SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS AND THE INDIAN VEDANTISTS ON MYSTICISM, SALVATION AND HEAVENLY EXISTENCE

.

Authors

  • GopaJ Stavig Vedanta Society of Southern California,

Keywords:

MYSTICISM, SALVATION

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to compare the Christian philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-74) with the religious doctrines of the Indian Vedantists. For each separate topic, the opening statement is made by Thomas Aquinas, followed by the teachings of the traditional Vedantists Shankara (6881788-720/820), Ramanuja (10] 7-1137) and Jiva Goswami (d. 1566), and the modem Neo-Vedantists Swami Vivekananda (1863- 1902), Swami Abhedananda (1866-1939) and Sri Aurobindo (1872- 1950).1

Author Biography

GopaJ Stavig, Vedanta Society of Southern California,

'Dr. GopaJ Stavig serves at the Vedanta Society of Southern California, Hollywood

References

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Jadunath Sinha, Indian Philosophy, 3 Vols., (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1986), n, pp. 362-63; Chakravarti (1969), pp. 185-86.

"Swami Vivekananda, The Complete Works of Swami Yivekananda. (hereafter CW). cd.. Advaita Ashrama. 9 Vols., (Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1962), III, 31-36, vi, 150-54; VII, pp. 82-84.

Swami Abhedananda, Human Affection and Divine Love, (Calcutta: Ramakrishna Vedanta Math, 1978A), pp. 24-37; Swami Abhedananda, Yoga Psychology, (Calcutta: Ramakrishna Vedanta Math, 1960), pp. 137-38,247.

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Aquinas (1945), ST, I, 44:4; R.V. De Smet "Sankara and Aquinas on Liberation," Indian Philosophical Annual, 5 (1969), pp. 241-45.

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Chandradhar Sharma, A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy, (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1987), pp. 350-51,354; Julius Lipner, The Faces of Truth (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1986), pp. 39-40,44-46,85-88.

Swami Abhedananda, Divine Heritage of Man, (Calcutta: Ramakrishna Vedanta Math. 1947). p. 182

Ramanuja (1966), Sections 4.4.17 -22; Dasgupta (1988), IV, pp. 98-99.

Sushil Kumar De, Early History of the Vaisnava Faith and Movement in Bengal (Calcutta: Firma K.L. Mukhopadhyay, 1961), p. 389; ladunantha Sinha, livagoswami's Religion of Devotion and Love, (Varanasi: Chowkhamba Vidyabhawan, 1983), pp. 24, 139.

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Published

2002-06-30

How to Cite

Stavig, G. . (2002). SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS AND THE INDIAN VEDANTISTS ON MYSTICISM, SALVATION AND HEAVENLY EXISTENCE: . Journal of Dharma, 27(2), 149–168. Retrieved from https://dvkjournals.in/index.php/jd/article/view/685