April 2000
Vedanta Society of Portland
The following are the Society's services and special events for this month. Except where noted, all lectures are given by Swami Shantarupananda.
All are welcome.


Sunday Mon.  Tuesday Wed. Thursday Fri. Sat.
  1
 
 

 
2
 11:00 AM Service
Mind and its Functions		 3 4
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
The Gospel of
Sri Ramakrishna

 5
 
 

 

 6
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
Viveka Chudamani

 7
 

 

 8
 
 
 

 
9
 11:00 AM Service
Rama and Ramayana		 10 11
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
The Gospel of
Sri Ramakrishna

 12
 12 Noon  Special
Celebration:
Ram Navami		 13
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
Viveka Chudamani

 14

 

 15
 
 

 
16
 11:00 AM Service
Jainism: Its 
Theory and Practice		 17 18 19 20
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
Viveka Chudamani

 21 22
 9:50 AM  Arrival
of visiting Swami:
Swami Smaranananda
23
 11:00 AM Service
Peace in Daily Life
 - Swami Smaranananda		 24 25

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
The Gospel of
Sri Ramakrishna

 26

 

 27
 10:29 AM  Departure
of visiting Swami

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
Viveka Chudamani

 28

 

 29

 
30
 11:00 AM Service
Holy Mother
Swami Aseshananda (video)		  

 
Special Celebration
April 12 Ram Navami 12 Noon

 
Special Program

Swami Smaranananda
General Secretary of the Ramakrishna Order
Visit to the Vedanta Society of Portland
Saturday, April 22 (United Airlines Express #6864)
Leaves: Seattle 9:00 AM
Arrives Portland 9:50 AM
Sunday, April 23
11 AM - Lecture in the Chapel
Peace in Daily Life
6:30 PM - Holy Mother's House
(for ladies only)
Meditation, Question/Answer, Dinner
Monday, April 24
12 Noon - Retreat Temple at Scappoose
Meditation, Talk, Lunch
Visit to the Shrines
Tuesday, April 25
7:30 PM  - in the Foyer
Reading from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
Question/Answer Session with the visiting Swami
Wednesday, April 26
2:30 PM  Leave from the Temple
Sight-seeing (Multnomah Falls)
Thursday, April 27 (United Airlines #382)
10:29 AM  Leaves Portland for Toronto, Canada

Personal

Swami Shantarupananda gave a lecture on "Hinduism" at Evergreen High School, Vancouver, Washington on Wednesday, March 15 at 7:25 AM.

Swami Shantarupananda will visit the Vedanta Societies of San Francisco and Sacramento from April 28 to May 1.  He will attend the Centenary Celebration of Shanti Ashrama.
 
 

New Booklet

The Last Disciple of Holy Mother: Reminiscences of Swami Aseshananda,
by Swami Shantarupananda.

It is a short booklet on the life of Swami Aseshananda written with depth of feeling and insight. Those who knew Swami Aseshananda will be reminded of his dedicated life, and those who never met him will be charmed by reading about his simple life permeated with depth of spirituality.

Price $2.95. Postage extra.
 

You and your friends are cordially welcome to attend the services.



Vedanta is a sanskrit word which literally means 'the end of the Vedas' - the Vedas being the scriptures of the Hindus.  The Vedas are divided into two main portions: the work-portion, which describes how one should work and do worship, and the knowledge-portion.  Included in the knowledge-portion are those books which deal with spirituality and philosophy.  These books are called the Upanishads, or the Vedanta.  Veda means 'knowledge'; therefore, Vedanta also means 'the end of knowledge,' or 'the highest knowledge.'  It is claimed that at least six thousand years ago this body of spiritual knowledge was experienced and discovered in India by its sages and seers.

The principles of Vedanta are impersonal, universal and eternal.  They are about God, soul, and the world.  Vedanta teaches that each soul is potentially divine - the infinite ocean of Existence, Knowledge and Bliss.  The goal of human life is to manifest this innate divinity through meditation (Raja yoga), devotion (Bhakti yoga), selfless action (Karma yoga), and discrimination (Jnana yoga).  Vedanta preaches the unity of the Godhead and accepts every faith as a valid means to realize God.  As the Rig Veda, the oldest scripture of the Hindus, declares, "Truth is One; sages call it by various names."  Vedanta is a religion, a philosophy, and a way of life.

In modern times the eternal vedic truths were re-experienced and re-discovered by Sri Ramakrishna (1836 - 1886).  He also practiced other religions and came to the same conclusion as is mentioned in the Rig Veda, that "As many faiths, so many paths."