Advaita Vedānta is often presented as a philosophical system whose primary concern is the establishment of metaphysical non-duality. Such a characterization, while not entirely false, misses the distinctive genius of the Advaitic tradition. For Śaṅkara, Vedānta is not fundamentally a speculative theory about reality but a complete pedagogical discipline whose purpose is the removal of … Read more
Sureśvarācārya in the Naishkarmyasiddhi and Vārtikas on Resolving the Dilemma and Establishing Non-Duality Introduction One of the most subtle philosophical questions in Advaita Vedānta concerns the status of the Witness (sākṣin). Is the witness-consciousness itself the ultimate Brahman? Or is Brahman something beyond even the witness? Many later Advaita discussions became entangled in this issue … Read more
I have a question—perhaps somewhat rough and unsophisticated—regarding the way nididhyāsana has been presented in your explanation. Let us suppose that one has gained the knowledge of Brahman. Yet, according to your presentation, that knowledge has not been fully assimilated in lived understanding; consequently, one may sometimes not “feel” oneself to be Brahman. In such … Read more
Among the most philosophically dense and programmatic passages in the Advaita Vedānta tradition is the opening Adhyāsa Bhāṣya of Śaṅkarācārya, traditionally placed at the head of his commentary on the Brahma-sūtra. Far from being a mere preliminary remark, this bhāṣya functions as a foundational prolegomenon (upodghāta) to the entire Advaitic enterprise. It sets out not … Read more
Modern Vedānta teachers often present the path in this form: But when I read Śaṅkara, what I see is quite different. He is emphatic that once knowledge arises, nothing remains to be done. His reasons, as I understand them, are the following: i) In knowing the Self, all else is automatically known as the Self (sarvātmaikatva).Śaṅkara on Bṛhadāraṇyaka … Read more
Sentiency permeates the entire body. This pervasive feeling suggests the existence of a separate self. Yet, upon careful analysis, this sentiency becomes objectified. It becomes clear that no actual individual person exists within. What remains? Merely a reflection of all-pervading consciousness—a blend of consciousness and matter. This is simply abhasa: a natural, feeling-sensation occurring within everyone. … Read more
1. Introduction Among the most profound contributions of Śaṅkara’s Advaita Vedānta is his doctrine of adhyāsa — superimposition — introduced in the opening of his Brahma-sūtra Bhāṣya. The very first sentence of that introduction sets the tone for all subsequent Advaitic thought: “mithyā-jñāna-nimittam ātmani anātma-adhyāsaḥ”— “The superimposition of the non-Self upon the Self is caused … Read more
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोरेवमन्तरं ज्ञानचक्षुषा । भूतप्रकृतिमोक्षं च ये विदुर्यान्ति ते परम् ॥ — 13.34, BG. Meaning: They who by the eye of wisdom perceive the distinction between kShetra and KShetrajna, and the dissolution of the Cause of beings, they go to the Supreme. Shankara comments: “They who in this manner perceive the exact distinction, now pointed out, … Read more
जाग्रद्व्यवहारे सत्यं जगदिदं दृश्यते स्थिरम्। कर्मणा जन्तवः सर्वे नियतेन प्रवर्तकाः॥ Transliteration:jāgrad-vyavahāre satyaṁ jagad idaṁ dṛśyate sthiram |karmaṇā jantavaḥ sarve niyatena pravartakāḥ || Meaning:In the waking state, this world appears firm and true;beings act according to destiny’s law, bound in deeds and duties. सुप्तस्वप्नोपमं विश्वं साक्षिणा भास्यते यथा। चित्तप्रत्ययमात्रं तद् दीपवद्भासते स्फुटम्॥ Transliteration:supta-svapnopamaṁ viśvaṁ sākṣiṇā bhāsyate … Read more
You are that kutastha chaitanya (the immovable and changeless Consciousness) which is free from kartrutva (doership) and bhoktrutva (enjoyership), but you wrongly identify with the body-mind-sense complex and call it as ‘I’ and ‘mine’. This wrong identification is what is called adhyasa (superimposition) and this is the only ajnana (ignorance) in Vedanta. This adhyasa of … Read more
