The Advaitha Philosophy of Sri Sankara

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The Advaita Philosophy of

Sri Sankara

(According to some scholars Sankara was born in the year 788 A.D.)

 

Introduction

The first systematic exponent of the Advaita is Gaudapada, who was

the Parama-Gura (preceptor's preceptor) of Sri Sankara. Govinda was

the disciple of Gaudapada. He became the preceptor of Sankara.

Gaudapada has given the central teaching of Advaita Vedanta in his

celebrated Mandukya Karika. But it was Sankara who brought forth the

final beautiful form of Advaita philosophy, and gave perfection and

finishing touch to it. Carefully go through Sri Sankara's

commentaries on the principal Upanishads, the Brahma-Sutras and the

Bhagavad Gita. You will clearly understand his Advaita philosophy.

The commentary on the Vedanta Sutras (Brahma-Sutras) by Sankara is

known as Sariraka Bhashya.

 

The teachings of Sankara can be summed up in half a verse: "Brahma

Satyam Jagan Mithya Jivo Brahmaiva Na Aparah" (Brahman the Absolute

alone is real; this world is unreal; and the Jiva or the individual

soul is non-different from Brahman). This is the quintessence of his

philosophy.

 

The Advaita taught by Sri Sankara is a rigorous, absolute one.

According to Sri Sankara, whatever is, is Brahman. Brahman Itself is

absolutely homogeneous. All difference and plurality are illusory.

 

Brahman – The One Without A Second

 

The Atman (Soul) is self-evident.(Svatah-siddha). It is not

established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny the

Atman, because It is the very essence of the one who denies It. The

Atman is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions and

proofs. Self is within. Self is without; Self is before, Self is

behind; Self is on the right; Self is on the left; Self is above and

Self is below.

 

Brahman is not an object, as It is Adrishya (beyond the reach of the

eyes). Hence the Upanishads declare: "Neti, Neti" – not this, not

this, not that. This does not mean that Brahman is a negative concept

or a metaphysical abstraction or a non-entity, or a void. It is not

another. It is all-full, infinite, changeless, self-existent, self-

delight, self-knowledge and self-bliss. It is Svarupa (essence). It

is the essence of the knower. It is the Seer (Drashta), Transcendent

(Turiya) and Silent Witness (Sakshi).

 

Sankara's Supreme Brahman is impersonal, Nirguna (without Gunas or

attributes), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special

characteristics), immutable, eternal and Akarta (non-agent). It is

above all needs and desires. It is always the Witnessing Subject. It

can never become an object as It is beyond the reach of the senses.

Brahman is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other beside It.

It is destitute of difference, either external or internal. Brahman

cannot be described because description implies distinction. Brahman

cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is

not the distinction of substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda

(absolute Existence, absolute Consciousness, absolute Bliss)

constitute the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman, and not just Its

attributes.

 

The Nirguna Brahman of Sankara is impersonal. It becomes a personal

God or Saguna Brahman only through Its association with Maya.

 

Saguna (with form or attributes) Brahman and Nirguna (without form)

Brahman are not two Brahmans. Nirguna Brahman is not the contrast,

antithesis or opposite of Saguna Brahman. The same Nirguna Brahman

appears as Saguna Brahman for the pious worship of devotees. It is

the same Truth from two different points of view. Nirguna Brahman is

the higher Brahman, the Brahman from the transcendental viewpoint

(Paramarthika); Saguna (with attributes) Brahman is the lower

Brahman, the Brahman from the relative viewpoint (Vyavaharika).

 

The World – A Relative Reality

 

The world is not an illusion, according to Sankara. The world is

relatively real (Vyavaharika Satta), while Brahman is absolutely real

(Paramarthika Satta). The world is the product of Maya or Avidya

(ignorance). The unchanging Brahman appears as the changing world

through Maya. Maya is a mysterious indescribable power of the Lord

which hides the real and manifests itself as the unreal. Maya is not

real, because it vanishes when you attain knowledge of the Eternal.

It is not unreal also, because it exists till knowledge dawns in you.

The super-imposition of the world on Brahman is due to Avidya or

ignorance.

 

Nature Of The Jiva And The Means To Moksha

 

(Nature of the individual soul and the means to final liberation)

 

To Sankara, the Jiva or the individual soul is only relatively real.

Its individuality lasts only so long as it is subject to unreal

Upadhis or limiting conditions due to Avidya (ignorance). The Jiva

identifies itself with the body, mind and the senses, when it is

deluded by Avidya or ignorance. It thinks, it acts and enjoys, on

account of Avidya. In reality, it is not different from Brahman or

the Absolute. The Upanishads declare emphatically: "Tat Tvam Asi"

(That Thou Art). Just as the bubble (foam) becomes one with the ocean

when it bursts, just as the space within a pot becomes one with the

universal space when the pot is broken, so also the Jiva or the

empirical self becomes one with Brahman when it gets knowledge of

Brahman. When knowledge dawns in it through annihilation of Avidya,

it is freed from its individuality and finitude and realises its

essential Satchidananda (Existence, Consciousness, Bliss) nature. It

merges itself in the ocean of bliss. The river of life joins the

ocean of existence. This is the Truth.

 

The release from samsara means, according to Sankara, the absolute

merging of the individual soul in Brahman due to dismissal of the

erroneous notion that the soul is distinct from Brahman. According to

Sankara, Karma and Bhakti (devotion) are means to Jnana (knowledge)

which is Moksha (liberation).

 

Vivarta Vada Or The Theory Of Superimposition

 

To Sankara, this world is only relatively real (Vyavaharika Satta).

He advocated Vivarta-Vada or theory of appearance or superimposition

(Adhyasa). Just as snake is superimposed on the rope in twilight,

this world and body are superimposed on Brahman or the Supreme Self.

If you get knowledge of the rope, the illusion of snake in the rope

will vanish. Even so, if you get knowledge of Brahman or the

Imperishable, the illusion of body and world will disappear. In

Vivarta-Vada, the cause produces the effect without undergoing any

change in itself. Snake is only an appearance on the rope. The rope

has not transformed itself into a snake, like milk into curd. Brahman

is immutable and eternal. Therefore, It cannot change Itself into the

world. Brahman becomes the cause of the world through Maya, which is

Its inscrutable mysterious power or Sakti.

 

When you come to know that it is only a rope, your fear disappears.

You do not run away from it. Even so, when you realise the eternal

immutable Brahman, you are not affected by the phenomena or the names

and forms of this world. When Avidya or the veil of ignorance is

destroyed through knowledge of the Eternal, when Mithya Jnana or

false knowledge is removed by real knowledge of the Imperishable or

the living Reality, you shine in your true, pristine, divine

splendour and glory.

 

The Advaita – A Philosophy Without Parallel

 

The Advaita philosophy of Sri Sankaracharya is lofty, sublime and

unique. It is a system of bold philosophy and logical subtlety. It is

highly interesting, inspiring and elevating. No other philosophy can

stand before it in boldness, depth and subtle thinking. Sankara's

philosophy is complete and perfect.

 

Sri Sankara was mighty, marvellous genius. He was a master of logic.

He was a profound thinker of the first rank. He was a sage of the

highest realisation. He was an Avatara of Lord Siva. His philosophy

has brought solace, peace and illumination to countless persons in

the East and the West. The Western thinkers bow their heads at the

lotus-feet of Sri Sankara. His philosophy has soothed the sorrows and

afflictions of the most forlorn persons, and brought hope, joy,

wisdom, perfection, freedom and calmness to many. His system of

philosophy commands the admiration of the whole world.

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