This episode investigates notions of liberation from the traditional early and late Vedic literature, with an emphasis on the nuance that exists in the late Veda, also known as the Upanishads. In particular, we present the views of the three great commentators: Shankara, Ramanuja, and Madhva. This investigation reveals subtle and exciting differences in how the Upanishads have been interpreted, and what this means for conceptions of enlightenment. 

There are many different ideas about what enlightenment is: some come from the dogma of particular schools; some come from individuals only vaguely associated with a set of schools, etc. What follows is a list of “contemporary definitions” from teachers important to the Shala. The list is gleaned from Marianna Caplan’s very valuable book: Halfway Up the Mountain: the Error of Premature Claims to Enlightenment. Are there desires after awakening? Does liberation mean that all of my problems are going to disappear?

This episode begins the conversation about the nature of awakening. The spirit of the discussion precedes in a way that hopes to shine light on how we might be confused about the subject itself. Without trying to define enlightenment in a propositional way, we look rather at what kind of transformation it is, and investigate the idea that Awakening is a qualitative transformation such that our deepest layer of values and desires is altered. What does it mean to value something? Can we simply decide to value things that currently do not? What is the nature of the agency that we display as we aim toward liberation and act?