreted as having three sounds representing Brahma or creation, Vishnu or preservation, and Siva or destruction, or as consisting of the same three sounds, representing waking, dreams, and deep sleep, along with the following silence, which is fulfillment.

Based upon their discoveries of Vedic spiritual knowledge, spiritual masters tell us that reality can be viewed at three levels: imaginary (or illusory) reality, empirical (or relative) reality, and absolute (or supreme) reality.

The imaginary (or apparent) reality is based solely on the imaginary projection of the mind. For example, while having a dream (not a lucid dream), the dream character feels that everything in the dream is real. Only after waking up from the dream is it possible to realize that the dream was an imaginary reality. To give another example, we may see a rope but mistake it for a snake when there is twilight. In this case, the mind projects a snake (or superimposes a snake) on the rope as an imagination, representing an imaginary reality. Many examples like the ones mentioned above will be cited later in this book. They all have limitations and are meant to illustrate a specific point pertinent to the discussion.

When we wake from a dream, we come to the world of empirical (or relative) reality, which is about objective experiences in the waking mind. These experiences are thoughts, perceptions, emotions, memories, imaginations, and so on. They appear and disappear, changing intermittently based on time, place, and/or circumstances. What is the source of these thoughts? How do we know them? There must be a substratum (or foundation) from which they appear, within which they play for a while, and into which they disappear. Also, that substratum must be capable of illuminating these changes, rendering them knowable. Spiritual masters claim that the substratum of relative reality is absolute reality; relative reality is not real from an absolute point of view.

Absolute (or supreme) reality is eternal (or timeless) and infinite (or dimensionless). It does not undergo any changes, regardless of time, place, or circumstances. It is not an abstract concept. It is the foundation (or substratum) underlying all changes in the universe. Ask yourself these questions: How do we know that we are present and aware? What is it that is present in all our experiences? What is it that does not change regardless of our changing experiences? What is it that makes our experiences knowable? What is the essence of our objective experiences? Do we all share a common essence at the core of our being? How do I know that I exist? What can I be certain of?

Spiritual masters have been asking the above questions since ancient times in their quest to directly experience absolute reality. Based on their direct experiences, they claim that we are much bigger than the separate individuals limited by mind-body mechanisms that appear and disappear. Instead, each one of us already is (and will always be) the only aware (or conscious) being there is that has no quality, form, beginning, end, dimension, and so on. That aware being is eternal (or timeless) and infinite (or dimensionless). It does not act, vibrate, or will. In other words, it is absolute reality. Therefore, each one of us already is (and will always be) that absolute reality.

According to spiritual masters, objects in the universe (minds, bodies, and other known and unknown things, including time and space) seem to emerge out of the only aware being, seem to be illuminated by it for a while, and then seem to disappear into it. Even though the only aware being is never veiled, it seems to be partially veiled by its own apparent manifestations, such as minds, bodies, and other things in the universe. That is why most of us seem to not recognize it. Since there is no second reality, the true nature (not qualities) of the only aware (conscious) being is indivisibly whole, innately peaceful, and absolutely fulfilled.

What it means is that each of us already is and will always be indivisibly whole, innately peaceful, and absolutely fulfilled. Once we recognize our true nature, we come to know that relative reality (i.e., minds, bodies, and other things in the universe) is not real from an absolute point of view. Relative reality is dependent on absolute reality for its existence. It is experienced through the mind, so it is not unreal either. Spiritual masters claim that relative reality is absolute reality itself, manifesting through the prism of the limited mind-body mechanism.

There are different names given to absolute reality, such as pure awareness, pure consciousness, pure being, atman, brahman, self, spirit, higher power, god, and so on. In this book, we will call it pure being (or awareness), which is not an abstract concept. According to an English dictionary, some of the meanings of the word "pure" are:

free from anything of a different, inferior, or contaminating kind; free from extraneous matter:pure gold; pure water.

unmodified by an admixture; simple or homogeneous.

absolute; utter; sheer:to sing for pure joy.

being that and nothing else; mere:a pure accident.

independent of sense or experience:pure knowledge.

Spiritual masters claim that pure being (or awareness) cannot be experienced using the five basic sensing powers because it is not a physical object. The mind is a process of thinking. It manifests as a flow of intermittent thoughts (including perceptions, emotions, memories, imaginations, and so on), representing subtle objects called "vrittis" in Sanskrit. Pure being (or awareness) cannot be experienced (or recognized) through thinking processes because it is not a subtle object. However, according to spiritual masters, since we already are and will always be the only pure being (or awareness) there is, it is being experienced non-objectively and intuitively by all of us all the time. We just need to pay attention to it and recognize it in (and as) ourselves.

Strictly speaking, we cannot pay attention to pure being (or awareness) because we already are (and will always be) there (or we never leave it). Even though pure being (or awareness) is never veiled, for many of us, our attention is continuously flowing towards the objective contents of our experiences, which seem to partially veil the pure being (or awareness), making us completely ignore our true nature amid day-to-day activities. We will elaborate on this issue later in the book.

All our objective experiences seem to emerge out of the only pure being (or awareness), seem to be illuminated by it for a while, and then seem to disappear into it. However, if it does not know its true source, the mind gets carried away by its objective experiences without noticing their reality, which is the pure being (or awareness) itself. To illustrate, it is like getting engrossed by the scenes of a movie playing on a screen and not noticing their reality, which is the screen itself. Therefore, the mind needs to acquire the right knowledge and understanding about its true source. After reading all the things written so far about absolute reality, it is natural for most of us to have lots of curiosities, questions, doubts, and confusions. In the chapters and sections to follow, we will analyze different aspects of absolute reality, including the topic of recognizing it as our true nature, rationally, logically, and most importantly, experientially, in much more detail. The topic of different ways of acquiring knowledge about spirituality and reality is discussed next.

1.3 Spirituality and Knowledge

To practice spirituality, we need to acquire knowledge about reality. How do we acquire knowledge about reality? According to an English dictionary, some meanings of the word "knowledge" are:

acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition:knowledge of many things.

familiarity or conversance, as with a particular subject or branch of learning:A knowledge of accounting was necessary for the job.

acquaintance or familiarity gained by sight, experience, or report:a knowledge of human nature.

the fact or state of knowing; the perception of fact or truth; clear and certain mental apprehension.

In general, acquiring knowledge involves three aspects: the subject who knows (the knower), the object that is known (the known), and the process of knowing. Broadly speaking, knowledge can be acquired by three methods: direct perception, indirect cognition, and direct nondual intuition. Relative knowledge about many physical objects in the universe can be acquired by perceiving them directly. In the case of humans, there are five basic sense powers: hearing, tactile sensing, seeing,