Advaita Vedanta (अद्वैत वेदान्त) is a Hindu Sadhana, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the orthodox Hindu school Vedānta. The term Advaita (literally “non-secondness”, but usually rendered as “nondualism”, and often equated with monism) refers to the idea that Brahman alone is ultimately real, while the transient phenomenal world is an illusory appearance (Maya) of Brahman. In this view, (jiv) Ātman, the experiencing self, and Ātman–Brahman, the highest Self, and Absolute Reality are non-different. The jivatman or individual self is a mere reflection or limitation of singular Ātman in many apparent individual bodies.
Definition of Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta is one version of vedānta. Vedānta is nominally a school of Indian philosophy, although, in reality, it is a label for any hermeneutics that attempts to provide a consistent interpretation of the philosophy of the Upaniṣhads or, more formally, the canonical summary of the Upaniṣhads, Bādarāyaṇa’s Brahma-sūtra.
Reality and Ignorance of Advaita Vedanta
Classical Advaita Vedanta states that all reality and everything in the experienced world has its root in Brahman, which is unchanging Consciousness. To Advaitins, there is no duality between a Creator and the created universe. All objects, all experiences, all matter, all consciousness, and all awareness are somehow also this one fundamental reality Brahman.
Yet, the knowing self has various experiences of reality during the waking, dream, and dreamless states, and Advaita Vedānta acknowledges and admits that from the empirical perspective, there are numerous distinctions. Advaita explains this by postulating different levels of reality, and by its theory of errors (anirvacaniya khyati).
Three Levels of Reality/Truth
Shankara proposes three levels of reality, using sublation as the ontological criterion:
Pāramārthika
Pāramārthika (paramartha, absolute), is the Reality that is metaphysically true and ontologically accurate. It is the state of experiencing that “which is real and into which both other reality levels can be resolved”.
Vyāvahārika
Vyāvahārika (vyavahara), or samvriti-saya, consists of the empirical or pragmatical reality. It is the level at which both jiva (living creatures or individual Selves) and Iswara are true; here, the material world is also true but this is an incomplete reality and is suitable.
Prāthibhāsika
Prāthibhāsika (pratibhasika, apparent reality, unreality), “reality based on imagination alone”. It is the level of experience in which the mind constructs its reality. Well-known examples of pratibhasika are the imaginary reality such as the “roaring of a lion” fabricated in dreams during one’s sleep, and the perception of a rope in the dark as being a snake.
Absolute and relative reality
Absolute and relative reality is valid in their respective contexts, but only from their separate particular perspectives. John Grimes explains this Advaita doctrine of absolute and relative truth with the example of light and darkness. From the sun’s perspective, it neither rises nor sets, there is no darkness, and “all is light”.
From the perspective of a person on earth, the sun does rise and set, there is both light and darkness, not “all is light”, there are relative shades of light and darkness. Both are valid realities and truths, given their perspectives. Yet, they are contradictory. What is true from one point of view, states Grimes is not from another.
Advaita Vedānta scholar
As they developed these theories, Advaita Vedānta scholars were influenced by some ideas from the Nyaya, Samkhya, and Yoga schools of Hindu philosophy. These theories have not enjoyed universal consensus among Advaitins, and various competing ontological interpretations have flowered within the Advaita tradition.
Pāramārthika – Sat (True Reality)
Ātman as per Advaita Vedanta
Ātman (आत्मन्) is the “real self” or “essence” of the individual.
It is “a stable subjectivity or a unity of consciousness through all the specific states of individuated phenomenality.” Ātman, states Eliot Deutsch, is the “pure, undifferentiated, supreme power of awareness”, it is more than thought, it is a state of being, that which is conscious and transcends subject-object divisions and momentariness. According to Ram-Prasad, “it” is not an object, but “the irreducible essence of being [as] subjectivity, rather than an objective self with the quality of consciousness.”
Brahman as per Advaita Vedanta
According to Advaita Vedanta, Brahman is the true Self, consciousness, awareness, and the only Reality (Sat). Brahman is Paramarthika Satyam, “Absolute Truth” or absolute Reality. It is That which is unborn and unchanging, and immortal. Other than Brahman, everything else, including the universe, material objects, and individuals, are ever-changing and therefore Maya. Brahman is “not sublatable”, which means it cannot be superseded by a still higher reality:
the true Self, pure consciousness […] the only Reality (sat), since It is untinged by difference, the mark of ignorance, and since It is the one thing that is not sublatable”.
