Page 11 - TheJoyOfOneness_Demo

Preface

Human beings are in a constant quest for knowledge that
gives them a sense of completeness, perfection, and
fulfillment. In the Indian tradition, this is known as “Ātma
Vidyā”, knowledge about oneself. It is a journey to discover
lasting peace and happiness and motivates us to engage in
worldly activities. We make several attempts to define,
redefine, and refine our understanding of knowledge
based on our experiences in life.

The rishis of the Vedic lore, Gurus, and spiritual teachers
have discussed these issues in detail with a view to guiding
the true spiritual seekers. The Vedic corpus, the Purāṇas,
the Dharma Śāstras, and the epics have provided enough
details to help us pursue the right path to gain this
knowledge. However, it may be difficult for many of us to
study these works and comprehend the issues discussed.
Therefore, great ācāryas have composed several works to
convey these ideas in a simple and straightforward
manner.

Ādi Śaṅkarācārya is one of the greatest spiritual giants this
country has produced in the last two millennia. He
established the Advaita Siddhānta, a framework of non-
dualism, to explain the linkages between the Jīva, Jagat,
and Īśvara. Out of infinite compassion towards his
students, Śaṅkarācārya took several important steps to
ensure that basic principles of living enshrined in
Sanātana Dharma are sustainably practised by the society.
This includes establishing institutions that propagate our
Dharma, developing literature for the use of society, and

i