[Advaita-l] Resource for beginners

[Ananta Bhagwat]

----- Original Message ----

From: Pankaj Agarwal
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008
Subject: [Advaita-l] Resource for beginners

This resource list is only a list of books w/o explicit division for beginner, intermediate or advanced advaita student. Obviously, the list is not complete but should be more than sufficient for a beginner.

(a) Traditional Students Texts in Sanskrit with English Translation:

1/ Vedantasara by Sadananda Yogindra Tr. by Sw. Nikhilanandatr.
2/ Vivekacudamani Tr. by Sw. Turiyananda
3/ Drk-Drshya Viveka Tr. Sw. Nikhilananda
4/ Vedanta Paribhasha by Dharmaraja Adhvarindra Tr. by Sw. Madhavananda
5/ Pancadashi by Sw. Vidyaranya Tr. by Sw. Swahananda
6/ Upadesha Sahasri by  Sankaracarya Tr. by Sw Jagadananda
(All published by Advaita-Ashram / R.K. Mission)

(b) Philosophical Texts with modern Perspective:

1/ Indian Philosophy by S. Radhakrishnan (2 volumes) Publ Oxferd Univ. Press
2/ History of Indian Philosophy (5 volumes) by S. N. Dasagupta Publ. Motilal Babarasidasa
3/ Outlines of Indian Philosophy by M. Hiriyanna, Publ. by Motilal Banarasidas
4/ The Doctrine of Maya by P. D. Shastri, Publ. by Luzac & Co (available on Intrenet)
5/ Method of Vedanta by Sw. Satchidanandendra, Tr by Alston Publ. by Motilal Banarasidasa
6/ Method of Knowledge by Sw. Satprakashananda, Publ by Motilal Banarasidasa

(c) Original Vedanta Resources

1/ Eight Upanishads Bhashya by Sankaracarya (2-volumes) Tr. By Sw. Gambhirananda
2/ Bruhadaranya Upanishad Bhashya by Sankaracarya Tr. by Sw. Madhavananda
3/ Chandogya Upanishad Bhashya by Sankaracarya Tr. by Sw. Gambhirananda
4/ Principle Upanishads Tr by Dr. Radhakrishnan
5/ Bhagavad Gita Bhashya by Sankaracarya (Tr. by Krishna Warrier)
6/ Brahma-Sutra Bhashya by Sankaracarya (Tr. by Sw. Gambhirananda)
(All avavilable with Advaita-Ashrama / R. K. Mission)

(d) In addition to above, there are many good books on advaita by non-Indian Scholars such as Comans, Deutsch, Waite, Deussen, Mayeda, Grimes, Levy etc. (see www.advaita.org.uk for some of the titles). 

A comprehensive encyclopedia has been edited and published by Karl Potter / Motilal Banarasidas (on going project) where two volumes are devoted to advaita Vedanta and may be another 2-3 Vedanta volumes are being planned. A set of volumes on Suresvaracarya vArtika is also available with Motilal Banarasidas.

There are good internet resources too including few traditional students' texts, classics like Deussen's Philosophy of Upanishads, and contemporary treaties like Ananda Wood on Upanishads etc. 

These books are more than sufficient for a beginner, but one can exercise choice. To start with I would recommend a-1 & 6, b-6; and Comans or Deutsch book for contemporary western perspective on advaita. One may try to read all of c if (s)he is a serious student of classical advaita.

Regards
ananta