[This is the Introduction to the latest book The Study Guide to Sanatana Dharma by Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya, which will be released imminently.] Introduction The Sanatana Dharma Study Guide was written with the purpose of helping readers to more fully grasp the teachings contained in another book that I have previously written titled Sanatana Dharma: The Eternal Natural Way. Thus, The Sanatana Dharma Study Guide is somewhat akin to the proverbial finger pointing to Truth. While the finger, too, has value, its purpose is to help steer the sincere spiritual seeker to something higher than itself. Sanatana Dharma: The Eternal Natural Way is the most comprehensive and philosophically accurate accounting of the ancient path of Vedic spirituality ever written. Sanatana Dharma: The Eternal Natural Way was designed to help its readers more deeply understand the ancient spiritual tradition that known as Sanatana Dharma. This tradition has also been known by several other names and terms in the past. Some have referred to this tradition as “the Vedic tradition”, or “Yoga spirituality”, or as “Hindu-ism”. What the tradition truly is, however, is more fully known as Sanatana Dharma, which can be translated into English as “the Eternal Natural Way.” Sanatana Dharma is the most ancient spiritual tradition on Earth. It is a spiritual tradition that transcends any form of denominationalism, sectarianism, fanaticism or blind faith. This is the case because its source is not anything earthly or man-made. Rather, Sanatana Dharma is the Eternal Natural Law that has God alone as its transcendental source, and that serves as the foundational ordering principle of all reality, including the natural ordering principles of all properly functioning human societies. If we can somehow or other understand the deepest essence of what Sanatana Dharma has to offer us, and learn how to apply those teachings in our own lives, we can then know that highest Truth that will reveal to us the happiness, the positive growth, the fearlessness, the healthy well-being, and the wisdom that we have been searching for all of our lives. To truly understand Sanatana Dharma in the purest and most authentic way, however, is not the easiest of tasks. Indeed, even many of those who have been on the path of Sanatana Dharma for many years sometimes have difficulty fully understanding this tradition on its own terms. The difficulty that so many modern practitioners of Vedic and Yoga spirituality have in fully understanding their own tradition is brought about because of several factors. One of these is the fact that this tradition offers us a world-view and a philosophical system that is the most detailed, comprehensive and holistic approach to understanding reality that exists in our world. Sanatana Dharma offers us a seemingly endless universe of sacred texts that delve deeply into many aspects of spiritual culture, philosophy, arts and sciences. It offers us a depth of explanation that is not found in any other religious tradition, collection of literature, or world-view that exists. What Sanatana Dharma offers us is spiritual depth and authenticity. Sadly, these are values that our post-modern, crass consumerist culture no longer holds in the highest of esteem. Thus, Sanatana Dharma can only be fully known by the few who are willing to devote the time to truly understand it. If your approach to spiritual enquiry is to try to receive a supposed “truth” that is quick, simplistic, faddish, and based upon passing sentiment rather than thoughtful reflection - then Sanatana Dharma is not the spiritual tradition for you! But if you are seeking a path that truly offers answers to every important philosophical, cosmological, ontological and metaphysical question that you can think to ask, then Sanatana Dharma will satisfy your queries completely and without any omission. Sanatana Dharma is not just a feel-good, New Age escape. It is a vast spiritual culture, civilization, and world-view. Another reason why some have struggled to fully grasp the greatness of Vedic teachings is due to the esoteric nature of how truth is con-veyed by the tradition. Sanatana Dharma is not a do-it-yourself exercise, as many attempts at spirituality now are in the modern West. It is not something that we can ever fully teach ourselves. Rather, its deepest truths can only be revealed to us by someone who has himself penetrated those mysteries, experienced firsthand the liberating results of such spiritual discovery, and has been empowered directly by the Infinite Divine to then convey that truth to others. In other words, without the benefit of a living and qualified guru, it is practically impossible to fully understand what the Vedic scriptures are trying to convey. My book, Sanatana Dharma: The Eternal Natural Way, was specifically designed to address both of these problems, and to convey the full extent of the Vedic tradition in a way that is both complete in its treatment of the subject, as well as accessible in a living and experiential way to the modern Vedic spiritual practitioner. The Sanatana Dharma Study Guide is meant to be a companion text to my main introductory work Sanatana Dharma: The Eternal Natural Way. Therefore, ideally, both books should be studied together. If a person does not have a copy of Sanatana Dharma: The Eternal Natural Way, however, then the present book can also work as a stand-alone text to help gain a good introductory understanding of the tradition of Sanatana Dharma. How To Use This Book The book is formatted in a way to help support and deepen your understanding of Sanatana Dharma: The Eternal Natural Way. Therefore, it provides a brief and easy to understand summation of each section of the book. It also provides many scriptural references supporting the philosophical teachings that are presented in each section the book. There are also many exercises, questions, contemplations and other activities that are assigned to each section. At the end of the book is a series of twenty quizzes that can be answered either by the individual reader, or in a group setting. This book is designed to be helpful when used either by individual readers, or by study groups dedicated to discussing the book Sanatana Dharma: The Eternal Natural Way in a more formal group setting. However you choose to use The Sanatana Dharma Study Guide, it is my sincere hope that this book will help facilitate the deepening of your understanding and practice of Vedic spirituality. Aum Tat Sat Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya International Sanatana Dharma Society December 15, 2014 Omaha, Nebraska, USA dharmacentral
Posted on: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 19:28:08 +0000
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