Consciousness and Self in Vedanta | Swami Sarvapriyananda @ University of Michigan

In this discourse, Swami Sarvapriyananda speaks at the University of Michigan on the nature of consciousness and self in Advaita Vedanta.
► Donations to support Vedanta Society of New York: bit.ly/SupportVedantaNY
Note: There are a few gaps in this video but only a few seconds in total are missing.
Web: vedantany.org
Twitter: / vedantany
Soundcloud: / vedantany
iTunes Podcast: bit.ly/vedanta-talks-itunes
Google Play: bit.ly/vedanta-talks-google-play
ABOUT VEDANTA
Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest. Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions.
ABOUT US
Vedanta Society of New York is affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India. In fact, this is the Order's first Center started by Swami Vivekananda, in 1894. It was a historic event, for the seed of the world-wide Ramakrishna Movement was sown here in New York over a century ago. Swami Sarvapriyananda is the present Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.

[@stevenmccarthy112]

This is one of the most important voices in the world today. I have found a goldmine

[@sumukhhegde7161]

Hindus have been speaking out about the "caste, cow and curry" portrayal of Hinduism in American schools-a sad legacy of continuation from the British and German highjacking of our narrative. Hindu American Foundation is an important organisation trying to set things right and place the power of narrative back to the Hindus. Kindly spread the word and do as much as you can. Thankyou.

[@khamnung-saowa]

AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasasasaasasasasassassasssassasssaaassasasasasaaassaaaaaassassssaasasaasasaaasaassasAssasasasaaaaaaaasasasasassasasasasasasasaaaassasasaaAaaAaasasassasssassasssassssasaasaassassasassssassasasasaasasassasasasasasasassSASASSASAASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASASSAASASASASASASASASASSASASASASASASASASASASASASASASSASAS

[@sarkarkitchen9467]

Truly a goldmine.

[@VijayKumar-er5jd]

@@sumukhhegde7161 2

[@sumukhhegde7161]

@Anonymous what you don't understand is that these ppl have asserted their "adhikara" as the most important dispensers of vedic knowledge without the consent of traditionalists. And they are doing injustice to our Shastras by misinterpreting it.

[@funkymoonboots1971]

One of my favourite teachers at the moment. I have recently discovered the Upanishads and feel blessed to find exactly what I wanted in a teaching. It fits perfectly with my modest but hard earnt self realisation. Many dark years have gone before me to find the light. I put my hands together in gratitude!

[@adityatiwari8826]

What are you other fav teacher... Please tell as i have started to explore this aspect of knowledge

[@RaviTrivedix]

Swami Vivekanada wrote extensively on Upanishads, so his complete works are a great collection. In terms of KZbin speakers on Upanishads - you can listen to - Sri M - Satsang Foundation, Mooji ji (channel is Moojiji). If you are reading a specfic Upanishad then search for talks on the same, and you will see many speakers. Om Shanti Shanti

[@mariechew9523]

Vincent Trull A

[@bubulg1]

@@RaviTrivedix Ravi, Happ to see that you too listen to Sarvapriyananda ji. I am a big fan of him and listen to him all the time.

[@abhishekkhandelwal3582]

Aditya Tiwari Fees days back I was at Sivananda Ashrama in Rishikesh and there attended a talk by Pochur Venkataramana from Ramana Ashrama. His talk was just amazing.

[@johnkarki3]

One of the greatest intellectual spiritual master we have with us today. The way he presents his ideas, wisdom clearly reflects how much profound knowledge he got. I wish in further days Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins and many other intellectual atheists sharing stage with Swami. I wish you a long life with full of happiness.

[@sunilkumar-ws7ld]

Omtatsat

[@tatwamasi3536]

I have a fren with your name John, it’s the evolved and realised consciousness within u that’s able to acknowledge and appreciate the higher realm of consciousness

[@theyoungindians9027]

Both Sam Harris & Richard Dawkins are intelligent people but very public oriented people. Their goal is to satisfy their ego by winning more people's appreciation than make sense of any philosophy. So both people with different goals.

[@Ramachandra-fd7mv]

Well Said.

[@Ramachandra-fd7mv]

Very much needed, infact.

