IS SPIRITUALITY THE KEY TO LASTING PEACE AND JOY?

Download or read book IS SPIRITUALITY THE KEY TO LASTING PEACE AND JOY? written by BHUBAN PANDEY and published by Bhuban Pandey. This book was released on 2023-09-01 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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 (timeless), infinite (dimensionless), 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 Jnana Yoga (Yoga of Knowledge) 8.7 Practice of Jnana Yoga 8.8 Further Reading and Bibliographic References Thanks for your interest and support!