Q&A session lead by Swami Sarvapriyananda as part of a spiritual retreat at the Vedanta Society of New York on February 9th, 2020.

List of Questions with Timestamps:

5:07 - 1) To whom does enlightenment happen if we are already Brahman? 2) How can we be responsible for all the pain and suffering if we are already Brahman? 3) How can Brahman have no characteristics?

37:50 - If we have family, friends, and relationships can we also reach enlightenment? Can we have both?

41:05 - How can Maya be both real and unreal?

45:58 - How to reconcile the ultimate reality with Maya?

54:20 - A discussion on free will inspired by the Bhagavad Gita.

1:07:53 - 1) Does the Vedanta philosophy evolve? 2) Do new insights from science get integrated?

1:21:00 - Can you say more about the differences between Buddhist teaching and Vedanta teaching?

1:34:18 - Can we not measure in a quantitative way how much we understand?

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ABOUT VEDANTA

Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest. Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions.

ABOUT US

Vedanta Society of New York is affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India. In fact, this is the Order's first Center started by Swami Vivekananda, in 1894. It was a historic event, for the seed of the world-wide Ramakrishna Movement was sown here in New York over a century ago. Swami Sarvapriyananda is the present Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.