Recorded at the Vedanta Society of Western Washington on November 17, 2013.

Swami Bhaskarananda explains Vedanta as a body of spiritual knowledge rather than a founder-based “religion,” clarifying how the terms “Hindu” and “Hinduism” arose historically while the Vedantic tradition developed through the insights of the rishis and the teachings preserved in the Vedas and Upanishads. He describes Vedanta’s central emphasis on the omnipresence of the Divine and the way bondage arises through identification with the body-mind complex, which obscures awareness of inherent divinity.

Turning to “echoes” of these ideas in other faiths, he first highlights Taoism, noting its shared stress on inwardness, stillness, and freedom from egoic limitation—parallels he illustrates through sayings attributed to Lao Tzu alongside Vedantic and yogic teachings on sense-withdrawal and mental quietude. He then points to resonant themes in Christianity, including the call to purity of heart and the possibility of direct vision of God, as well as statements that suggest unity with the Divine. Finally, he discusses Sufism as a mystical current within Islam, emphasizing its language of divine immanence, renunciation, and the indispensable role of teacher and disciple—showing how, across traditions, disciplined spiritual practice can lead to knowledge of the Self beyond the confines of ego and limitation.