Swami Chinmayananda and Shankara: the need for Samadhi

~ Tom Das

Below is verse 357 from Shankara’s Vivekachudamani together with Swami Chinmayananda’s brief commentary on the verse, stating the need for Samadhi, and how without this experience the whole of written and verbal vedanta is just empty talk (this is paraphrasing the teachings given in the Amritabindu Upanishad in verse 5). BMI is Swami Chinmayananada’s shorthand for Body-Mind-Intellect:

Here we can clearly see both Sri Shankara and Swami Chinmayananda stating Samadhi is a pre-requisite for liberation.

Here are several other articles explaining the need for Nirvikalpa Samadhi according to Advaita Vedanta for liberation:

The need for nirvikalpa samadhi according to Advaita Vedanta – Swami Advayananda | Swami Chinmayananada

Shankara, Gaudapada and Ramana Maharshi all say Samadhi leads to liberation, as do the Upanishads. But what is this Samadhi exactly?

Does Swami Sarvapriyananda teach the same as Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramakrishna? | Swami Dayananda | Swami Satchidanendra Saraswati

Do we need to turn away from the world of objects to realise the Self? | The need to turn within according to Advaita Vedanta

Also see:

What is Vedantic Meditation (Nididhyasana)?

The Union of Meditation and Self-Enquiry – The two paths of Vedanta – Panchadasi by Vidyaranya Swami

Advaita Bodha Deepika – vital teachings for Self-Realisation that are often missing in modern non-dual and advaitic teachings

Ramana Maharshi: the path to self-realisation (Padamalai)

Shankara on the Mind, Samadhi (stillness of mind), Manonasa (destruction of mind), and Liberation

9 thoughts on “Swami Chinmayananda and Shankara: the need for Samadhi”

  1. Tom,

    Have we not chosen the ” bondage of birth and rebirth “? In this shared experience of the interplay of opposites… are we not experiencing Love? So our ” bondage” our “cross” of pain and suffering is a working out of a far surpassing “experience” of Love that we would not have otherwise encountered. Is this the DHARMA?

    Peace to YOU
    Contruple

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  2. Hi Tom, I would like to know more about the classes that you teach (both group and individual). Is there a good way for me to contact you via email or other online means?

    thanks
    Guru

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      2. Thanks! I will try to attend the meeting, but not sure since I am based on Seattle, USA. I heard that you also provide 1:1 sessions, can you please provide more details on that? My email id is gurumurthys@gmail.com.

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  3. Pingback: Ramana Maharshi: Conscious Immortality | Tom Das

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