In Advaita, Brahman is the substrate and cause of all changes. Brahman is considered to be the material cause and the efficient cause of all that exists.
Vyāvahārika (conventional reality) – Avidya and Māyā
Avidyā (ignorance)
Avidyā is a central tenet of Shankara’s Advaita and became the main target of Ramanuja’s criticism of Shankara. In Shankara’s view, avidyā is adhyasa, “the superimposition of the qualities of one thing upon another.” As Shankara explains in the Adhyasa-bhasya, the introduction to the Brahmasutrabhasya:
Owing to an absence of discrimination, there continues a natural human behaviour in the form of ‘I am this’ or ‘This is mine’; this is avidya. It is a superimposition of the attributes of one thing on another. The ascertainment of the nature of the real entity by separating the superimposed thing from it is vidya (knowledge, illumination).
From the beginning we only perceive the empirical world of multiplicity, taking it to be the only and true reality. Due to avidyā, there is ignorance, or nescience, of the real Self, Atman–Brahman, mistakingly identifying the Self with the body-mind complex.
Māyā (appearance)
Due to avidya, we take the phenomenal world to be the final reality, while in reality only Sat (True Reality, Brahman) is Real and unchanging.
While Shankara took a realistic stance, and his explanations are “remote from any connotation of illusion,” the 13th-century scholar Prakasatman, founder of the influential Vivarana school, introduced the notion that the world is illusory. According to Hacker, Maya is not a prominent theme for Shankara, in contrast to the later Advaita tradition, and “the word Maya has for [Shankara] hardly any terminological weight.”
Five koshas (sheaths) as per Advaita Vedanta
Due to avidya, atman is covered by Koshas (sheaths or bodies), which hide man’s true nature. According to the Taittiriya Upanishad, the Atman is covered by five Koshas, usually rendered “sheath”. They are often visualized like the layers of an onion. From gross to fine the five sheaths are:
- Annamaya Kosha, physical/food sheath,
- Pranamaya Kosha, life-force sheath,
- Manomaya kosha, the mental sheath,
- Vijnanamaya kosha, discernment/wisdom sheath, and
- Anandamaya kosha, bliss sheath (Ananda).
Parinamavada and vivartavada – causality and change
Cause and effect are essential topics in all schools of Vedanta. All schools of Vedānta agree that Brahman is both the material and the efficient cause, and all subscribe to the theory of Satkāryavāda, which means that the effect is pre-existent in the cause.
There are different views on the origination of the empirical world from Brahman. All commentators “agree that Brahman is the cause of the world,” but disagree on how exactly Brahman is the cause of the world. According to Nicholson, “Medieval Vedantins distinguish two basic positions.” Parinamavada is the idea that the world is a real transformation (parinama) of Brahman.
Moksha – Liberating knowledge of Brahman
Knowledge is liberating
The soteriological goal, in Advaita, is to gain self-knowledge as being in essence (Atman), awareness or witness-consciousness, and a complete understanding of the identity of jivan-ātman and Brahman. Correct knowledge of Atman and Brahman is the attainment of Brahman, and immortality, and leads to moksha (liberation) from suffering and samsara, the cycle of rebirth This is stated by Shankara as follows:
I am other than name, form and action.
My nature is ever free!
I am Self, the supreme unconditioned Brahman.
I am pure Awareness, always non-dual. — Adi Shankara, Upadesasahasri 11.7,
According to Anantanand Rambachan, in Advaita, this state of liberating self-knowledge includes and leads to the understanding that “the self is the self of all, the knower of self sees the self in all beings and all beings in the self.”
