Back to the Truth: 5000 years of Advaita (Paperback)

~ Dennis Waite (Author)
Key Phrases: traditional advaita, modem teachers, waking ego, Ramana Maharshi, Swami Chinmayananda, Swami Dayananda (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

His book provides a rich experience for those who enjoy pondering the deepest questions, not only regarding Advaita, but ultimately the Truth beyond all labels. Nirmala (Teacher and author of "Nothing Personal: Seeing Beyond the Illusion of a Separate Self") A wonderful book. Encyclopedic in nature, and destined to become a classic. James Braha (Author of "Living Reality: My Extraordinary Summer with 'Sailor' Bob Adamson") This is definitely one of the most complete and exhaustive books on advaita ever, and is the first book that I have seen that not only deals with advaita but also expands upon the various different types and styles of teachings including contemporary ones, analyses and compares them and helps the seeker in selecting the one that matches his temperament the most. Dr. Nitin Trasi, author of "The Science of Enlightenment" Dennis has poured his love of Truth and humanity into this precise and luminous work. Highly recommended. Isaac Shapiro, Teacher and author of "Outbreak of Peace" A profoundly astute and masterful guide to the field of Self-discovery. An authoritative scholar, Dennis writes with supreme clarity as he skilfully expounds, logically analyzes and insightfully integrates the wisdom of classical and contemporary teachers with the principles of Advaita. Katie Davis, Teacher and author of "Awake Living Joy: The Essence of Spiritual Enlightenment" Dennis Waite is the West's pre-eminent explicator of Advaita Vedanta. In driving home his point that our nature is Awareness, Dennis brings to light many of Advaita's "hidden" teachings, which have never been circulated outside of specialist schools. He also does something I've never seen anywhere in print. He opens a critical dialogue between the ancient and the modern paths, whose exponents don't always agree. Fascinating! Dr. Gregory Goode, PhD (Philosophy), Philosophical Counselor and non-dual teacher. Absolutely brilliant...an ease of writing with a water-tight argument outlining the great universal truths. This book will become a modern classic. A milestone in the history of Advaita. Paula Marvelly, author of "The Teachers of One" and "Women of Wisdom" We must congratulate Dennis Waite on his highly researched study of Advaita which comprehensively states all the different aspects and angularities of this Great Teaching. It will surely prove to be a most helpful guide to the contemporary reader. Alan Jacobs, President of the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK and author of "The Principal Upanishads," "The Bhagavad Gita," "The Wisdom of Balsekar" and others I have played an imaginary game which has a teacher/guru who is composed of various elements of known teachers; let's say Francis' poetic language skills, Tony's natural friendliness and accessibility, Ramesh's Indian credibility (don't know how this would manifest), Ramana's holy gaze, Wayne's laugh, Satyananda's handsome face, etc etc etc... well since this cannot be in the flesh I can console myself with finding it as your book! Monica Alderton Dennis Waite's book "Back To The Truth" is a superb exploration into the vast subject that is Advaita philosophy. As a student of the Sanskrit language he is well qualified to delve more deeply into the background texts, which make up traditional Advaita, than most people who are interested in the subject. This excellent and long awaited book also takes an extensive look at modern teachers and writers on Advaita, and, I would say, is essential reading for anyone at all interested in the subject. It is a clear and refreshing overview of the whole genre that is Advaita - not just one aspect of it - offering the facts, from the historical past right up until today, when non-dualistic teachings abound but often emphasise different aspects of the historical teachings. This is a tool for anyone who genuinely wishes to gain a thorough comprehension of Advaita. Roy Whenary author of "The Texture of Being" A beautiful, articulate and extensive, yet compact anthology of pointers adverting to Truth. This compilation in itself is all that is needed for true understanding. Justus Kramer Schippers, Teacher and author of "Living from Neutrality" This work is a major achievement and should appeal to a wide audience of serious seekers and other students of life. Moller de la Rouviere, author of "Spirituality Without God" "Back To The Truth" is a comprehensive treatise on Advaita for those with an abiding interest in this subject. Dennis Waite is an experienced seeker and author who has the knack of imparting an immediate and satisfying sense of the underlying themes. The text is lucid, the references relevant and wide ranging, and the overall effect expansive and clarifying. This book is recommended to experienced Advaitins, as well as to those whose initial interest has led to a desire for a comprehensive review of the principles underlying this remarkable philosophy. John Lehmann, Principal, School of Advaita, Philosophy Foundation, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA Using a variety of relevant sources, Dennis Waite brilliantly succeeds in challenging the validity of the beliefs we use to protect our non-existent ego from total annihilation. Chuck Hillig, Author of "The Enlightenment Quartet" Dennis Waite in his new book on Advaita has given us a detailed, clear and balanced study of what this ancient wisdom means to us modern seekers, particularly with respect to the differences between the traditional school based on the scriptures and the more direct approach which finds favour with many spiritual seekers today. He has cleared away unnecessary verbiage which surrounds this abstruse subject. Mr Waite deftly and cogently outlines the complex richness of the Advaitic view of the world and our relationship to it with a simplicity that only a person in command of his subject can reveal. The Mountain Path (Journal of Sri Ramanasramam) Dennis Waite's strength as an author and scholar of Advaita really shows. He is thorough and exhaustive in his examination of the Advaita teachings, a sort of Ken Wilber of the Advaita world. His book is excellent for "beginners" and newcomers to Advaita simply because he covers all the bases with scrupulous honesty. But his writing is also excellent for long time seekers and those who have already "gotten it," those who have already had a profound opening and may wish to compare notes and sit back and sip the wine of a fine overview of this most ultimate of spiritual pathways to the Home that we never truly left. Philip T. Mistlberger, Teacher and Author of "A Natural Awakening: Realizing the True Self in Everyday Life" This is the most comprehensive, academic book on the so called "tradition" of non-duality we have seen. The questions, and curiosity within, may assist in turning over every rock. . The material here may be like a mirror-snake that reflects on itself, while eating its own tail - a disappearing act. Brian Lake and Naama Livni, Teachers

