Jīvanmukti in Transformation: Embodied Liberation in Advaita and Neo-Vedanta

By Andrew O. Fort

Examines the Hindu concept of liberation while living from the perspective of the Advaita Vedanta school from the Upanisads to modern times.

Liberation (mukti) is a central concern in Hinduism, particularly in Advaita (nondual) Vedanta, perhaps the best known school of Hindu thought. There has been vigorous debate and analysis about the possibility and nature of liberation while living (jivanmukti) in Advaita from the time of Sankara, the school's founder, to the present day. While the general conclusion seems to be that one can achieve living liberation, members of the Advaita tradition also regularly express reservations about, or describe limitiations to, full liberation while embodied.

Jivanmukti in Transformation examines the development and transformation of the concept of jivanmukti from the Upanisads to the modern era. It gives the most thorough treatment of the scholastic Advaita tradition on liberation while living, makes the novel argument for a distinct "Yogic Advaita" tradition found in the Yogavasistha and Jivanmuktiviveka, and explores the modern "neo-Vedanta" view of jivanmukti, which has been influenced by modern Western concepts like global ecumenism and humanistic social concern for all. The book includes analysis of the views of modern Hindu figures such as Swami Vivekananda, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Ramana Maharshi, and Sankaracaryas of Kanchi and Sringeri, and considers these thinkers in the context of current academic discussions about the encounter of India and the West.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0791439046
• ISBN13: 9780791439043
• Release Date: September 1998
• Publisher: State University of New York Press
• Length: 251 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.9" x 8.9"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

This is an exceptional book in Hindu philosophy.

Andrew Fort has done it again! He has come out with yet another fantastic book. I have all his books and I recommend them to everyone of my colleagues. In my Hindu studies class, I suggest to all my students to read this book to further understand this fascinating topic. there is only one word to describe this man and his books: BRILLIANT.

Andrew Fort - the absolute authority of Jivanmukti

Andrew Fort has done it again in his spell-binding journey through Jivanmukti in Transformations. Not only is this work of art informative, but refreshes both the body and soul. 5 Stars!