Attaining Vidhya (knowledge)
Advaita Vedanta regards the liberated state of being Atman-Brahman as one’s true identity and inherent to being human. According to Shankara and the Vivarana-school, no human action can ‘produce’ this liberated state, as it is what one already is. As Swami Vivekananda stated:
The Vedas cannot show you Brahman, you are That already. They can only help to take away the veil that hides truth from our eyes. The cessation of ignorance can only come when I know that God and I are one; in other words, identify yourself with Atman, not with human limitations. The idea that we are bound is only an illusion [Maya]. Freedom is inseparable from the nature of the Atman. This is ever pure, ever perfect, ever unchangeable. — Adi Shankara’s commentary on Fourth Vyasa Sutra, Swami Vivekananda
Yet, the Advaita tradition also emphasizes human effort, the path of Jnana Yoga, a progression of study and training to realize one’s true identity as Atman-Brahman and attain moksha. According to critics of neo-Advaita, which also emphasizes direct insight, traditional Advaita Vedanta entails more than self-inquiry or bare insight into one’s real nature, but also includes self-restraint, textual studies, and ethical perfection.
The threefold practice: Shravana (hearing), Manana (thinking), and Nididhyasana (meditation)
The Advaita tradition teaches that correct knowledge, which destroys avidya, psychological and perceptual errors related to Atman and Brahman, is obtained in Jnana yoga through three stages of practice, Shravana (hearing), Manana (thinking), and Nididhyasana (meditation). This three-step methodology is rooted in the teachings of chapter 4 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad:
- Shravana, which means hearing. The student listens and discusses the ideas, concepts, questions, and answers. of the sages on the Upanishads and Advaita Vedānta, studying the Vedantic texts, such as the Brahma Sutras, aided by discussions with the guru (teacher, counselor).
- Manana refers to thinking about these discussions and contemplating the various ideas based on Svadhyaya and Shravana. It is the stage of reflection on the teachings;
- Nididhyāsana, the stage of meditation and introspection. This practice stage aims at the realization and consequent conviction of the truths, non-duality, and a state where there is a fusion of thought and action, knowing and being.
Guru
Advaita Vedanta school has traditionally had high reverence for Guru (teacher) and recommends that a competent Guru be sought in one’s pursuit of spirituality, though this is not mandatory. Reading Vedic literature and reflection is the most essential practice.
Adi Shankara, states Comans, regularly employed compound words “such as Sastracaryopadesa (instruction by way of the scriptures and the teacher) and Vedāntacaryopadesa (instruction by way of the Upanishads and the teacher) to emphasize the importance of Guru”. According to Comans, this reflects the Advaita tradition which holds a competent teacher as essential to gaining correct knowledge, freeing oneself from false knowledge, and self-realization. Nevertheless, in the Bhamati-school the guru has a less essential role, as he can explain the teachings, but the student has to venture into further study.
Pramana (means of knowledge)
In contrast to other schools of Indian philosophy, early Vedanta paid little attention to pramana.
The Brahmasutras are not concerned with pramana, and pratyaksa (sense-perception) and anumana (inference) refer there to shruti and smriti respectively. Shankara recognized the means of knowledge, but his thematic focus was on metaphysics and soteriology, and he took for granted the pramanas. For Shankara, sabda is the only means of knowledge for attaining Brahman-jnana. According to Sengaku Mayeda, “in no place in his works […] does he give any systematic account of them,” taking Atman–Brahman to be self-evident (svapramanaka) and self-established (svatahsiddha), and “an investigation of the means of knowledge is of no use for the attainment of final release.”
Samadhi
The Advaita tradition emphasizes that, since Brahman is ever-present, Brahman-knowledge is immediate and requires no ‘action’, that is, striving and effort, as articulated by Shankara; yet, it also prescribes elaborate preparatory practice, including yogic samadhi, posing a paradox which is also recognized in other spiritual disciplines and traditions.
Shankara regarded the shrutis as the means of knowledge of Brahman, and he was ambivalent about yogic practices and meditation, which at best may prepare one for Brahma-jnana. The Bhamati school and the Vivarana school differed on the role of contemplation, but they both “deny the possibility of perceiving supersensuous knowledge through popular yoga techniques.”
Anubhava (‘experience’)
While neo-Vedanta claims a central position for anubhava as “experience,” Shankara himself regarded reliance on textual authority as sufficient for gaining Brahman-jnana, “the intuition of Brahman,” and used anubhava interchangeably with pratipatta, “understanding”. Arvind Sharma argues that Shankara’s own “direct experience of the ultimate truth” guided him in selecting “those passages of the scriptures that resonate with this experience and will select them as the key with which to open previously closed even forbidden doors.”
