Post by justlikeyou on Nov 29, 2024 21:04:11 GMT -5
Been researching non-dual teachers...
Q&A 1: Who is Adi Shankaracharya?
Adi Shankaracharya, an 8th-century Indian philosopher and sage, was the principal proponent of Advaita Vedanta, a school of non-dual philosophy. Born in Kalady, Kerala, he revitalized and synthesized the teachings of the Upanishads, emphasizing the unity of all existence and the illusory nature of the phenomenal world. His commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the Brahma Sutras form the foundation of Advaita Vedanta. Shankaracharya also composed devotional hymns and established four monastic orders (mathas) across India, ensuring the preservation of Vedic traditions.
Shankaracharya taught that the Absolute is the unchanging reality, the source of all appearances. Universal Consciousness, as the expression of the Absolute, gives rise to all forms and phenomena, including human beings and the natural world. These forms, though varied, are inseparably linked to their source.
Q&A 2: What is Shankaracharya's view of Brahman?
Shankaracharya asserted that the underlying reality of the universe is Brahman, an eternal, infinite, and unchanging consciousness. He famously stated:
"Brahman is real, the world is an illusion, and the individual self is none other than Brahman."
This means that the essence of everything—whether human, animal, or inanimate—is ultimately non-dual. While Brahman is the Absolute, the dynamic world of Universal Consciousness arises as its reflection. This interplay reveals that every form is a localized appearance of the same underlying reality. Realizing this unity dissolves the illusion of separation, unveiling the wholeness behind all manifestations.
Q&A 3: How does Shankaracharya describe realization?
Realization, according to Shankaracharya, is the direct recognition of oneself as Brahman. It involves transcending the false identification with the body, mind, and ego. Through inquiry and meditation, one comes to know that Universal Consciousness is not separate from the Absolute but its dynamic projection.
This realization brings the understanding that all forms, including the human experience, are transient expressions of the formless Absolute. In this state, distinctions between the observer, observed, and observation dissolve, and life is seen as the indivisible play of Brahman.
Q&A 1: Who is Adi Shankaracharya?
Adi Shankaracharya, an 8th-century Indian philosopher and sage, was the principal proponent of Advaita Vedanta, a school of non-dual philosophy. Born in Kalady, Kerala, he revitalized and synthesized the teachings of the Upanishads, emphasizing the unity of all existence and the illusory nature of the phenomenal world. His commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the Brahma Sutras form the foundation of Advaita Vedanta. Shankaracharya also composed devotional hymns and established four monastic orders (mathas) across India, ensuring the preservation of Vedic traditions.
Shankaracharya taught that the Absolute is the unchanging reality, the source of all appearances. Universal Consciousness, as the expression of the Absolute, gives rise to all forms and phenomena, including human beings and the natural world. These forms, though varied, are inseparably linked to their source.
Q&A 2: What is Shankaracharya's view of Brahman?
Shankaracharya asserted that the underlying reality of the universe is Brahman, an eternal, infinite, and unchanging consciousness. He famously stated:
"Brahman is real, the world is an illusion, and the individual self is none other than Brahman."
This means that the essence of everything—whether human, animal, or inanimate—is ultimately non-dual. While Brahman is the Absolute, the dynamic world of Universal Consciousness arises as its reflection. This interplay reveals that every form is a localized appearance of the same underlying reality. Realizing this unity dissolves the illusion of separation, unveiling the wholeness behind all manifestations.
Q&A 3: How does Shankaracharya describe realization?
Realization, according to Shankaracharya, is the direct recognition of oneself as Brahman. It involves transcending the false identification with the body, mind, and ego. Through inquiry and meditation, one comes to know that Universal Consciousness is not separate from the Absolute but its dynamic projection.
This realization brings the understanding that all forms, including the human experience, are transient expressions of the formless Absolute. In this state, distinctions between the observer, observed, and observation dissolve, and life is seen as the indivisible play of Brahman.
