Understanding of Wellbeing through Ancient Indian Spiritual Texts

Abstract

This paper introduces some aspects of the Indian philosophy and the spiritual quest, which can be seen as leading to 'ultimate wellbeing' and 'ultimate wellness' for it involves how to live a most meaningful yogic life in full clarity and with respect to all that exists around oneself. Indian spirituality, as depicted in the Vedas and resumed in the Bhagavad-Gita, also embraces and guides as to how to live both a material and spiritual life in parallel and at some point, dropping the material tendency and embracing spiritual enlightenment. Additionally, this paper outlines how Indian spirituality is also unusual in that there are followers of three underlying philosophies of Advaita, Dvaitha and Vishistadvaita that live side by side and these three traditions do not attempt to dominate each other. In this sense, tolerance and harmonious coexistence seem to be the basis of the Indian philosophic system, which also spills over into everyday life.