How to Attain Enlightenment: The Vision of Nonduality

by James Swartz

Overview

This complete guide to enlightenment presents the wisdom of the ancient science of self-inquiry, a time-tested means for achieving spiritual freedom. The author convincingly refutes the popular view that enlightenment is a unique state of consciousness and debunks a host of other myths. In his straightforward style he reveals proven methods for purifying the mind, and takes the reader from the beginning to the end of the spiritual path, patiently unfolding the logic of self-inquiry.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781591810940
Publisher:	Sentient Publications
Publication date:	02/16/2010
Pages:	317
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

James Swartz grew up in Montana and attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and the University of California at Berkeley before finding his niche in the world of business. He saw great success as a businessman, but in 1967 he experienced a major epiphany that turned him away from that path. Instead, he traveled to India on a spiritual journey, searching for the path to enlightenment. It was here that he learned of the famous Indian sage Swami Chinmayananda, whose knowledge and teachings proved to be the means to set James free. Now a disciple of the sage, James travels extensively to cities in America, Europe, and India to hold seminars on Vedanta, the science of self-inquiry. He provides resources for understanding non-duality through his website, www.shiningworld.com. James has previously self-published two non-fiction books: Meditation: An Inquiry into the Self (1998) and The Mystery Beyond the Trinity (1998).

