Author: Andrew Taggart
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Telling Apart
Paul Deussen understands very well that the first teaching of Advaita Vedanta is viveka–discrimination, separation, or telling apart. What is to be told apart from what? Deussen writes, “This aim [in essence, moksha] the Vedanta reaches by separating from the soul (the Self, atman) everything that is not soul, not Self, and is only transferred…
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The Practice Of Self-observation In 4 Simple Propositions
Proposition 1: The Observer Observation implies an observer. Argument: It must be established that all objective experiences are simply observations. Initially, it may seem as if a thought, a feeling, a sensation, or a perception is, somehow, just an independently existing event. But this is not true. A little reflection shows that a sight never…
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‘Nothing Emanates From Me’
Where is there existence, where is non-existence; where is unity, where is duality? What need is there to say more? Nothing emanates from me. –Janaka, Astavakra Samhita The Ashtakvakra Samhita ends gloriously with this verse from Janaka. It is, indeed, a statement about ajata vada. Hence, it is the ultimate teaching. In direct experience of…
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‘Cultivate Indifference To Everything’
In Astavakra Samhita, Astavakra states, “Cultivate indifference to everything” (X.1). With the help of the direct path teaching of Atmananda, we can easily grasp what “everything” means. By “everything,” we mean “experience” or “direct experience.” When we ask, “What sorts?” we then come to a very simple, and provisional, taxonomy: perceptions (the world); sensations (the…
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A Direct Path Compression Of Drig Drisha Viveka
The opening verse of Drig Drisha Viveka states: Form is the seen, the eye is the seer; that eye is the seen, and mind is its seer; thoughts in the mind are seen by the Witness which alone is the Seer, but can never be the seen. —Drig Drisha Viveka, trans. and commentary by…
Andrew Taggart, Ph.D. 