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$1,500.00
HSF5002 - (MAH– Core, Required Course) The Bhagavad Gita is a moksha-shastra, a sacred text that reveals the vision of the Upanisads. In that vision one is, in reality, whole and complete, the truth of all that is. Knowing this fulfills the fundamental human aspiration for the fulfillment, freeing one from the problem of seeking, here or in the hereafter. It is also a yoga-sastra, a sastra that teaches not only the prerequisites to gaining this vision but the means for acquiring them. For students curious to know how to study Bhagavad Gita, this Introduction to Bhagavadgita course will explore both aspects of this sastra through selected verses, to arrive at a comprehensive and consistent overview of the Bhagavad Gita.
Admission to the program of study.
In this course students will be able to:
The non-dual vision presented in the Gita has its origin in the Upanishads, where it is revealed through a teacher-student dialogue. Consistent with this, the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita are delivered through a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna. Unlike the Upanisads, the Gita discusses at length the participants in this dialogue.
The Gita also goes much further than the Upanisads in expanding the discussion of the philosophical teachings, approaching them from a variety of perspectives, sometimes precipitated by a question from Arjuna. Its uniqueness, however, lies in its elaboration of the necessary conditions for understanding its core teaching, and the means, including Ashtanga Yoga, for creating those conditions.
Our inquiry into the vision of the Bhagavad Gita presented in this course is based on the commentary of Sankara, the principal exponent of non-duality, advaita. Sankara’s is the earliest extant commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, and arguably the most consistent, as will be demonstrated in the course introduction to Bhagavadgita. of our study through an examination of paradoxical verses. As we proceed, we will also gain a clear understanding of the meaning of moksha, karma yoga, bhakti, and meditation, as presented in the Gita. And throughout the course, we will see, over the shoulders of Arjuna, the relevance of the teachings of the Gita to our lives today.
The class will meet for one and half hours, twice a week and will be composed of lectures, class discussions. Students are expected to keep up with reading and writing assignments in order to participate effectively in class.
$1,500.00
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