Hindu Theology of Oneness

Catalog description

Taught by GTU. This course will give an overview of one of the most ancient philosophical traditions. In the Hindu tradition, known as Advaita Vedanta, the aim is the study of oneself as the whole, as non-separate from the world, and from God. This integrative vision is systematically expounded in the sacred texts known as the Upanishads, which form the last portion of the primary canonical, revealed scriptures, known as the Vedas. In this course, we will study key portions of several of the prominent Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita with a view to gaining an in-depth understanding of the vision of non-duality, especially as it pertains to the pedagogy of self-knowledge, and its relationship to concepts of bondage, liberation and the various orders of reality. We will be aided in our study by writings of Adi Shankara, the famous 8th C philosopher monk, whose writings unfold the vision of oneness in a systematic and creative manner. Additionally, the course will be raising salient questions such as: What is the nature bondage? Is it universally experienced? How can the understanding of oneness resolve the notion of bondage? How can oneness be communicated or taught, considering that the teaching situation itself poses a duality? How might the pedagogies of self-knowledge be useful in one's daily life?