The
philosophy of advaita, literally non-dualism, is the oldest extant among the
Vedanta schools of Indian philosophy.
The upanishadic quest is to understand brahman, the source of everything, the Atman, the Self, and the relationship between brahman and Atman. The upanishads explore these issues from different angles.
A very important assumption in all vedAnta is that man suffers from bondage in the course of his life in this world. This is said to be sam.sAra, which involves being caught in an endless cycle of births and deaths. The quest therefore is to seek a way out of this bondage, to break the cycle of rebirths and attain moksha or liberation. The most important issues in vedAnta have to be understood with respect to what constitutes bondage and what constitutes liberation.
The advaita vedanta teaches a complete essential identity between brahman and Atman. In other Vedic traditions the essential relationship between Atman and brahman is understood in different ways.
The advaita vedanta is of the view that jnAna (knowledge) of man's true nature is liberation. Bondage arises from ignorance (avidyA) of man's true nature, and therefore removal of ignorance roots out this bondage. Liberation is therefore nothing more or nothing less than man knowing his true nature. This true nature is his innermost essence, the Atman, which is nothing other than brahman. He who knows this, through his own Experience, is liberated even when living. Such a man is a jIvanmukta, and he does not return to the cycle of rebirths.
The upanishadic quest is to understand brahman, the source of everything, the Atman, the Self, and the relationship between brahman and Atman. The upanishads explore these issues from different angles.
A very important assumption in all vedAnta is that man suffers from bondage in the course of his life in this world. This is said to be sam.sAra, which involves being caught in an endless cycle of births and deaths. The quest therefore is to seek a way out of this bondage, to break the cycle of rebirths and attain moksha or liberation. The most important issues in vedAnta have to be understood with respect to what constitutes bondage and what constitutes liberation.
The advaita vedanta teaches a complete essential identity between brahman and Atman. In other Vedic traditions the essential relationship between Atman and brahman is understood in different ways.
The advaita vedanta is of the view that jnAna (knowledge) of man's true nature is liberation. Bondage arises from ignorance (avidyA) of man's true nature, and therefore removal of ignorance roots out this bondage. Liberation is therefore nothing more or nothing less than man knowing his true nature. This true nature is his innermost essence, the Atman, which is nothing other than brahman. He who knows this, through his own Experience, is liberated even when living. Such a man is a jIvanmukta, and he does not return to the cycle of rebirths.
