Vedantic Philosophy Through Time
This course introduces students to the rich diversity of philosophical traditions within the Vedānta school of Indian thought. After first acquainting ourselves with the three scriptural "pillars” of Vedānta—namely, the Upaniṣads, the Bhagavad-Gītā, and the Brahmasūtra—we will learn about the different classical philosophical traditions of Vedānta, including Advaita Vedānta, Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta, Dvaita Vedānta, and various schools of Bhedābheda Vedānta. We will also discuss key passages from the Īśā Upaniṣad and the Bhagavad-Gītā, exploring how these scriptures have been interpreted by traditional and modern commentators. Finally, we will examine how the Vedāntic tradition has evolved over time by focusing on the modern Vedāntic worldviews of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda and comparing them with
earlier Vedāntic traditions.