May 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
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
The Gospel of
Sri Ramakrishna

 3
 
 

 

 4
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
Viveka Chudamani

 5
 

 

 6
 
 
 

 
7
 11:00 AM Service
Advaita Philosophy of Shankara		 8
 Special Celebration:
Sri Shankaracharya 12 Noon (worship)

 7:30 PM (reading)

 9
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
The Gospel of
Sri Ramakrishna

 10 11
 
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
Viveka Chudamani

 12

 

 13
 
 

 
14
 11:00 AM Service
Buddha and His Message		 15 16 17 18
 Special Celebration:
Lord Buddha
 12 Noon (worship)
 

 7:30 PM (reading)
 

 19 20
21
 11:00 AM Service
Science, Religion and Spirituality		 22 23

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
The Gospel of
Sri Ramakrishna

 24

 

 25
 

 7:30 PM Scripture Class
Viveka Chudamani

 26

 

 27
 Retreat:
 12 Noon
 Lecture:
As many Faiths, so many Paths
28
 11:00 AM Service
Vedanta and the West		 29 30
 
 

7:30 PM Lecture:
Spiritual Life
Swami Aparananda
 

 31  

 
Special Celebrations
May 8 Sri Shankara 12 Noon, 7:30 PM
May 18 Lord Buddha 12 Noon, 7:30 PM
Retreat: 12 Noon
May 27 Worship, Meditation, Lecture:  As many Faiths, so many Paths
Potluck and Slide Show

 
Visiting Swami

Swami Aparananda
Head of the Vedanta Society of Berkeley
Tuesday, May 30 Arrives
7:30 PM Lecture: Spiritual Life
Saturday, June 3  Departs

 

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.

Audio Cassette Tapes of Swami Aseshananda

Tapes of Swami's lectures are $5.99 each or $60 for the entire set of eleven titles.  Titles available are:

Holy Mother

Steps to Illumination

Three Great Blessings

Katha Upanishad

Raja Yoga

Holy Company
(evening readings)

Companion of Sri Krishna
(Reminiscences of Swami Brahmananda)

Divine Life
(Reminiscences of Swami Shivananda)

The Message of Swami Yogananda

Divine Love
(Reminiscences of Swami Premananda)

A Knower of God
(Reminiscences of Swami Vijnanananda)

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."