[@samenderrana]

Tonight in dream I met swami ji put my forehead in swami Ji’s holy feet had talks for long time, had meals with him, amazing experience ❤️❤️❤️💐💐🌹💐🌹🌹🌹

[@glenc5185]

10:15 - The 'Hard problem of consciousness' (How can we explain first-person experience?) 19:40 - Panpsychism (Consciousness as a fundamental, irreducible constant of the universe) 25:04 - Advaita view of concsiousness (That thou art) 31:16 - Problem of 'God-centred' religions (Perfect yet uncertain existence) 34:20 - Problem of 'self-inquiry-centred' religions (Certain yet imperfect existence) 35:00 - Advaita philosophy resolves the problems (Perfect, certain existence) 38:40 - Difference between consciousness studies & other speculative sciences (Consciousness is inherent in all experiences of human life) 41:30 - Four theories of the relationship between concsiousness and its objects (Object is primary, consciousness as epiphenomenon; Consciousness is primary, matter is a product of consciousness; Matter and consciousness are both fundamental realities that interact with each other; The non-dual reality of consciousness appears as its object) 45:24 - Exploration of advaita vedanta as directly-experiencable

[@halliyahudugi]

p

[@jyotibiswas6332]

Mindblowing knowledge

[@bardoteachings]

Thank you for posting time stamps!

[@bardoteachings]

1:21:57 Why does individual ego/mind return back to awakened state as a particular manifestation presented as body-mind after each night but it never does so after death? In other words why are we not immortal? Isn't having to manifest more and more body-minds after previous expired a bit pointless? 1:27:31 How long after critical damage to physical bodya is subtle body present to be put back to physical body untill it dessolves into higher form of consciousness? So technically it's not completely impossible to have something like "sleeves" as in Altered Carbon to transfer subtle body into a different (available) physical body?

[@bethanienaylor]

What he says about nondual, I feel it so very deeply that it is true

[@kathleensutherland6593]

Good to see Swamiji at my Alma Mater. Excellent talk, as always.

[@sivakumaranbazhagan1672]

which school?

[@kathleensutherland6593]

@@sivakumaranbazhagan1672 University of Michigan (where I attended law school).

[@sivakumaranbazhagan1672]

@@kathleensutherland6593 sorry i didnt watch the video yet just too much adhd..nevermind and thx for the info.

[@hello123s]

@@sivakumaranbazhagan1672 stfu

[@hello123s]

@@kathleensutherland6593 u r replying to a 2-year-old comment.. Shows how busy u r in ur life n how much has that " law" degree paid off.. 😂😂

[@meenac6198]

On behalf of all Vedanta students I wish you a very Happy Teachers Day swami sarvapriyanandaji your Vedanta classes v v v valuable n useful you are the ideal teacher

[@nancysutton7891]

Thank you, Swami, for an even more perfect and comprehensive presentation of 'experienced truth', and it's place in this ever so 'modern' world. You are a delight to listen to, and a great blessing to have finally found. ox

[@nivita9830]

Everything one really needs to know is in this wonderful talk if one does exactly as Swamiji prescribes - hear, reason, meditate upon it. We're blessed that the Ramakrishna Order has entrusted people like Swamiji to deliver/share India's ancient scriptural teachings here in the West (btw I don't think we need to get ANY validation from Western authors/philosophers/etc. They are far from being the authority on truth and have MUCH to learn from the EAST.). India's ancient scriptures and those that teach them w/a deep understanding of their meaning (like Swamiji), are the country's true national treasures. Thank you for sharing the message of TAT TVAM ASI w/us Swamiji.

[@TheLastOutlaw289]

Everyone from Rene Descartes down aren;t really philosophers...they are western existentialsit navel gazers. Nihilists...these men have nothing to offer. They can't grasp sublime teachings which require true contemplation.

[@marymolloy562]

@@TheLastOutlaw289 the reason is that philosophy was separate from religion.

[@awesomeisasawesomedoesyo182]

Superb lecture! Thank you Swamiji.

[@rochellelisa7959]

Swami Sarvapriyananda is very eloquent and thorough covering the topic

[@seemab1397]

To have Vedanta taught so eloquently, so lucidly expounded to you when you are sitting at home, is unbelievable yet so true. What prayers, what blessing could have made this possible, I can only wonder.

[@jamesjosheph3006]

All the answers I was searching for a long time, on the basis of science and spirituality, I could receive . Let Existence help swamigy to satisfy more souls.

[@seemab1397]

This is true learning. It emancipates. Pronam to Swamiji.

[@krishnamoorthyvaradarajanv8994]

Swami...prakruti...(nature) and purusha..ie. the Chaitanya in body.. Amazing lecture, which is too big for people like us to follow/digest..🙏🙏🙏

[@drsujatavaidya7276]

Thank you for a very rational explanation for so much of all we already know...

