St. Petersburg Local Vedanta Religious Organization "Ramakrishna Society"

Swami Vivekananda said that each civilization or culture has its own special life core, dominant characteristic or direction of development. He believed that spirituality was the lifeblood of Indian culture. Spirituality is understood as a life path, aspiring to the highest goal, the realization of the Higher Self or God.
Indian spirituality is deeply rooted in ancient philosophical and religious traditions. Philosophy appeared as a result of penetration into the mysteries of life. A similar situation developed in ancient Greece. However, Swami Vivekananda noted that Greek philosophers limited the object of their study by external world, and their only method was speculative constructions, while in India the object of philosophical study was the inner world. Indian sages called "Rishis" or "seers" developed special techniques for going beyond the limitations of senses and ordinary mind, which are collectively called Yoga. Diving into the depths of consciousness with the help of these techniques, they discovered a number of important truths about true nature of man and universe.
The sages discovered that the true nature of man is not body or mind - subject to change and perishable - but spirit, which is unchanging, immortal, pure consciousness. They called it Atman. Atman is the true "I" of man, the true knower, the true source of human knowledge, happiness and strength. Rishis discovered that all individual selves are bits of the infinite Consciousness, they called it Brahman. Brahman is the Supreme Reality, the root cause of the universe. Ignorance of the true nature of man is the main cause of human suffering and shackles that bind them. By gaining true knowledge of the Atman and Brahman, one can be free from suffering and bondage, achieving the state of immortality, eternal peace and realization (Mukti). Religion in ancient India meant a life path that gives a person the opportunity to know his true nature and achieve Mukti.
Thus, philosophy helped to make a correct judgment about Reality, while religion indicated the correct way of life; philosophy gave the idea, while religion led to the realization; philosophy was theory, religion was practice. In ancient India, philosophy and religion complemented each other. Together they constituted a single aspiration, an integral discipline. This integral religious philosophy or philosophical religion was called Vedanta. Vedanta gets its name from the fact that its basic principles constitute the last part or culmination of the ancient scriptures known as the Vedas.
The Vedas are the oldest and most authoritative sacred books of Hinduism. All other sacred books play a subordinate role in relation to them. They are not anybody's composition, they are "revealed" by the Rishis; that’s why they are called sruti, heard. The earliest part of the Vedas may have been written down between 2000 B.C. and 1000 B.C. There are four main Vedas: Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. Each of them contains four sections: Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishads.
Samhita. This section is a collection of hymns dedicated to various deities. Many of these hymns have a deep mystical meaning.
Brahmana. This section is devoted to various rituals, as well as the presentation of moral principles.
Aranyaka. This section contains various topics for meditation or reflection. Some of the meditations are reflections on the meaning of external rituals.
Upanishads. They record the transcendental experience acquired by the Rishi through various contemplative techniques. This experience is a revelation about the Atman, Brahman and other eternal, universal truths associated with the Highest Reality.
These eternal truths and principles of the spiritual world, scattered throughout the Upanishads, were brought together and systematized by Badarayana in the form of sutras or aphorisms in the 5th century BC. These sutras, known as the Brahma Sutras, are the foundation of the philosophical system known as Vedanta-Darshana.
Thus, the term Vedanta can refer to three interrelated concepts:
1) the collective name of the Upanishads, which constitute the last and most important part of the Vedas;
2) eternal truths and principles of the spiritual sphere of being;
3) a system of philosophy based on the Brahma Sutras.
However, most often the term Vedanta is used in the latter meaning, i.e. Vedanta darshana (Vedanta philosophy). In this regard, it should be noted that in the first centuries of our era, five more systems of philosophy arose in India:
1) Mimansa founded by Jaimini
2) Vaisheshika founded by Canada
3) Nyaya founded by Gotama
4) Sankhya founded by Kapila
5) Yoga founded by Patanjali
These five systems of philosophy have always remained the preserve of a small group of intellectuals. None of them was ever perceived as the main religious system of the country and, over time, interest in them disappeared. Only Vedanta, since the Vedic period, has been the main philosophical system of India, and only Vedanta has become identified with the religion of the country. As already mentioned, Vedanta is both a philosophy and a religion. This combination of religious and philosophical tradition in India was called Sanatana Dharma - "Eternal Religion" - and later Hinduism.

THREE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT OF VEDANTA

Vedanta is a philosophy or religion that does not stand still. It is very dynamic, constantly evolving philosophy and religion able to take on challenges and overcome obstacles. Vedanta has gone through three stages in its development.
Formation stage. This phase lasted from about 1000 B.C. up to 3 c. BC. During this period Upanishads, Gita and Brahma Sutras (these three sacred books are collectively called Prasthana Traya) laid down the basic concepts of Vedanta such as Atman and Brahman.
Scholastic stage. This phase lasted roughly from the 8th to the 13th century AD. During this period, great teachers like Shankara interpreted and developed the original intuitions of Vedic Rishis and teachings of Gita. They made Vedanta the most sound and comprehensive system of philosophy the world has ever seen. However, during this stage, Vedanta split into several philosophical schools and religious currents. Among the main philosophical schools are the following:
- Advaita or Non-dualism proposed by Shankara
- Vishishta advaita suggested by Ramanuja
- Dvaita or Dualism suggested by Madhva
- Shudhadvaita offered by Vallabha
- Achintya-bheda-abheda offered by Jiva Gosvami.

