Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Advaita Vedanta Sets You Free

I came to James Swartz teachings because I wanted to be clear where I was going. I knew there were too many half baked, unclear, descriptions of enlightenment. I had been searching for the Truth for many years, and I finaly realized that without knowing with absolute certainty what Moksha, or enlightenment was, I would never have a true means, or direction on how to get there. 

It became absolutely crystal clear to me that I needed to get to the root of where the idea of enlightenment came from. I became only interested in who originated the knowledge of enlightenment. I knew that I needed to know their understanding. Only then would I have the goal clear! My search for the originators would take me to India and the original revealers of the knowledge. 

In that search I discovered James Swartz. What was absolutely appealing was that Swartz taught in plain American English the original teachings. I didn't need to learn Sanskrit, I didn't have to read old English or modern partial knowledge and misinterpretations. I could get the original revelations in video talks. What a Godsend!

Swartz is correct when he says that not many will come to his teachings. That is because you have to be done with experiences, including chasing bliss. You have to want the truth; the kind of truth that sets you free. The Advaita Vedanta taught in plain English according to the original revelations set me free. 

Having a heavy load of fundamental Christianity was lightened by the knowledge of Advaita Vedanta because Vedanta and Jesus aren't saying different things. The problem was that the people around Jesus could not understand what he was pointing at. They felt the power of it, but the understanding was not correctly grasped. 

Advaita Vedanta worked its knowledge and freed me of the bad Jesus theology I had absorbed. Vedanta calls Awareness "The Shinning One." As Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." His followers did not realize he was talking about the shinning one, Awareness. 

Jesus claimed he had eternal life and whomsoever followed him would also have it. He was speaking of Awareness. Unfortunatly, Jesus called Awareness his Father. He was using a metaphor that wasn't grasped. It was an excellent metaphor, but it was not understood. It wasn't the means of knowledge that Advaita Vedanta provides. 

Jesus said, "Ye judge after the flesh; but I judge no man." Who can do that? A person cannot. But when one realizes that one is Awareness and not a person, all persons are seen to be that. Everyone is essentially OK. They too are Awareness. From Awareness all are one, one essence, neither good nor bad. No one is above another. 

James Swartz makes if very clear that the original Vedanta teaching on enlightenment, moksha (freedom), is knowledge. It is knowledge that sets you free because you already are Awarness. It is only understanding this that sets you free. 

Awareness is fundamental eternal knowing. Everything in this universe subsides into, and cannot exist without awareness. Understanding that the light of everything is Awareness, is the truth. Therefore, one is is already free, already eternal, already complete, already unconditional love.

With this understanding you are free from striving for virtue. You are already pure and free. You only need the knowledge that sets you free. As Nisargadatta said, "Understanding is all."