/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.18953865]

any book(s) that give a comprehensive overview of shankara's thought?

[Anonymous No.18953914]

It's better to just read his commentaries, starting with his Upanishad commentaries, no secondary literature will ever give you the same depth of understanding that you can get from just reading his works, which are quite readable once you get the vocabulary down (which may require reading an intro book first) and acquire a feel for his prose.

If you had to choose a secondary work, I'd recommend Sharma's "The Advaita Tradition in Indian Philosophy" or Deutsch's "Advaita Vedanta, a Philosophical Reconstruction". Guenon's "Man and His Becoming According to the Vedanta" is a good short book that helps introduce many of the terms and ideas encountered in Shankara's writings, although it's not as systematic of an overview of his thought as the former two books are.

[Anonymous No.18953917]

>>18953865
Bump.

[Anonymous No.18953922]

>>18953914
Thanks a ton man. As an Indian American, I'm having to learn most of what's left of my culture for myself, so this helps a lot.

[Anonymous No.18954081]

>>18953914
sharma is outdated and dogmatic, better to read something more well rounded

i recommend hirst, Samkara's Advaita Vedanta: A Way of Teaching. it's highly recommended by shankara's main fans on /lit/ and a good well rounded coverage.

[Anonymous No.18954194]

>>18953922
Not that anon but same, I wasn't properly introduced to Hindu/Dharmic thought as a child so I had to learn it as an adult. Tha nkfully, the threads on Hindu literature on this board are really helpful and easy going. I believe Sri Shankaracharya wrote a commentary on Atma-Bodha that might interest you. Best of luck anon

[Anonymous No.18954244]

Inb4 careful poster

[Anonymous No.18955012]

>>18953922
How do I learn devanagari anon? plz help.

[Anonymous No.18955036]

Remember that anon who would advise people against shankara anytime he was mentioned? That was a fun character
>>18954244 knows

[Anonymous No.18955418]

>>18953865
Mandukya Upanishad/karika.

If you read this, you won't need to read any other work by or on shankara.

[Anonymous No.18956874]

>>18955418
this one? https://www.amazon.com/Mandukya-Upanishad-Gaudapadas-Shankaras-Commentary/dp/8175050225

[Anonymous No.18956894]

>>18955012
carefully

[Anonymous No.18956954]

>>18953865
Gaudapada-karika (‘Gaudapada's comment’) ―A review of the Mandukia-upanishad (one of the 108 Upanishad), of only 13 verses―

[Anonymous No.18957038]

>>18953865

[Anonymous No.18957087]

I found this
https://arshabodha.org/wp-content/uploads/abc/teachings/adiShankara/AtmaBodha.pdf
Can anyone explain to me why such comprehensive commentaries are required for something so seemingly straightforward?

[Anonymous No.18957874]

>>18955418
>If you read this, you won't need to read any other work by or on shankara.
It’s essential, but the rest of his Upanishad commentaries are very important too. The text of the Karikas and Shankara’s commentary on it both cite Upanishadic texts, and it helps one grasp what is being talked about if you’ve already read some of his other Upanishad commentaries.

>>18956874
Yes, but you can also order pic related on amazon or Vedanta.com and in 2 volumes it contains the Gaudapada Karika and Shankara’ commentary on it, as well as 8 out of 10 of Shankara’s Upanishad commentaries.

[Anonymous No.18957890]

>>18957874
>pic related
this picture I meant

[Anonymous No.18958215]

>>18953865
why waste your time with crypto buddhism when you just can read actual buddhist literature without all the dogmatic idiosyncrasy and faulty metaphysics?

[Anonymous No.18958969]

>>18958215
>why study superior Vedantic metaphysics over soul-denying NPCddhism?
Because, as a wise man once said:

From whatever new points of view the Buddha's system is tested with reference to its probability, it gives way on all sides, like the walls of a well, dug in sandy soil. It has, in fact, no foundation whatever to rest upon and hence the attempts to use it as a guide in the practical concerns of life are mere folly. Moreover Buddha, by propounding the three mutually contradicting systems, teaching respectively the reality of the external world, the reality of ideas only and general nothingness, has himself made it clear that he was a man given to make incoherent assertions or else that hatred of all beings induced him to propound absurd doctrines by accepting which they would become thoroughly confused…Buddha’s doctrine has to be entirely disregarded by all those who have a regard for their own happiness."

- Sri Śaṅkarācārya (pbuh), Brahmasūtrabhasya 2.2.32.

[Anonymous No.18958986]

>>18958969
>buddhism has no foundation to rest upon
says the cryptobuddhist who based his own philosophy on buddhism, why was shankara so confused?