Between themselves, these philosophical schools were constantly fierce polemics, which supported the intellectual potential of people. During this period, India gave the world many great scientists and thinkers. The main religious currents were Vishnuism, Shaivism and Shaktism, each of them had several branches. In these currents, many saints were formed. These saints spread the ideas of Vedanta among the common people through songs and sermons. Here it is necessary to mention two more religious and philosophical traditions associated with Indian culture - Buddhism and Jainism. They took shape of spiritual currents in the 6th century BC and accepted some of the basic tenets of an ancient Indian belief system, such as Karma, reincarnation, samsara, Dharma, and direct spiritual experience. However, the denial of the authority of the Vedas, caste distinctions, belief in the Highest Reality as the Supreme Deity, the root cause of the universe led to their distance from the main direction of Vedantic culture development. The decline of Buddhism and Jainism in India began, from the 12th century Buddhism ceased to have a direct influence on Indian culture.

UPDATE. Sri Ramakrishna is truly the link between ancient and modern India. With a colossal exertion of spiritual forces, he experienced anew the entire spectrum of the spiritual experience of sages and saints of the past. Sri Ramakrishna confirmed the truths contained in the Vedanta. He followed the paths prescribed by the Vedantic, Shaivite, Shakta and Vaishnava traditions, including little-known and forgotten traditions. He cleansed the spiritual life, emphasizing its moral foundations and rejecting the occult, the esoteric, the speculation on miracles. He gave everyone the opportunity to know God, even those who are in the midst of the bustle of the modern world. He gave a powerful impetus to those who make efforts to know God. All this led to a comprehensive renewal of modern Vedanta.
MODERNIZATION. The great work of Swami Vivekananda was to make the ancient concepts of Vedanta acceptable to modern minds by interpreting eternal truths in the light of modern rational thought and science. This modernized version is what most modern educated Hindus understand by Vedanta.
INTEGRATION OF PHILOSOPHICAL SCHOOLS. During the Middle Ages, Vedanta split into several schools. Swami Vivekananda promoted the reunification of these schools. He did this by emphasizing the common basis of different schools, in particular the principle of Atman, and also by showing that different schools represent different stages on the path to knowledge of Supreme Reality.
ASSOCIATION OF PHILOSOPHICAL TRENDS. Sri Ramakrishna taught on the basis of his spiritual experience that all spiritual paths lead to one supreme goal: Yato mat tato path - "How many views, so many paths to God." This principle, which underlies his doctrine of dharma-samanvaya (harmony of religions), was eventually adopted by Hinduism, that allowed the modern currents of Hinduism to feel unity despite many differences in customs and traditions.
OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES. Until the eleventh century, Vedanta faced only internal problems, mainly due to opposition from Buddhism and Jainism, disagreements between different schools of Vedanta and Hinduism, each of which claimed superiority over other schools. In the thirteenth century, Islam began to exert a strong influence on Indian society. Many saints in different parts of India responded to the challenge of Islam by spreading the ideas of the unity of God, the brotherhood of man and social equality among the common people. However, the most serious challenge to Indian society came from Western culture in the eighteenth-nineteenth centuries. Western culture has presented three main problems to Indian society:
a) a modern rationalist thought and science
b) an open society with values of freedom and social justice
c) the idea of a savior God identifying himself with the poor, the sick, and the fallen.
Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda responded to the challenge of Western Civilization by:
a) revival of Vedantic spirituality
b) an explanation of eternal truths of Vedanta discovered by ancient sages in the light of modern rational thought
c) introduction of a new doctrine of social service based on the practical application Vedantic principles in daily life.
PRACTICAL VEDANTA. Practical Vedanta is a practical application of the basic principles of Vedanta to solve problems of everyday life. For many centuries the only purpose of Vedanta was to help people achieve Mukti or liberation. Swami Vivekananda showed that the highest principles of Vedanta can also be applied in everyday life, to solve everyday problems. Vedantic principles can be applied in the lives of individuals as well in the life of society. Swamiji believed that the decline of India was mainly due to the fact that eternal spiritual principles were not applied in the life of society.
UNIVERSALIZATION OF VEDANTA. For many centuries, the most important, fundamental truths of Vedanta have been intertwined with countless beliefs, myths, customs, caste traditions. Moreover, the highest truths of Vedanta were available to a select few. Only a person belonging to a certain caste could follow the principles of Vedanta. Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda separated the essential truths of Vedanta from the minor ones. Swamiji showed that the essential truths of Vedanta are eternal, universal truths of the spiritual world, which constitute the rationale and foundation of all world religions. In fact, eternal principles of Vedanta are themselves the Universal Religion of mankind. World religions are manifestations of this Universal Religion in different places at different times. Moreover, through his lectures, books, Vedanta Centers he founded, Swamiji made the life-giving principles of Vedanta available to all people regardless of caste, creed or race. Thus, thanks to the efforts of Swami Vivekananda, who became a pioneer on this path, Vedanta crossed the borders of India and became the common property of all mankind. The work he started is continued by numerous teachers and centers around the world.