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Om swastiastu.

I'm an ex-muslim who has been agnostic for about 10 years. I’ve read Bhagavad Gita (translated by Eknath Easwaran) and the Katha Upanishad (translated and explained by the same author). I love the philosophy in Hinduism. I started mantram meditation too.

I don’t believe in superstition, and I’ve always thought that devas and such are analogies and metaphors used by the sages(?) to get their message across to other people. And that’s one of the reason I love Hinduism, so many things are abstract. It doesn’t shove up “rigid” doctrines into you. Just wisdoms and philosophy to guide you to a better life (and death)

I’ve been a monist, I believe that everyone and everything comes from a single entity. But I can accept the duality in Hinduism too. So I welcomed the concept of Atman.

There are sooo many things I still understand about Hinduism though. Does anyone know any resource (preferably in English) that I can read?

TL;DR: What are some resources (preferably in English) to learn about philosophy and practices of Hinduism for a beginner with a monist inclination. I can accept duality too.

develobster
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  • Related post Looking to learn about Hinduism? – Sarvabhouma Dec 01 '17 at 08:09
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    @KeshavSrinivasan https://hinduism.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1021/new-users-and-community-responsibility . You are a mod. You should do better. You saw the word monist and got riled up? This particular Q is very well-worded and even though there is "I" here and there, it is not difficult to see the general aspect of it. It is not a personal advice Q. If it were you need to close this too https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/22195/what-are-some-hindu-organizations-open-to-converts#comment64422_22195 but you have not. Enough please! –  Dec 01 '17 at 10:04
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    @KeshavSrinivasan Why have you not closed https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/17635/looking-to-learn-about-hinduism if you think it is legitimate to close this Q by uziau –  Dec 01 '17 at 10:12
  • @uziau Why do you want to convert? – Ikshvaku Dec 01 '17 at 12:13
  • Read the "Spiritual Heritage of India" by Swami Prabhavananda. Some online resources read the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda here - http://www.advaitaashrama.org/cw/content.php, and a more philosophical treatise is the Brahma Sutras with the commentary of Sankaracharya here - https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/brahma-sutras/d/doc62753.html – Swami Vishwananda Dec 02 '17 at 05:00
  • other resources - http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/texts/shankara_works.html, http://www.arunachala-ramana.org/ (google ramana maharishi for some works), http://www.sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?format=html – Swami Vishwananda Dec 02 '17 at 05:07
  • also related: see https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/26301/13287 and see https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/26326/13287 and see https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/26319/13287 and see https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/26324/13287 and see https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/24722/13287 and see https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/24623/13287 – zaxebo1 Apr 08 '18 at 23:05

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As you have been a monist (or a non-dualist), Advaita (non-dualism) Vedanta philosophy school is best suitable for you. Advaita Vedanta is one of the six orthodox philosophical schools of Hindus. It is the most sophisticated branch of Hindu philosophy and the most popular one around the world among intellectuals. The reason behind its popularity is its unique approach. It never tells you to have faith! Instead, it tells you to follow your logic! That is the most exciting part. Vedanta means the end part of the Vedas or the conclusion of the Vedas. The core teachings of the Vedas are explained in Advaita Vedanta. That is why it is also known as the heart of Hinduism.

List of books:

  1. Advaita Vedanta: a philosophical reconstruction by Eliot Deutsch. He was the professor emeritus in the University of Hawaii on Indian Philosophy. If you want to read just one book, read this. Advaita Vedanta: a philosophical reconstruction

  2. The essence of Advaita Vedanta by Brian Hodgkinson. It is more detailed and explains lots of Indian philosophical concepts in a traditional Indian way and also from western philosophers perspectives (mainly Plato, Kant and Wittgenstein). It is one of the most brilliant and unique expositions on Advaita Vedanta. The essence of Vedanta: the ancient wisdom of Indian Philosophy

  3. Introduction to Vedanta by Swami Dayananda. It is a beautiful introduction to the subject. It shows us how this ancient knowledge is relevant for our inner well being in this modern world. Introduction to Vedanta

One of the best translation and commentary on all principal Upanishads is "The Principal Upanishads by Prof. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He was 2nd President of India as well as Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics at the University of Oxford. The Principal Upanishads

Hope it will help you. Best of luck!

Amritendu Mukhopadhyay
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