Essays

What is evil and why does it exist?

I know what virtue is, but it is not my inclination to practice it. I know what vice is, but refusing it is not up to me but Him. I do as...

What is yoga?

In the West, yoga is typically associated with hatha yoga which is practiced in studios and gyms around the world using a technique that...

Is spiritual enlightenment real?

The topic of spiritual enlightenment enchants us like few others. Its mysterious and exotic allure conjures up images of radiant beings...

Does Vedanta agree with science?

First, it must be acknowledged that while both Vedanta and science are interested in eliminating any and all obstacles to knowing the...

Does life have purpose?

Like so many answers, this one depends on who you’re asking. There’s one answer from the viewpoint of the individual (jiva), one answer...

Will tech companies ever be able to fully understand, manipulate or control consciousness?

It depends on how you define “consciousness.” If you define it as many scientists do—that is, as inert material (tissue and chemicals)...

What is death and is there an afterlife?

If we stop to wonder what an afterlife might look like, it starts to look a lot like this one. Any discussion of an afterlife, or whether...

What is truth?

A truth isn’t only that which is in accordance with fact, but also that which is aligned with universal laws and the nature of...

Is life a dream?

Our revels now are ended. These our actors, As I foretold you, were all spirits, and Are melted into air, into thin air; And, like the...

Do objects exist when nobody is looking at them?

"We often discussed his notions on objective reality. I recall that during one walk Einstein suddenly stopped, turned to me and asked...

What proof does Vedanta show that experience is non-dual?

Vedanta defines non-duality as that which is free from subject-object duality. In other words, there is no separation between you as...

How can Vedanta help us to overcome the suffering and pain we experience in life?

In spite of what people think about Vedanta, its goal isn’t to provide clever philosophical dissertations on the meaning of reality or be...

Traditional Vedanta in a Non-Traditional Format