Table of Contents

Introduction xi

1 Inquiry into Object Happiness 1

Security, Pleasure and Virtue 1

Subject and Object 3

Limitation of Object Happiness 5

Removing the Wall 5

Object Happiness Not Permanent 7

A Zero-Sum Game 7

The Fourth Pursuit - Freedom from Limitation 8

2 What is Enlightenment? 3

The Path of Experience 9

The Path of Knowledge 15

The Value of a Means of Knowledge 20

Enlightenment Myths 21

No Mind, Blank Mind, Empty Mind, Stopped Mind 22

No Ego, Ego Death 24

Nirvana 27

The Now 28

Experience of Oneness 30

Transcendental State 31

Enlightenment as Eternal Bliss 32

Levels of Enlightenment 33

Enlightenment Is a Special Status 38

Enlightenment as Energy 39

Fulfillment of All Desires 40

3 The Means of Knowledge 42

What Self Inquiry Is Not 43

Importance of a Teacher 63

Listening, Reflecting, Contemplating 64

4 Qualifications 68

An Open Mind 70

A Reasonable Mind 70

A Discriminating Mind 71

A Dispassionate Mind 72

A Disciplined, Observant Mind 73

Self Duty 75

A Patient, Forbearing Mind 76

A Balanced Mind 76

A Motivated Mind 77

A Believing Mind 78

A Devoted Mind 79

A Masculine Temperament 79

The Teacher 80

The Grace of God 84

5 The Self 85

6 Obstructions 91

Extroversion of Mind 91

The Causal Body 97

Microcosmic Ignorance 101

The Subtle Body 102

Ego and the Inner Enemies 104

The Separation 104

Desire 105

Inner Conflict 105

7 Inquiry Into Karma and Dharma 107

There Is No Doer 107

The Factors Involved in Action 108

Knowledge Causes Karma 109

Action in Inaction and Inaction in Action 111

Karma and Dharma 113

Three Kinds of Karma 119

Karma, Vasanas and Reincarnation 120

8Inquiry into Practice 123

Karma Yoga 131

9 Love 139

Special Relationships 139

The Soul Mate 141

Marriage 142

A Different Kind of Marriage 143

Converting Emotion into Devotion 145

Spiritual Practice and Psychological Work 147

Devotion 147

Karma Yoga as Devotion 154

Devotional Dispositions 154

Devotional Conversion Identities 158

Primary Devotion 162

10 The Assimilation of Experience 165

The Ropes 165

Enlightenment and the Assimilation of Experience 169

How Can I Get a Pure Mind? 180

The Value of Values 185

11 Lifestyle 191

People, Food, Sex and Money 191

Money 192

Sex 193

Diet and Lifestyle 197

The Rajas-Tamas Complex 201

12 Knowledge Yoga 215

The Methodology of Inquiry 220

The Practice of Knowledge 221

Cause and Effect 224

The Real and the Apparent 226

Essential and Non-Essential 228

Change and Changelessness 229

Subject-Object 230

The Three States 231

The Five Sheaths 236

Why There Is Only You 238

The Location of Experience 239

Nothing Ever Happened 240

The Opposite Thought 242

Name and Form 246

The Mirror of Awareness 246

Something to Work Out 247

13 Meditation 248

The Arrested Mind 250

Happy Thoughts 250

Mantra Meditation 251

Insight Meditation 252

The Gap 253

Meditation Practice 254

An Excellent Technique 255

The Breath 256

The Silence 257

14 After and Beyond Enlightenment 260

Pseudo-Enlightenment or Enlightenment Sickness 261

The Liberated Person 266

More or Less Enlightened? 270

Beyond Enlightenment 272

15 The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi 274

16 Neo-Advaita 304

Multi-Path Confusion 305

Ramana Maharshi, Osho, Papaji and the Rise of Neo-Advaita 306

Neo-Advaita Versus Traditional Vedanta 307

No Teacher, Seeker, Path, Knowledge or Ignorance 309

Being Present, Dropping Suffering 309

Qualifications for Enlightenment 311

I Am Not the Doer 311

Importance of Karma Yoga for Self Inquiry 312

Devotion to God 313

Where's the Methodology? 314

Seeking Emotional Fulfillment 316

About the Author 319

Editorial Reviews

Sentient Publications presents its next best-seller, How to Attain Enlightenment:The Vision of Nonduality by acclaimed author James Schwartz, who offers his ample wisdom on the ancient teachings of 'Vedanta.'

In Hinduism, Vedanta is a system of philosophy that further develops the connotation in the philosophies that add to the theology of ancient Hinduism.

In his first chapter, Inquiry into Object Happiness Schwartz holds the key to what it means to discover enlightenment… rather, a higher sense of awareness and consciousness to receive guidance and be in unison with the power of the Universe:

'What we call reality is governed by the uncertainly principle,' writes Schwartz, 'Because our source of food, animal or vegetable, is unconcerned about our need to survive, we are forced to either pursue it or cultivate it. Shelter does not simply happen on its own but requires effort to obtain.' The same principle holds true in what he further elaborates that even when material needs have been met, individuals often find that they are still not completely fulfilled or satisfied in their lives—this is where having and maintaining a state of Vedanta helps soul seekers to be at one with the self and with the Universe, regardless of life circumstances.

If you are on a quest for wisdom and are ready to manifest a heightened state of consciousness so that you can become liberated and freed from the limitations that negate your personal and spiritual happiness, then gain the knowledge you need that Schwartz offers in his book How to Attain Enlightenment through a vast array of teachings, meditations, and more.

CarolAnnB

The Vision of Nonduality explains methods of Vedanta in his survey of spiritual techniques, pairing theory with practice and explaining the myths and realities behind an enlightened state. From reflections on moving to a larger living space and clutter to assimilating experiences, How to Attain Enlightenment is a powerful survey any new age library needs.

The Bookwatch

Would you like to learn how to attain enlightenment? Well regardless of the semantics of whether enlightenment is something to be attained, welcome to the enlightenmentdudes.com review of How to Attain Enlightenment by James Swartz.

This really is a handbook of enlightenment. He covers what enlightenment is not, such as not an experiential state, and then gets into what enlightenment is. He talks about qualifications, or a background of spiritual maturity the seeker needs to have. And he explains what self inquiry really is.

Swartz also spends time debunking enlightenment myths and exposing the inaccuracy of the teachings of neo-advaita (primarily western) instant enlightenment spiritual teachers.

The book reminded me of how it is to enter a relationship. It started off well, but then you reach a point where you ask yourself whether you want to go on. There was a period where I was wondering what kind of point he was trying to make and if it was actually going anywhere. Like weathering a relationship through the tough times, I went on, and I’m glad it did.

Swartz is very funny in parts of the book, and it was refreshing to see a guy write in a fashion that uses descriptive terms that don’t have you reading the words consciousness, awareness or pure being in every paragraph. There are too many spiritual books full of that crap, and Swartz is a very pleasant departure from that.

The writer has a very keen understanding of self inquiry and other methods on the spiritual path, and he discusses the benefits of each. Swartz spent considerable time in India learning self-inquiry and has a chapter dedicated to questions about Ramana Maharshi. Swartz’s teacher was not a Ramana follower so there are areas where he differentiates from Ramana. He also discusses how one’s lifestyle has a major impact on enlightenment and he differentiates terms awakening and enlightenment as being two different things.

Overall, if you can get through the slow parts, this is an excellent and comprehensive book. You’ll realize when you get through it that slow parts actually were part of a plan and have importance. Enlightenmentdudes.com highly recommends this book, and gives it an 8 out of 10 on our infinity scale.

Enlightenmentdudes.com

Though based on the ancient wisdom and knowledge of Vedanta, it comes as a breath of fresh air. A biased outlook may regard this information as old and musty, but the modern perspective displays a new approach to this gleaming and invaluable treasure.

Any worldly and material knowledge is incomplete, for it is merely a minuscule part of the whole Universe. But self-knowledge, which emphasizes oneness and the non-dual, presents knowledge which is complete and whole.

This book goes through the entire gamut of topics covered by the Vedas, making use of yoga, detachment, the ego, karma, dharma, love, meditation and much more, to bring about an inner growth, wherein is visible the enlightened and luminous self.

East and West Magazine

How to Attain Enlightenment explains and focuses on Vedanta, the science of self-inquiry, and considers the myths behind the state of enlightenment and its connections to happiness. The ancient teachings of Vedanta form a foundation of knowledge and practice that has questioned the nature of reality itself, and this survey of love, lifestyle, experience and more offers a fine survey perfect for new age libraries.

Midwest Book Review