The Vivekachudamani “explicit[ly] declar[es] that experience (anubhuti) is a pramana or means of knowing and neo-Vedanta also accepts anubhava (“personal experience”) as a means of knowledge. Dalal and others state that anubhava does not center around some “mystical experience,” but around the correct understanding of Brahman.
Adhyaropa Apavada – imposition and negation
Since Gaudapada, adopted the Buddhist four-cornered negation which negates any positive predicates of ‘the Absolute’, a main method in Advaita Vedanta to express the inexpressible is the method called Adhyaropa Apavada.
In this method, which was highly estimated by Satchidanandendra Saraswati, a property is imposed (adhyaropa) on Atman to convince one of its existence, whereafter the imposition is removed (apavada) to reveal the true nature of Atman as nondual and undefinable. In this method, “That which cannot be expressed is expressed through false attribution and subsequent denial.”
The Mahavyakas – the identity of Ātman and Brahman
Moksha, liberation from suffering and rebirth and attaining immortality, is attained by disidentification from the body-mind complex and gaining self-knowledge as being, in essence, Atman, and attaining knowledge of the identity of Atman and Brahman.
According to Shankara, the individual Ātman and Brahman seem different at the empirical level of reality, but this difference is only an illusion, and at the highest level of reality they are identical.
Mahavakyas of Advaita Vedanta
According to Shankara, a large number of Upanishadic statements reveal the identity of Atman and Brahman. They are:
- तत्त्वमसि, tat tvam asi, Chandogya VI.8.7. Traditionally rendered as “That Thou Art” (that you are), with Tat in Ch.U.6.8.7 referring to sat, “the Existent”); correctly translated as “That’s how [thus] you are,” with Tat in Ch.U.6.12.3, its original location from where it was copied to other verses, referring to “the very nature of all existence as permeated by [the finest essence]”
- अहं ब्रह्मास्मि, aham brahmāsmi, Brhadāranyaka I.4.10, “I am Brahman,” or “I am Divine.”
- प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म, prajñānam brahma, Aitareya V.3, “Prajñānam is Brahman.”
- अयमात्मा ब्रह्म, ayamātmā brahma, Mandukya II, “This Atman is Brahman.”
Advaita Vedanta Texts
The Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gitā, and Brahma Sutras are the central texts of the Advaita Vedānta tradition, providing doctrines about the identity of Atman and Brahman and their changeless nature.
Adi Shankara gave a nondualist interpretation of these texts in his commentaries. Adi Shankara’s Bhashya (commentaries) have become central texts in the Advaita Vedānta philosophy, but are one among many ancient and medieval manuscripts available or accepted in this tradition. The subsequent Advaita tradition has further elaborated on these srutis and commentaries.
Prasthanatrayi
The Advaita Vedanta provides exegeses of the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras, and the Bhagavad Gita, collectively called the Prasthanatrayi, literally, three sources.
- In addition to the oldest Upanishads, states Williams, the Sannyasa Upanishads group composed in pre-Shankara times “express a decidedly Advaita outlook”.
- The Brahma Sutras attempted to synthesize the teachings of the Upanishads. The diversity in the teachings of the Upanishads necessitated the systematization of these teachings. The only extant version of this synthesis is the Brahma Sutras of Badarayana. This has led, states Stephen Phillips, to its varying interpretations by scholars of various sub-schools of Vedānta.
- The Bhagavad Gitā, or Smriti prasthāna; is considered the Smriti (remembered tradition) foundation of Vedānta. It has been widely studied by Advaita scholars, including a commentary by Adi Shankara.
The Advaita Vedanta tradition considers the knowledge claims in the Vedas to be the crucial part of the Vedas, not its karma-Kanda (ritual injunctions).
Advaita Vedanta Teachings
The primary teachings of Advaita Vedanta can be summarized as follows:
Non-Duality (Advaita)
Advaita Vedanta asserts that the ultimate reality, Brahman, is non-dual. It teaches that there is no fundamental separation or distinction between the individual self (Atman) and Brahman. The true nature of reality is the underlying unity that transcends all dualities and divisions.