[@hariprakashak3506]

You mentioned Dr S Radhakrishnan I feel very happy as a teacher September 5 his birthday Teacher 's day

[@dilipbhaibhavsar2948]

Pranam Pujya Swamiji. Every talk is excellent and leading us to deeper and deeper in the cave of our heart. Thank you very much.

[@LokeyeMC]

Finally reached enlightenment/bhramagyan this year and am now stumbling across Swamiji for the first time. It's wonderful to find someone who knows so much about this state. There is so much vocabulary for these experiences. Once I heard him say the words "ankara shakti" (?) which he mentioned is the word for the awareness of the ego from the background reality . Wonderful! I've lived such a long life without realizing all along that this state was possible much less that there are so many words for this state that are already mapped out and charted by Ramakrishna.

[@ramakrishnansuppiah7053]

very enlightening yet simplified. namaste and thank you swamiji

[@anagha.aniruddha16]

Namaskar Swami Sarvapriyanandaji 🙏🏻 Maharaj, I receive Shri Thakur’s blessings through your Retreats 🙏🏻 Thank you Vedanta New York 🙏🏻

[@sdbaral7721]

Though a late comer to this video I throughly appreciated your discourse and explanations. Your illustrations for a point of inquiry are clarifying and demystifying which mark a mind of academic knowledge tempered by introspection and exactness.Sincere Thanks.

[@Birbhadra011]

Always a pleasure to listen to Swamiji. From far above the space, if we look at Earth, we will not see it, only open space. If we get little closer it would be a speck of dust moving around in the space. We will find it static and would not be able to see the movement inside it. As we draw nearer and nearer to the Earth, we will see its outer sphere but not the movements inside. But as we come into the earth biosphere, we start to see planes, mountains, oceans and jungles. As we come nearer to the ground we see all type of movement of human and animals as we focus ourselves further, we start to see the insects. Further down we start to observe atoms and molecules and further down, at one point, nothing except the open space. Therefore, as an ultimate reality the Earth is made up of nothing, but it appears to be object for a short while when we are at an appropriate distance of Earth in space. Therefore, we and all the objects including the Earth is just the projection of empty space as objects. Because we are seeing, touching, smelling, testing and hearing it, we are separate from it. That means we are different from those objects (projections) including our body that we see and perceive around us.

[@ssk1117]

Amazing teaching... No words🙏

[@anudeeparakkathara5520]

1:02:07, “you have to switch it off sir”.Firm and polite in a single sentence.🙏

[@kris13iam]

Hard to believe university students aren't educated enough to know to turn off their phones before the lecture

[@idstersha]

Your teaching is valuable...thank you...one day the world will think advaita...

[@reversefulfillment9189]

You crushed that talk Swamiji! Mindblower bro. Thankyou.

[@sarahmoore403]

My God I am in love with this swamiji. Such and important voice.

[@lakshman19902000]

pranams swami sarvapriyanandaji- we are all fortunate to listen to his various lectures- modern Vivekananda

[@myvideo12all]

You are a great genius. Your vocabulary is exemplary!💐

[@vanamatrika..]

Wonderful.... it is like almost hearing swamiji in sarvapriyananda maharaj....

[@desertportal353]

"Those who believe in emptiness are incurable" Nagarjuna About belief vs direct experience as experienced by the Self.

[@jaydevnathsharma4425]

Namaste Swamiji

[@sadcapyyoutube]

Knowledge Beyond Bounds

[@pasupathil4113]

Swamiji is enlighting number of Commen people like me by realising us that we are all Bhramam which is existence knowledge and bliss.Pranam swamiji.

[@desertportal353]

So thorough and encompassing !!!

[@kamleshsrivastava3342]

My 40year's scattered search of complete knowledge of self and selfless ends here today. I will try to connect to lotus feet of Shri. Sarvpriyanandaji for rest of my life. Hope he will allow my efforts. Om !

[@jigyanshushrivastava6153]

Brilliant... Sir... Hamare yaha par advet vedanta ki class honi chahiye...

[@chaitalimantri1467]

My Guru My Teacher Happy Teachers Day 💐

[@chalanidesilva2255]

learned so much listening to this Swami, thanks so much Swami

[@kavithaprabhu84]

🙏🏼 Jai Ramakrishna 🦢

[@KaziNasir]

You was totally absorbed. You are a brilliant teacher 🙏

[@FriendlyMom]

My fav Vedanta teacher

[@krishnabakshi6405]

Pranaam Swamiji!

