What is Advaita Vedanta?
Advaita Vedanta is one of the most well-known schools of Hindu philosophy. It takes the non-dualistic approach to spiritual enlightenment and liberation which in the context of spiritual realization, refers to the belief that the true self, known as the atman, is the same as the ultimate reality in the universe, known as brahman.
Advaita Vedanta is a vast area of study and scholars and seekers devote their entire lives to this pursuit.
The word ‘Advaita’ literally means non-duality or non-separateness.
And Vedanta comes from two words – “veda”, which are the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, and “anta”, which means end.
Vedanta is therefore the end of the vedas, and contains the essence of all its teachings.
Through this article, we help you open a window into the world of Advaita Vedanta by sharing its main teachings, tenets, its history, and some other insightful details.
Enjoy!
What are the main teachings of Advaita Vedanta?
The teachings of Advaita Vedanta revolve around the concept of atman (the inner self), brahman (the absolute reality), and maya (the illusion that keeps us in the cycle of birth and death).
Here we talk about the four main teachings of Advaita Vedanta.
1. Individuality is an illusion
Advaita Vedanta says that there is no individual self.
All that is considered to be the individual is unreal and an illusion due to the presence of limiting factors like the body and our own ignorance.
At the time of Mukti, which means reaching the state of enlightenment and liberation), the atman becomes one with brahman.
The moment the sense of identity, which comes from the body and the mind, disappears, the separation between atman and brahman ceases to exist.
2. There are different levels of reality
Brahman is infinite and indivisible, and, therefore, devoid of all attributes, which means it cannot be described.
At the same time, according to Vedic texts, brahman is also the cause of the universe.
If Brahman is the only reality, and the world of which it is the cause is finite and material, the challenge lies in explaining this incompatible relationship between the two.
The solution to this problem of understanding the relationship between a non-dual brahman and a dual world was solved by Shankara, who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta, by putting forth the view of a two-level reality.
At the empirical level, it is believed that Brahman manifests as the world but through its mysterious power of illusion or Maya.
The absolute level is where brahman keeps to its true nature of non-duality and infinite awareness.
Its nature of pure consciousness is present in all beings in the form of the Atman.
3. THE WORLD IS UNREAL
If brahman is the sole reality, by extension, the world becomes unreal.
Two arguments are used in Advaita Vedanta to support this view.
- Brahman is unchanging and eternal; the corollary being that what is changing is impermanent and what is impermanent cannot be real.
- The second argument states that because the object and the subject cannot be the same, to know an object, we need consciousness, which makes consciousness the subject. However, consciousness, in itself, does not need anything to be known, as it is self-luminous. Therefore, all objects fall into the category of “unconscious”.
A relationship between all that is unconscious and pure consciousness cannot exist.
Hence, the world is false but this becomes known only when the absolute truth is realized.
4. THERE IS NON-DUALITY IN CONSCIOUSNESS AND KNOWLEDGE
Advaita Vedanta posits that consciousness and knowledge are one and non-dual.
Consciousness or cit, and pure knowledge, or jñana, are self-existent; they are independent of body and mind and exist by themselves.
For a detailed understanding of the main teachings of Advaita Vedanta, you could read what Swami Bhajanananda shares about the philosophy.
So, is Advaita Vedanta merely a school of philosophy or is it a religion? Let’s find out.
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Is Advaita Vedanta a religion?
Advaita Vedanta is not a religion but a school of Hindu philosophy. It is a guide to attain spiritual realization. Anyone, of any religion and faith, can follow the path and use the principles of Advaita Vedanta for spiritual enlightenment and liberation. It does not lay down any rules for those practicing to follow a particular religion.
Hindu philosophy encompasses six systems, Vedanta being one of them, and Advaita Vedanta being a sub-school of Vedanta.
The word for philosophy in Hinduism is Darshana, which comes from a Sanskrit word meaning “to see” or “to experience”.
Therefore, these philosophies were not created as a religion but as world views and teachings to get on the path to spiritual realization.
And, does Advaita Vedanta believe in the existence of god?
Let’s take a look…
Does Advaita Vedanta believe in god?
Advaita Vedanta does not believe in an outside god. On the contrary, Advaita Vedanta says that liberation is possible in one’s current lifetime. One who is liberated does not believe or not believe in god. There is neither acceptance nor denial of the existence of god. The only thing that matters is knowledge of the self.
What Advaita Vedanta believes in is Brahman or the absolute reality.
Brahman is all there is and the atman of every being is Brahman.
There is nothing other than brahman, which, by extension, means that there is no god.
How old is Advaita Vedanta?
Advaita Vedanta is the oldest sub-school of Vedanta and one of the oldest schools of Hindu philosophy.
Though the exact time of its origins is not known, its roots can be traced to as back as the 1st millennium BCE.
However, it was Adi Shankara who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. The official time of his presence in the world is accepted as 788-820 CE.
What is the difference between Vedanta and Upanishads?
There is no difference between Vedanta and Upanishads. Vedanta is the more commonly used term compared to Upanishads, which contain the anta, or the end of the vedas, thus capturing the essence and the knowledge of the vedas.
With time, however, the philosophy of Vedanta widened to include philosophical traditions not only from the Upanishads, but also from the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras.
The Upanishads are considered to be the heard and repeated foundation of Vedanta, the Brahma Sutras the reason-based foundation of Vedanta, and the Bhagavad Gita the remembered tradition foundation of Vedanta.
In closing
The study of Advaita Vedanta can shine a light on the nature of reality, the illusion of the material, and the significance of the self.
It can help us find the answer to the most elusive question – who am I.
Now that you have come this far, this video will help you deepen your understanding and hopefully, appreciation of this wonderful and transformative philosophy.