Maya
Advaita Vedanta explains the concept of Maya as the power of illusion or ignorance that veils the true nature of reality. Maya is responsible for creating the appearance of a separate and diverse world, which is considered temporary and ultimately unreal. Seekers are encouraged to transcend Maya through knowledge and direct experience.
Self-Inquiry (Vichara)
Advaita Vedanta emphasizes the practice of self-inquiry to realize the true nature of the self. Seekers are encouraged to investigate the question “Who am I?” and discern the distinction between the temporary aspects of the self (body, mind, and ego) and the eternal aspect (Atman) that is identical to Brahman.
Scriptural Study (Shravana, Manana, Nididhyasana)
Advaita Vedanta places importance on studying the scriptures, particularly the Upanishads, which contain profound philosophical insights. The process involves listening (shravana) to the teachings, reflecting (manana) upon their meaning, and deepening one’s understanding through contemplation and meditation (nididhyasana).
Guru-Disciple Relationship
Advaita Vedanta recognizes the significance of a teacher or guru who can guide and transmit the teachings to the seeker. The guru acts as a spiritual guide and imparts knowledge through direct transmission and personal instruction.
Ultimate Goal of Advaita Vedanta: Liberation (Moksha)
The ultimate goal of Advaita Vedanta is liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and death, and the realization of one’s true nature as Brahman. It is attained through the direct experience and knowledge of non-duality, transcending the limitations of the ego and the illusory world.
These teachings form the foundation of Advaita Vedānta, guiding seekers on a path of self-realization and awakening to the ultimate truth of existence.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Advaita Vedanta stands as a profound and influential philosophical system within Hinduism. Its core principle of non-dualism, asserting the ultimate oneness of all existence, has provided seekers of truth with a transformative framework for understanding the nature of reality and the self. Advaita Vedānta emphasizes the importance of self-inquiry, meditation, and direct experiential knowledge as means to transcend the illusion of duality and realize one’s true nature as the eternal, limitless consciousness. Through its teachings, Advaita Vedānta offers profound insights into the nature of existence, the interplay of the individual and the universal, and the path to liberation from suffering. It continues to inspire and guide spiritual seekers across the world, inviting them to explore the depths of their being and discover the inherent unity that underlies all apparent diversity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Advaita Vedanta?
A: Advaita Vedanta is a philosophical school of thought within Hinduism. Advaita means “non-duality,” and Vedānta refers to the end portion of the Vedas, which deal with philosophical and spiritual matters. Advaita Vedānta emphasizes the ultimate unity of all existence, asserting that the true nature of reality is non-dual, transcending distinctions and divisions.
Q: What is the central teaching of Advaita Vedanta?
A: The central teaching of Advaita Vedanta is the concept of “Brahman” and “Atman.” Brahman refers to the ultimate reality, the infinite and eternal consciousness that underlies all phenomena. Atman, on the other hand, refers to the individual self or soul. The key insight of Advaita Vedānta is that Brahman and Atman are ultimately the same. The individual self is not separate from the universal consciousness but is a manifestation of it.
Q: How does Advaita Vedanta view the world?
A: According to Advaita Vedanta, the world we perceive is a product of Maya, which is the power of illusion or ignorance. Advaita Vedanta encourages seekers to go beyond the illusion of the world and realize their true nature as the unchanging, limitless consciousness.
Q: What is the path to liberation in Advaita Vedanta?
A: The path to liberation in Advaita Vedanta involves self-inquiry, knowledge, and direct experience. Through the study of scriptures, meditation, and contemplation, one gains knowledge of the non-dual nature of reality and gradually transcends the limitations of the egoic mind. The realization of one’s true nature as Brahman leads to liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
Q: Is Advaita Vedanta compatible with other religious or philosophical beliefs?
A: Advaita Vedanta is a unique philosophical system within Hinduism. Its core principles of non-duality and the ultimate unity of all existence can resonate with individuals from various religious or philosophical backgrounds. It emphasizes the universality of spiritual truths and the underlying oneness that transcends religious and cultural boundaries. However, it is important to note that Advaita Vedānta may challenge certain dualistic or exclusive beliefs found in other religious systems. Individuals may interpret and integrate its teachings in different ways according to their understanding and background.
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advaita_Vedanta
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