The Advaita
Philosophy Of Sri Sankara
Introduction
The first systematic
exponent of the Advaita is Gaudapada, who is the Parama-Guru
(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 Karikas. 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 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) is alone
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 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 Adrisya, 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 nonentity, 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 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 Brahman and
Nirguna Brahman are not two different 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
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. 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
superimposition of the world on Brahman is due to Avidya or
ignorance.
Nature Of The
Jiva And The Means To Moksha
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. 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 becomes one
with the ocean when it bursts, just as the pot-ether becomes one
with the universal ether 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 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 are means to Jnana which is Moksha.
Vivarta Vada Or
The Theory Of Superimposition
To Sankara the world
is only relatively real (Vyavaharika Satta). He advocated
Vivarta-Vada or the 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 A 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 a
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.