Product Description

Advaita is a spiritual philosophy based on the Upanishads, older than most other religious systems we know about but also the most logical and scientific in its approach. This book is a systematic treatment of Advaita which demystifies it, differentiating between approaches and teachers, enabling you to decide which approach is most suitable for you. It compares the scriptures of traditional Advaita with the words of contemporary sages and neo-Advaita. Should we ignore the mind? Is the world real? Is there anything we can do to become enlightened? These questions and many more are addressed, with explanations given in their own words from those who discovered the truth. A massively comprehensive, definitive work.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 600 pages
• Publisher: O Books (January 12, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1905047614
• ISBN-13: 978-1905047611
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #74,525 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you wanted to know on advaita, March 25, 2007

By	Visvanatha Krishnamurthy "profvk" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A marathon 600-page compendium, in English, of the entire philosophical field of spiritual knowledge known as `Advaita' (Non-duality) -- that is `Back to the Truth' by Dennis Waite. It is in fact more than a compendium; it is a masterly thesis presented by Waite from scratch all the way up to the dizzy heights of whatever peak you have heard about in Vedanta. It is a classic, unique in several respects.

Its first, and greatest, uniqueness is its strategy of presentation. The author strides like a colossus on the shoulders of all the giants of this ancient philosophy that was originally formally streamlined from the teaching of the Upanishads, by towering authorities like Gaudapada and Shankara, then supplemented and strengthened by a whole lineage of Masters over the centuries down to the times of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda, now propagated worldwide in the twentieth century by Seers of the stature of Ramana Maharishi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Atmananda Krishna Menon, and the like and expounded resoundingly by Swami Sivananda, Swami Ranganathananda (and others of the Ramakrishna Mutt), Swami Chinmayananda, Swami Dayananda and scores of others through lectures as well as writings almost up to the present time. We hear the words of these originators and expositors all throughout the book. Further, the book testifies to the power of the electronic media of modern times most dramatically in the fact that, in addition to this time-tested foundation on which the author stands high on a pedestal, there are elaborate quotations of diverse writings (with most proper acknowledgments, of course) on the web by various modern authors on anything even remotely connected with advaita. Tons of credit are due to the author for his masterly handling of all this varied material and for his insightful stringing together of all of them - each one in its place, at the right time, in the right context, for the right purpose and with the right effect. Excerpts from traditional and modern teaching are presented in a wide variety of styles, says the author, "in the hope that something will click". Rest assured, everything clicks!

