List of teachers of Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta has had many teachers over the centuries in India and other countries. This article lists some of the major teachers. Adi Shankaracharya was the most prominent in the tradition of Advaita Vedanta to formulate its doctrine in his many works. There are many contemporary "living" teachers of advaita or non duality. Just google "advaita" and browse the results. Many are people with a clear understanding of and perhaps direct experience of non duality, few are uncompromisingly clear. Discretion is required in weeding out those that will re-inforce the illusion of the separate self and those who speak uncompromisingly and spontaneously from presence.
Sages and saints
Recent Jagadgurus of Peethams
Other teachers
- Shri Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950) the silent sage of Tamil Nadu who had a profound realization of nonduality
- Ramesh Balsekar a disciple of the late Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, a renowned Advaita master.
- Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902), disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, wrote books on four Hindu Yogas: Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga and Raja Yoga. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda contains a complete collection of transcribed lectures. He spoke at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893.
- Swami Sivananda (1887–1963) – Hindu saint who founded the Divine Life Society in Rishikesh, India. Author of more than 300 works of theology and philosophy. Bestowed sanyasa upon Swami Chidananda, Swami Krishnananda, and Swami Chinmayananda, among others. According to disciples, achieved Moksha upon death.[1]
- Swami Krishnananda (1922–2001) – Hindu saint who was the General Secretary of the Divine Life Society in Rishikesh, India from 1958 to 2001. Foremost disciple of Swami Sivananda. Author of more than 200 works of theology and philosophy. According to disciples, achieved Moksha upon death.[1][2]
- Shivarudra Balayogi (1954-) - Sage and Yogi, performed intense meditation and other spiritual practices from a young age. Teaches that Advaita is an experience, and the highest path to this experience is meditation.
- Sri Narayana Guru (1856–1928)- Vedic scholar, mystic philosopher, prolific poet and social reformer, from the present-day Kerala.
- Mannargudi Raju Sastri (1815–1903), Formed ‘The Adwaita Sabha’ for propagating the tenets of the Adwaita faith
- Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950) Bengali philosopher-sage who synthesized Advaita thought with Western philosophical theories of evolution.
- Swami Tapovan Maharaj - A virakta mahatma
- Swami Karpatri (1905–1980), a well-known sannyasi of Varanasi
- Swami Chinmayananda Jnana diksha bestowed under Sri Swami Tapovan Maharaj in Uttarkashi. Disciples founded the Chinmaya Mission. 'Chinmaya' = "pure consciousness of bliss".
- Swami Dayananda Saraswati, (c.1930-) Founder of 'Arsha Vidya' tradition. He has set up Gurukulams in Rishikesh, Coimbatore, Nagpur, Saylorsburg (USA), has taught ten long-term courses in Advaita Vedanta, and has initiated more than 200 disciples into Sannyasa.
- Sacchidanandendra Saraswati, a profound Advaitin and the founder of the Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya in Holenarasipura
- Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi (c. 1838-1918), a great philosopher of Maharashtra who propagated the oneness of God and urged harmony amongst the various religions.
- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj A twentieth-century master of Advaita from Mumbai
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the Transcendental Meditation programme and movement, which have practices and philosophy firmly routed in the Advaita tradition. The TM initiation puja references Adi Shankara and the monastery set up by his devotee Trotakacharya at Jyotir Math. This was the same monastery re-established by Sri Brahmananda Saraswati, Maharishi's master, often referred to as "Guru Dev."
- Madhukar, popular modern Western teacher and founder of Yoga of silence. Disciple of Papaji, philosopher and author of several books.
- Sri H.W.L. Poonja (1910–1997), or Papaji. Disciple of Sri Ramana Maharshi, he denied being part of any formal tradition, and remained always available, welcoming newcomers to his home and satsangs.
- Tibbetibaba - Hindu Bengali Saint whose life was based on both Advaita Vedanta and Mahayana principles.
- Adi Da (1939–2008) American-born teacher of enlightenment whose followers state he is the promised Hindu Avatar and first seventh stage realizer, who wrote over 70 books on "Advaitayana Buddhism", the unique philosophy that transcends both Advaita thought and the philosophical theories of Buddhism.[2]
- American yogi, Richard Hittleman, who was the first person to bring Hatha and Raja Yoga to English-speaking audiences via the medium of a television series (in the 1950s and 1960s). His teachings were essentially those of Advaita Vedanta and Ramana Maharshi(Richard Hittleman, Guide for the Seeker, Bantam Books, 1978, p. 92)
- American yogini, Gangaji (Toni Roberson); disciple of Papaji (see above) and author of several books.
- Swami Prajnanapada (1891–1974) disciple of Niralamba Swami and a great exponent of Advaita philosophy. He was in charge of Channa Ashram in West Bengal, India.
- Bhagawan Nityananda (November/December, 1897?[1] – August 8, 1961) was an Indian guru. His teachings are published in the "Chidakash Gita". Nityananda was born in Quilandy (Pandalayini), Kerala, South India. His teachings are simple and on the nonduality.
Notes
- ^ a b Divine Life Society Official Website
- ^ Swami-Krishnananda.org Official Website