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Vedanta Talks - Swami Sarvapriyananda

Swami Sarvapriyananda & Robert Thurman on Consciousness, Vedanta, and Madhyamika

Vedanta Talks - Swami Sarvapriyananda

Vedanta Society of New York

Religion & Spirituality, Hinduism

4.8 • 718 Ratings

🗓️ 6 July 2026

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | Apple Podcasts | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Join Swami Sarvapriyananda and the late Padma Shri Prof. Robert Thurman as they engage in a dialogue exploring the nature of consciousness through the lenses of Vedanta, Buddhism, and Madhyamika philosophy. A thought-provoking conversation on reality, self, and the deeper questions of human existence.


This is a session from the International Conference on Vedanta at Stony Brook University in May 2026, organized by Vedanta Forum (https://www.vedantaforum.org). This dialog moderated by Mukunda Raghavan, is being posted here with their kind permission. Our sincere gratitude to the organizing team for making this event possible.


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📙 Books by Swami Sarvapriyananda


Lecture Series by Swami Sarvapriyananda

📓 Introductory Lectures: https://www.vedantany.org/introductor...

📚 Vedanta Scriptures: https://www.vedantany.org/by-scriptures

🧩 Lectures by Topics: https://www.vedantany.org/by-topic

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📖 Scriptures Taught by Swami Sarvapriyananda

   • Aparokshanubhuti | Swami Sarvapriyananda  

   • Bhagavad Gita | Swami Sarvapriyananda  

   • Brihadaranyaka Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriy...  

   • Dṛg Dṛśya Viveka | Swami Sarvapriyananda  

   • The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna | Swami Sarv...  

   • Isha Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  

   • Katha Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  

   • Kena Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  

   • Mandukya Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  

   • Mundaka Upanishad | Swami Sarvapriyananda  

   • Vedantasara of Sadananda | Swami Sarvapriy...  


🪔 About Vedanta

Vedanta is among the world’s oldest spiritual philosophies and one of its most inclusive. Rooted in the Vedas, India’s sacred scriptures, Vedanta upholds the unity of all existence, the divinity of the soul, and harmony among religions.


🏛️ About This Channel

This is the official channel of the Vedanta Society of New York, a spiritual institution affiliated with the Ramakrishna Order of India and holds the distinction of being its first established Center, founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1894. Swami Sarvapriyananda currently serves as the Resident Minister and Spiritual Leader of the Vedanta Society of New York.


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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Namaskar, everyone, thank you for giving me the honor and privilege to moderate this discussion.

0:16.2

In front of you stalwarts and great, great people, I'm a lay person and I just host a fun

0:23.2

little channel in which we discuss philosophy, religion, and the Darmic traditions. So thank you

0:28.8

for allowing me to come on and speak to everyone here and engage in this moderation. So I have my

0:35.3

own questions, but let's start with the questions from the other scholars in the room. So Greg Good asked the question. On the topic of comparative philosophies and liberational approaches, one of the most fascinating aspects is why we discuss this issue. He would like both of you to share your thoughts on this.

0:56.3

There are many reasons including cultural education, linguistic, history, and all this other stuff.

1:03.1

What is the reason to study this for, let's say, a layperson?

1:07.7

Why would you want to study Advertroahanth or Tibetan Buddhism or Madiamika?

1:12.6

What would, what's the impact on your life?

1:15.6

Uh, would, would, would Tawami-ji go first?

1:18.6

Yeah, let me, but yeah, and then I'm yeah.

1:22.6

All right, yes, sir.

1:24.6

So, yes, the, the, the, what we call the progena, the need for this.

1:31.1

What's the project here?

1:32.4

The project is overcoming suffering.

1:35.2

Project is attainment of fulfillment.

1:38.3

And was that the question?

1:41.2

Yes.

1:42.0

Yeah, it was the question.

1:43.5

And I think a little more tangiveness is, you know,

1:49.0

much of the traditions we talk about involve some sort of aesthetic practice or, you know,

1:55.3

a deeper spiritual commitment. How do these values and these thoughts you bring to the table,

...

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