Background

The Sanskrit word ārsha means ‘that which is from the rishis’, the sages of ancient India. The word vidyā means knowledge. Thus, Ārsha Vidyā is knowledge revealed by the rishis.

This timeless, liberating knowledge has been enshrined in the Upanishads, the ancient scriptures of India. Being the end of the Vedas (both literally and metaphorically) the Upanishads are also known as Vedānta (end, anta, of Veda).

Vedānta is not a philosophy, not a school of thought, not a system of ideas, not a set of contentions, not a religion, nor something practised; it is a means of knowledge for revealing the non-dual nature of reality.

To understand how things are, it is necessary to correct misunderstandings, which requires knowledge. Knowledge is the only correction needed because only knowledge – not practices or experiences – removes ignorance.

For those who seek this knowledge, a teacher who is grounded in the scriptures, trained in the traditional method of interpretation and established in an understanding of non-duality will be necessary to ensure the knowledge of the rishis, as envisioned by the rishis, is understood without distortion or addition.