4 - The Science of Inner Bliss (Ananda) and Living a Sacred Life | Swami Tattwamayananda

Verses: III.6, II.8, I.11, I.9. This discourse was given on July 30, 2019 at the Lake Tahoe Retreat run by the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.
-Ananda: attaining what ought to have been attained; having done what ought to have been done.
-Ananda: the science of inner bliss.
-The enjoyment of good health and wealth is very small in comparison to the enjoyment of transcendental bliss.
-Transcendental bliss allows spiritual seekers like Prahlada and the Russian pilgrim in the Way of the Pilgrim to see every day as a holy day and handle all difficulties in the world.
-Lesson I.11 is a convocation address for students who are to begin living with these transcendental ideas in life. (1) Imbibe what is good from your teachers (2) Respect and serve those who are even more exalted than your teachers (3) Preserve the tradition so that you are spiritually and culturally enriched. (4) Your actions towards your elders are a sacred act.
-Lesson I.9 explains that we most always hold to Rtam, doing what which ought to be done and distinguishing between right and wrong. This Rtam preserves the whole universe.
-Dharma is this Rtam in practice: it protects and sustains the universe.
-Satyam is the philosophical dimension of rtam.
-Tapas is intense concentration on your ideal, without which nothing can be achieved.
-Svadhyaya and Pravacana are learning the scriptures and transmitting the scriptures.
-Sama and Dama is self-restraint, which turns our mind into our tranquil friend, rather than our enemy.
-The guest must be honored. A guest is one who comes to your home without prior notice or invitation.

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Swami Tattwamayananda’s exposition of the TAITTIRIYA UPANISHAD was given at the Lake Tahoe Retreat run by the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco (founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) from July 27, 2019, to August 4, 2019, in a series of 9 lectures.

The Taittiriya Upanisad comprise the 7th, 8th, and 9th chapters of the larger Taittiriya Aranyaka that belongs to the Yajur Veda tradition. The Upanishad contains 31 anuvakas (lessons): 12 in the Siksa-valli, 9 in the Ananda-valli, and 10 in the Bhrigu-valli. Sri Shankaracharya’s (788-820 CE) commented on the Taittiriya Upanishad and “the fact that he cited from it 147 times in his Brahma-Sutra-Bhashya speaks volumes for its authoritativeness.” (Sarvananda, Taittiriyopanishad 5)

Before Sri Shankaracharya, the idea of Advaita or nondualistic philosophy existed because it is as old as Rig Veda itself, but the formulation of a complete and compact philosophical structure, expounding its metaphysics, ontology, cosmology, logic, and epistemology, was entirely his contribution.

Swami Tattwamayananda, currently the Minister of the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco, (originally founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) served in various centers of the Ramakrishna Order in India as editor, publisher, and teacher of Sanskrit, Advaitic texts such as Sri Shankaracharya's commentaries on the 'Prasthanatraya' (the fundamental Sanskrit texts of Vedanta philosophy), Buddhism and Indian philosophy. He underwent traditional training in Hindu scriptures, Sanskrit, Vedic and Vedantic literature for many years, from his early days. Before coming to the United States in January 2012 he was teaching Sanskrit, Vedantic scriptures and Indian philosophy at the Training center in Belur Math, the institution that trains the monks of the Ramakrishna Order at the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata, India. Apart from his traditional education, the Swami has also received modern University education in English literature, psychology, European history, and Western philosophy. He is frequently invited for lectures on Yoga, Vedanta, and traditional Hindu scriptures and for participating in interfaith dialogues.

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Works Cited:
Sarvananda, Swami. Taittiriyopanishad. Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai-4, 2015.