The second uniqueness of the book is the large spectrum of its coverage. The secondary title of the book, "5000 years of Advaita" is amply justified by this coverage. The first chapter looks at who we are not. We are neither the body nor the mind. The second chapter is about action, Karma, reincarnation and free will. Action involves the concept of a `doer' and this originates from the mistaken identification of ourselves with the intellect. What is the motivation for action? It is pursuit of happiness. Desire, motivation and purpose form therefore the subject of discussion. Then comes the difficult portion of advaita: knowledge, ignorance, superimposition, reality, `mithyA' and means of knowledge. The various spiritual practices advocated in order to prepare the mind on its spiritual ascent are examined in the next chapter, which is the longest. Chapters 6 and 7 take up the core of advaita: Who we really are; the nature of reality, Consciousness, cause and effect, `mAyA'. This listing of the chapters cannot however do the least justice to the extent and depth of topics dealt with in these seven chapters. The author takes the reader leisurely through the labyrinths of advaita step by step through all these discussions - now quoting a scripture, now excerpting from a modern writer, now interposing with his own synopsis of the argument, now prefacing a difficult logical breakthrough by an introduction, and now reproducing a whole passage from Ramana or Shankara or Ramesh Balsekar or any of the hundred (or so) authors he quotes with conviction. We get to go through the difficult terrains of pancha-kosha-prakriyA (methodology through the five sheaths), bhAga-tyAga-lakshhaNa (pointer through the giving up of contradictory parts), dRshhTi-shRshhTi (seeing is creation), adhyAropa-apavAda (denial of erroneous attribution) and such concepts galore. Think of anything in the advaita terrain, it is there, -- with all the distinction of precision and scholarship.

Thirdly, the author brings to focus the differences in the teachings by different Masters by broadly classifying everything (in terms of its teaching method) either as `traditional', or `direct approach' or `neo-advaita'. The first one goes back to the scriptures and all the commentaries. The third one, `neo-advaita' does not take the different levels of reality advocated by Shankara as of any value, and so the absolute level is the only level for them; there is no seeker, no ignorance, no path, no enlightenment, because Reality is One. The second one, the Direct Approach, is somewhere in between the other two.

And fourthly - this is really a superlative uniqueness - in order to help all those who are unfamiliar with the Sanskrit script or language, there is a 12-page brief introduction to the script and pronunciation as well as to the transliteration of Sanskrit writing.

Several other excellences are worthy of being highlighted. A pointwise bulleted summary at the end of each chapter helps the reader not to miss the wood for the trees. The encyclopaedic value of the book is further enhanced by
* the use of the bold type, in the text, of the name of every author who is quoted there,
* a detailed 40-page glossary of Sanskrit terms
* a list of around two hundred current teachers of advaita with web references for them
* a complete list of all web sites dedicated to advaita and organizations devoted to advaita,
* a long list of Recommended Reading, with brief notes on each item,
* a list of 378 references, and finally,
* an index.

In sum, this landmark book provides an enjoyably pleasant reading, inspite of its necessarily heavy content. It should be in the hands of every spiritual seeker, whether of the advaita school or not.

50 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At last, the book you have been searching for, March 8, 2007

By	Advaita Rules (Australia) - See all my reviews

This book is a comprehensive compilation explaining clearly for a western audience the practical teachings of Advaita, these teachings have stood the test of time and rightly so.

For those that would like a bit more guidance than "you are that", this IS the book. FULL STOP with this one, submerge yourself in it, change the way you see the world and your self.

This book will make sense of the various teachings you may have already encountered, put them in perspective, clear confusion and correct misdirection. This book explains the direct path and how it works.

Knowledge is everything and here you will find the knowledge that provides clear pointers back to the truth of that which you truly are.

Non-duality, Advaita and Zen are all at home here and the material is supported by a massive amount of quotes from modern and traditional sages and teachers.

This is an excellent read, a substantial resource and I am sure will remain amongst my favourites.

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DEFINITIVE WORK ON ADVAITA VEDANTA, March 15, 2007

By	Floyd Henderson "Floyd Henderson" (Montgomery TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In the book Back to the Truth: 5000 years of Advaita, Dennis Waite's magnum opus, the definitive study of Advaita Vedanta (from "A" to "V") has been penned. While providing the most scholarly work to date on the subject matter of Nonduality, the author's style assures an ease of readability that will make the content in this comprehensive volume readily assessible to beginners. At the same time, when Waite shares his unique and masterful take on the Teachings, he offers new elucidations of ancient understandings that will also make the book appealing to advanced seekers and to Advaitin teachers as well.