AskSwami Q&A - Swami Sarvapriyananda

Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on Dec 28th, 2025.
List of questions with timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
02:30 - How can there be "pure experience", if there is no object to experience?
17:19 - Does this enlightened one have the ability to manipulate time?
21:32 - Can consciousness truly be objectified and recognized directly?
33:32 - What should I do if I want this to be my last birth? Is God with form part of Maya?
53:06 - Who is experiencing qualia?
01:02:14 - It seems possible that AI could create conscious beings, but it could never create pure consciousness. Why then is there debate about this issue?
01:13:17 - If AI incorporates living cells, could it then be conscious?
01:15:34 - Does Indian philosophy have a position on AI?

► To support the Vedanta Society of New York: http://www.vedantany.org/donate

Vedanta NY Archives:    / vedantanewyorkarchives  
Web: http://vedantany.org
Soundcloud:   / vedantany  
iTunes Podcast: http://bit.ly/vedanta-talks-itunes
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5IrDmqX...
Facebook:   / vedantany  

ABOUT VEDANTA
Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest. Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions.

28,001 views Oct 31, 2025 AskSwami Q&A | Swami Sarvapriyananda
Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on Oct 19th, 2025.
List of questions with timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:52 - If Brahman is the only reality, doesn’t “Neti, Neti” also reject Brahman?
17:52 - What is the link between Brahman and Jiva?
38:28 - Are not the theories you are discussing also limited?
41:54 - How do we apply Vedanta in our day-to-day life?
51:02 - Why is consciousness considered to be different from the mind?
01:09:24 - Is ChatGPT enlightened?
01:29:10 - Isn’t AI relative consciousness? How could it become enlightened?

Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on June 15th, 2025.
List of questions with timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:48 - What is the difference between the soul and awareness?
10:39 - How do we break the link between the real and reflected consciousness? 
27:44 - How is knowledge different from experience?
36:02 - Is enlightenment obtained during meditation or while interacting with the world?
49:38 - Is artificial super-intelligence a feasibility?  Could this lead to the end of humanity?
59:27 - Can we design a generalized template for Karma?  How can I explain it to my grandchildren?
01:05:55 - Doesn't the "consciousness wave" referred to in Buddhism imply duality?
01:09:27 - What is the difference between realization that the dream is unreal within the dream (lucid dreaming) vs. in the waking world?

10,864 views May 25, 2025 AskSwami Q&A | Swami Sarvapriyananda
Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on May 11th, 2025.
List of questions with timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
05:02 - At death, does a fully realized Jivatman merge with Brahman, or does it maintain its identity?
16:11 - The Nasadiya Sukta says there is neither existence nor non-existence. But Swami Vivekananda said that creation is eternal. How can these be reconciled?
24:29 - What is this ignorance and where does it exist?
32:02 - I no longer believe in God or sadhana. What should I do?
38:27 - How can I be free of the ups and downs of frustration and elation?
52:01 - If God exists, why is there so much suffering? How can I make peace with my past faults?
59:22 - The path of Raja Yoga says to shut out the world, while the path of Jnana Yoga requires inquiry into experience. Which one should I follow?
01:11:34 - In the Mahabharata it is said "Dharma protects those who protect it". But Swami Vivekananda heard the divine mother say "Do you protect me or do I protect you?" How can these be reconciled?

24,905 views Apr 15, 2025 AskSwami Q&A | Swami Sarvapriyananda
Q&A session led by Swami Sarvapriyananda at the Vedanta Society of New York on Mar 23rd, 2025. List of questions with timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:43 - Explain the two ways of approaching non-duality: “I am all of it” vs “I am none of it”?
15:24 - Is devotion (bhakti) merely an aid to knowledge in Advaita, or something more?
29:58 - Is the intense love of God (parabhakti) a form of insanity or mysticism?
36:16 - Is Advaita Vedanta falsifiable?
52:06 - The importance of asking questions in the study of Vedanta.
58:44 - Should we always practice unconditional love?
01:11:14 - What is the real meaning of ‘jada’ (insentient) in Advaita?
01:20:30 - What is the relationship between Maya and Chit (consciousness)?