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Advanced Self-Study Course

This Advanced Course is for people who wish to expand their knowledge about the world’s religions.

I. General Spirituality

1. Essential Unity of All Religions by Bhagavan Das

II. Scriptures of Yoga and Vedanta

Yogic Scriptures encompass a vast number of revealed books, which are best suited for progressive study along with deep meditation. The following is a suggested progressive course of study over several years…

1. Jñaneshwari. The luminous interpretation and commentary of the Bhagavad Gita by the 13^th Century 15 year-old poet-saint Jñaneshwar.

2. Upanishads. The essence of the 4 Vedas. Out of the traditional 108 Upanishads, the main ones are: Isha, Katha, Kena, Mundaka, Shvetashvatara, Prashna, Mandukya, Aitareya, Brihadaranyaka, Taittiriya, Chandogya, Mahanarayana.

3. Brahma-Sutras, commented by Shankaracharya. It presupposes a thorough knowledge of the major Upanishads, of which it distills the quintessence.

4. Avadhuta Gita by Dattatreya. This sublime "Song of the Free" expounds the ultimate truths of nondualistic Vedanta.

5. Uddhava Gita – the last teachings of Lord Krishna transmitted to his most ardent devotee and uncle Uddhava. An extract from the Mahabharata.

6. Bhakti Sutras by Narada. The classic work on the path of devotion by the great sage Narada, eternal companion of Krishna.

7. Devi Mahatmyam (a.k.a. Chandi or Durga Saptasati). The poetic narration of triumph of the Divine Mother over the forces of evil.

8. Hatha Yoga Pradipika. The first systematic exposition on the much misunderstood science of Hatha Yoga.

9. Gheranda Samhita. The classic tantric text on Yoga in the form of a dialogue between the sage Gheranda and an inquirer.

10. Shiva Samhita. A detailed Sanskrit classic on the practice of Yoga.

11. Ashtavakra Samhita (a.k.a. Ashtavakra Gita). A short treatise on nondualistic Vedanta in the form of a dialogue between the saintly king Janaka and his guru Sage Ashtavakra.

12. Rama Gita. Lord Rama imparts the knowledge of the Self to his most devoted and dear brother Lakshmana (an extract from the Ramayana).

13. Ramayana, by Valmiki. The epic of the avatar Rama and his consort Sita faced with the demon Ravana.

14. Mahabharata, by Vyasa. The epic of the avatar Krishna, including the complete story of the Pandavas and Kauravas. The Bhagavad Gita is a small extract from this epic.

15. Shrimad Bhagavatam. The life and legends of Shri Krishna. We recommend the abridged version by Devi Vanamali (The Play of God)

16. Yoga Vasishtha, translated by Swami Venkateshananda.

17. Holy Science, by Swami Shriyukteshwarji

18. Jñana Shankalini Tantra

III. Other Eastern Scriptures

1. Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching. The only Taoist scripture.

2. Granth Sahib. The voluminous Scripture - held as the living Guru- of the Sikhs. One may start with the Japji, the essence of the Granth Sahib.

3. The Zend Avesta. The scripture of Zoroastranism.

4. The Analects of Confucius

5. The Kokiji and the Nikonji: the two ancestral accounts of Shinto

IV. Eastern Wisdom

1. Life of Milarepa, by Milarepa. The life and teachings of the great 11^th century Tibetan yogi.

2. The Crest-Jewel of Discrimination (viveka-chudamani) by Shankaracharya. The classic text on jñana yoga (path to God through knowledge)

3. The Gospel of Ramakrishna by M. Recorded conversations of the Bengali saint who realized God in all main religions. (19^th century)

4. Complete works of Swami Vivekananda. All subjects of Vedanta presented in a very dynamic style by Ramakrishna's most famous disciple. (20^th century)

5. Talks with Ramana Maharshi. Gems from a realized Master and greatest exponent of the path of Self-inquiry. (20^th century)

6. I am That by Nisargadatta Maharaj. Gems from a realized Master and greatest exponent of the path of knowledge. (20^th century)

7. An Autobiography, or the Story of my Experiments with Truth, by M.K. Gandhi. A intimate look into the spiritual life of the great Indian sage and politician. (20^th century)

8. Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramahamsa Yogananda (20^th century). The inspiring autobiography from the pioneer of Kriya Yoga in the West.

9. In Quest of God by Swami Ram Das. An autobiography narrating a contemporary Indian saint's pilgrimages and adventures. (20^th century)

10. Panchatantra. A textbook on the right conduct of life in the form of animal fables.

11. Jataka Tales. Tales of the Buddha’s former births.

12. In Woods of God-Realization, by Swami Rama Tirtha. Highest truths of realization expounded with a profusion of delightful stories in 7 volumes. (20^th century)

13. Bliss Divine, by Swami Shivananda. (20^th century)

14. Sufi tales, compiled by Idries Shah

15. Tales of the Mulla Nasruddin, compiled by Idries Shah

V. Works of Mystical Poets from the East

1. Bhartihari (2^nd century B.C.)

2. Omar Khayyam (12^th century)

3. Rumi (13^th century)

4. Hafiz (14^th century)

5. Kabir (16^th century)

6. Mirabai (16^th century)

7. Ramprasad (19^th century)

8. Rabindranath Tagore (20^th century)

9. Kahlil Gibran (20^th century)

VI. Western Scriptures

1. The Nag Hammadi. Recently recovered scriptural texts from the early Christian Church.

2. The Philokalia. An anthology of hesychast (contemplative) writings from the Fathers of the Early Christian Church and later saints. It is the scripture of the Greek Orthodox church.

VII. Western Wisdom

1. The Confessions of St Augustine (4^th century)

2. The Kingdom of the Lovers of God by Jan Ruysbroeck (14^th century)

3. The Book of Divine Consolation, by Meister Eckhart (14^th century)

4. The Cloud of Unknowing, by an anonymous British mystic (14^th century). An influential treatise on mystic prayer.

5. The Pilgrim’s Progress; The Holy War, by John Bunyan

6. The Inferno, by Dante

7. Revelations of Divine Love, by Julian of Norwich (15^th century)

8. The Dark Night of the Soul and Ascent of Mount Camel, by St John of the Cross (16^th century)

9. The Interior Castle, by Theresa of Avila (16^th century)

10. The Story of a Soul, by Therese of Lisieux (19^th century)

11. Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Her Works in Her Own Words (20^th century)

12. The Great Mystery, by Jakob Boehme

VIII. Biographies of Saints, Sages and Mystics

1. Hildegard von Bingen (12^th century)

2. Therese Neumann (20^th century)

3. Theresa of Avila (16^th century)

4. St John of the Cross (16^th century)

5. Francesco of Assissi (13^th century)

6. Claire of Assissi (13^th century)

7. Catherine of Siena (14^th century)

8. Saint Vincent de Paul (17^th century)

9. Bernadette of Lourdes (19^th century)

10. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (16^th century)

11. Neem Karoli Baba (20^th century)

12. Shri Anandamayi Ma (20^th century)

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