[@Kassam786]

Swami Sarvapriyanada's talks are always inspiring. However, to gain a deeper experiential insight into the core idea of Consciousness, of which Awareness is considered as one of the dimensions; transcending the intellectual inquiry of mind to directly experience Consciousness (SatChitAnanda) is imperative according to the ancient Indian subcontinent spiritual wisdom traditions.

[@vish2553]

Please watch/read Swamy Dhayanda Saraswathi Ji articles, videos on this. Sat Chit and Ananda( btw it’s not bliss, it is Poornam from limitlessness) are all one and same. Thanks 🙏

[@artsudeshnaganguly2104]

Excellent class....talk...Swami ji

[@pramodvora2067]

Swamiji, you managed in words the inexplicable! My words will be insufficient to express gratitude for the knowledge you impart to the many "souls"!

[@QuestingNeurons]

"A little space opens up between You and the Mind". Wow!

[@gireeshneroth7127]

Pure awareness associating itself with its own Sankalpas and suppositions constitute the mirage like appearances of Drashta Drisya diversities in it.

[@arijitmukherjee2532]

Awesome explanations of excellent ancient philosophies. Thank you for sharing your valuable knowledge.

[@ravidadlani1]

Thank you Swamiji. I would love to see you, Chalmers, Harris, Dennette and Hawkins debate on the same stage. ☺

[@blissfull8274]

Ravi Dadlani Lol. He’ll eat those materialists alive 🤣🔱

[@adityaSingh-gk1kw]

It would be amazing debate!

[@jackfro34]

World needs more teachers like you guruji.......and lucky are those who are able to get enlightened by recieving some drops of wisdom from the ocean of knowledge that's you.......

[@viveksanyal2773]

you are greatest like swami vivekanand ji 👍

[@anindyaarthub6724]

Never speak out before knowing anyone... Our purpose is not to judge anyone in this life but realize what we truely are.

[@soulmuzings8844]

Great video!! found you through suggested videos. I just started a KZbin Channel not long ago and very interested in the human evolution and spirituality topic. Keep following your passion and creating great content. Sending you good vibes and lots of love 💖

[@motivationalquotes3474]

Pranaam swamiji. Jay Ramkrishna

[@uwebernhard4059]

Wonderful teacher, thank you very much, may all beings live in peace

[@saiprakashk.j8000]

Beautiful

[@BhupendraTamu]

Extraordinary 🙏🙏🙏

[@HopeForPeaceNow]

Fantastic. wonderful. SO clear. thank you.

[@handymujizati861]

Amazing knowledge

[@bhagwanmishra7243]

स्वामी जी बातें समझ में तो आगयीं। किंतु उस अवस्था में धारणा नहीं टिक पातीं। अभ्यास साधना श्रवण मनन निधिध्यासन करने पड़ेंगे। लौकिक सुखों को प्राप्त करने में लगा हुआ मन बुद्धि इन्द्रिय आत्म चेतना को भूल जाता है।सादर चरणस्पर्श

[@the_real_hacker_]

Good lecture 🙏🏻 It's good that the gaps have been acknowledged in the description

[@milagrosalexander7210]

Such an amazing spiritual teacher. Thanks Swami ji❤

[@sujathasujatha9060]

Vedanta basically it is explained in a very simple and in a easy way 🌹 Pranam Swami ji 🙏 Those who want to enter in this ocean it's really encouraging ❤️❤️

[@jameskuttyjoseph656]

Such a subtle subject. How nicely Swamigy explains! Only we have to hear that repeatedly.

[@TheEntreHub]

My Hero.....Back with a bang,😁

[@lencoller6477]

What a. Wonderful explanation of spirit, succinct, vocabulary outstanding he makes it so easy to understand,but now to work. Thanks swami ❤️

[@arunmanna2676]

Thanks

[@TheGuiltsOfUs]

Powerful!

[@atman4437]

brilliant no words to thank you

[@Ramachandra-fd7mv]

Superb.

[@frankfeldman6657]

Love this man. Solace of my old age.

[@devotee6863]

Swamiji...

[@jalajamenon8664]

Thank you very very much Swamiji🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@anupkalyani1643]

Excellent 😊😊😊

[@jsg465]

thank u swami ji

[@parijat51]

..it is a great surprise to me while listening (श्रवण) to Res. swamiji...that I know that what Swamiji speaks about..The Truth... Namaste to Swamiji🪔

[@pampasadhukhan9006]

Brilliant

[@noneall]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@mtomat007]

love you Swamiji ♥️

[@hope4652]

This was mindblowing!

