About this episode
Swami Sarvapriyananda has been Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York since January 6, 2017. Prior to this, he served as assistant minister of the Vedanta Society of Southern California for 13 months, beginning on December 3, 2015. Swami joined the Ramakrishna Math and Mission in 1994 and received Sannyas in 2004. Before being posted to the VSSC’s Hollywood Temple, Swami served as an acharya (teacher) of the monastic probationers’ training center at Belur Math. He has served the Ramakrishna Math and Mission in various capacities including being the Vice Principal of the Deoghar Vidyapith Higher Secondary School, Principal of the Shikshana Mandira Teacher Education College at Belur Math, and the first Registrar of the Vivekananda University at Belur Math. Website: vedantany.org Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Transcripts of this interview: English Chinese Finnish Swami Sarvapriyananda on the Ethical Foundations of Nondual Spirituality Interview recorded March 3, 2018. YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump 00:03:51 - Upanishads and Vedanta 00:07:54 - The Philosophy of Non-Duality 00:12:07 - The Expression of Ultimate Truth in Hinduism 00:16:27 - The Duality of Bliss and Reality 00:20:21 - The Comparison between Vedanta and Particle Physics 00:24:43 - Panentheism and the Nature of Reality 00:28:51 - Advaita Vedanta as Maximally Supporting Religion 00:33:04 - Two distinct approaches to religion 00:37:34 - Overcoming Limitations with Advaita Philosophy 00:41:09 - The Cyclical Nature of Knowledge 00:44:39 - The Value of Sharing Between Science and Religion 00:48:36 - The Conflict Between Science and Religion 00:52:49 - Contributions of Advaita and Madhyamaka Buddhism 00:57:07 - The Complexity of Standardizing Instrumental Procedures 01:01:24 - Path to Enlightenment through Different Religions 01:04:55 - The Realization of Pure Essential Nature 01:08:56 - Serving Society in Vedantic Philosophy 01:12:37 - The Perspectives of Enlightened Beings 01:16:44 - The Three Stages of Spiritual Awakening 01:20:38 - The Importance of Practices and Ethical Life in Advaita Vedanta 01:25:08 - The Importance of Bhakti Yoga and Meditation 01:28:45 - The Bliss Amidst Suffering 01:32:52 - The Conduits of Spiritual Wisdom 01:36:45 - The Truth about Enlightenment and Past Karma 01:40:42 - The Three Tiers of Reality 01:44:33 - Experiencing World and Brahman Together 01:48:07 - The Differences between Kashmir Shaivism and Advaita Vedanta 01:52:24 - The Beauty and Intricacy of the World 01:56:21 - Divine Presence in You 01:59:46 - Farewell