[@rosappan]

Namaskaram Guru 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@tolifeandlearning3919]

Thank you Swami ji

[@shrinivashukeri447]

Great explanation

[@maheshsuryawanshi3596]

Existence Conscious Bliss

[@tmprasadtm5148]

Jai shree gurudev

[@Vision_Of_Realities]

Jai Sri Ramakrishna 🙏🌺

[@ramita5565]

' they lead to the same goal but afterwards again different...." 😀😄

[@sheilaroy5376]

🙏🙏🙏

[@haradhandhak6145]

Hari 🕉 pronam sawmije

[@souravsinghrajawat533]

Superv

[@lazaroortiz9546]

Great learning experience and definitely a great lecture. I was thinking this; when you (anyone) say GOD I think it is better to consider telling your understanding about GOD before going into any debate or going into any explanation. What do you mean by GOD? Like any other things, GOD is also an understanding which includes both intuitive and conceptual knowledge and it is different in different people. GOD cannot be defined as it is beyond understanding and it doesn’t fit in the framework of any concept.

[@rajeevranjan-nz4xw]

Salutations!

[@jayantdiwan9220]

1:00:00 Consciousness is not good or bad, happy or unhappy

[@abhishekshah11]

Subjectivity is often a hot topic because of it's very nature, different subjects will express their different opinions on the matter. The purpose of meditation is to see things as they are and not delude yourself. A false belief can drive your life to the ground or maybe if you're lucky enough, save you from a threatening situation. What is the subjective experience? To answer that question let us examine in which other place we find the subjective experience other than our awakened state and i.e. the dream state. Dreams feel just as real as reality unless you realize something isn't quite happening as you expected and then a contradiction arises in your brain that wakes you up to the possibility that you are probably dreaming. Reality has no contradictions, at least none that I'm aware of and if you're thinking about black holes, I'm no expert on that matter so it's best you investigate it further on your own. But what is it about the dream state that makes it so interesting? It is the causation of real sensations in your subjective experience. If you are being chased by an animal in a dream, it will emerge a real fear in your experience. You might make voluntary body movements during this time as your body tries to work out what your 'conscious brain' is telling it to. This part of the brain is called the subconscious brain which is far more powerful than your conscious brain. It is the brain of your body as it forms the basis of your perceptions and habits. This part of the brain will inevitably ink your perceptions and will be responsible for what conscious states take preference in your waking life. Now consider this picture, your consciousness constitutes of a few networks of neurons which is linked to your subconscious mind networks. The conscious network takes as input the subconscious network feed and as output takes the shape of a certain configuration that again in turn signals other parts of your body, networks connected with other parts of your body to change their configurations and thus giving the sensation of a stream of consciousness as coined by William James. Let's smell a rose now. A rose has certain chemicals that will cause the olfactory system to create a response and this response will register as a non-threatening experience and then transmit into your conscious network. This network then forms a configuration which is based on the upbringing/perceptions/molding as the person grew up. Maybe he liked the rose because of a genetic precursor or maybe he disliked it due to an allergic reaction, whatever the case, the conscious network configures itself in a certain way that is unique to the individual. Other parts of the body might pick up on this, lets say the hand picks up on this and moves in a gesture demonstrating how pleasant it feels to smell the rose. Ultimately, every experience is a vast interconnected orchestra of the brain and rest of the nervous system. Even pain. It is easy to get misled into believing that mind is separate from the body as Rene Descartes pointed out. A lot of people have accepted the view that reality is a projection of their conscious networks and this is a false belief. How can a person in their right mind come to this conclusion is beyond me unless they were in a deeply altered state of consciousness which changed the way their brain networks wire more or less permanently as have been seen by the use of magical mushrooms.

[@pingaligopal5205]

Awesome 👏👏👏👏

[@pingaligopal5205]

Certainty plus perfection🙏🙏🙏

[@kabrakabra]

Excellent teacher, beautiful human being, amazing talk....thank you!!

[@prince.8022]

Even Thompson British Columbia on philosophy is great admiration of Upanishads

[@ilonkaleibfried2142]

Beauty and bliss 😁🙏🥰

[@meerabhide4888]

हरिःऊँ, प्रणाम.स्वामीजी।