Vedanta
The Development of Hindu Theism in the
Medieval Period:
8th to 13th century CE
Vedanta (veda, knowledge; anta, end):
“End of the Vedas”
Vedanta refers to various schools of
Hindu philosophy that originated in the
medieval period (beginning in the 8th
century CE) that aimed at
systematizing the ideas of the
scriptures of the Upanishads,
Bhagavad Gita, and Brahma Sutras.
Each school of Vedanta aims to systematically
explain the nature of reality and the goal of
human life in accordance with the teachings of
the Upanishads.
All schools of Vedanta maintain that the goal of
human life is to realize Brahman (the ultimate
reality), to be united with the transcendental
ground of the universe.
Schools of Vedanta differ with respect to how
they conceive of Brahman, what realization of
and union with Brahman involves, and how
this is achieved.
Vedanta:
Advaita vs. Bhakti
The main division between schools of Vedanta is
between
the Advaita Vedanta school
(developed by Sankara) in the 9th century
and
the various dissenting schools of Bhakti Vedanta
beginning in the 12th century.
Sankara’s Advaita Vedanta
(1)Brahman – construed as the impersonal Absolute – alone is real.
(2)The true self of each person (atman) is the same reality and it is
identical with Brahman
(3)Moksha involves the absorption of individual consciousness into
Brahman by way of the path of knowledge (jnana yoga).
Bhakti Vedanta
(1) Brahman is a real personal being endowed with auspicious
attributes.
(2) The true self of each person is distinct from the true self of
others, and each is distinct from Brahman.
(3) Bhakti (love of God) brings about union of the individual
soul with the personal Supreme God. Moksha.
The representatives of Bhakti Vedanta are
Vaishnavas in their religious orientation.
Vaishnavas worship Vishnu or any of the avatars
associated with Vishnu (such as Rama or Krishna)
as the Supreme being.
Six Schools of Vedanta
Advaita
Vedanta
Sankara
9th Century
Hamsa
Sampraday
a
Nimbarka
13th century
Sri
Sampraday
a
Brahma
Sampraday
a
Ramanuja
12th Century
Madhva
13th Century
Rudha
Sampraday
a
Vallabha
15th and 16th
Century
Caitanya
Sampraday
a
Caitanya
16th Century
Sankara’s Advaita Vedanta
Adi Sankaracarya (9th Century)
Philosophy of Non-Duality
Advaita Vedanta may be traced
to the teachings of Gaudapada,
the legendary guru of Adi
Sankara’s guru.
Advaita: not two, non-duality.
Vedanta: End of the Vedas.
Gaudapada
(circa 7th Century)
The culmination of the
teachings of the Upanishads in
the philosophy of non-duality.
“Brahman–the
absolute existence,
knowledge, and bliss–
is real. The universe is
not real. Brahman and
atman are one.”
~ Adi Sankara
Brahman, satchitananda (beingconsciousness-bliss) is the impersonal
absolute, not a personal being.
The “gods” are all
finite, provisional
manifestations of the
impersonal Brahman in
the realm of maya.
Brahman in itself
(nirguna Brahman) has
no qualities that could
make it a personal
being.
The Status of the Universe
Sankara denies the reality of maya, the
physical universe, and the individual jiva soul,
for if reality is non-dual (Brahman), then
nothing other than Brahman can be real.
In a sense the universe is illusory, in that it
is something superimposed on Brahman.
Maya (the universe) is the result of a superimposition on
the Brahman reality by the human mind. Reality is one
(Brahman), but we experience it as many.
Just as the mind superimposes a snake on a coil of rope
(avidya), so it superimposes maya on Brahman (avidya).
When the superimposition is dissolved, Brahman is known
and the identity between the self and Brahman is known.
Clarifying Sankara’s View
By “reality” (sat) Sankara means “that which
is unchanging” or “permanent.”
This stands in contrast to both what does not
exist at all (asat) and what exists in a relative,
temporary way (mithya).
SAT
(Unchanging, Eternal, Independent Being)
Brahman
ASAT (The Non-Existent)
All individual states of consciousness
are subject to modification and therefore
cannot be real.
In avidya, the universe is experienced.
Therefore, the universe exists.
In the state of enlightenment, the universe is
not experienced.
Therefore, the universe does not exist.
Relation between Atman (the true,
inner self) and Brahman
Tat tvam asi: “That Thou Art”
statement of the Chandogya
Upanishad.
Sankara’s Interpretation:
“You (Atman) are identical with that
Brahman.”
How to dissolve the superimposition of the
apparent world on Brahman
1. Acquire a guru to guide one into
enlightenment.
2. Practice detachment from sense objects and
worldly pleasures (renunciation) and
discrimination between the eternal and noneternal. Discrimination requires meditation on
teachings of the Upanishads and their
application to experience.
3. Cultivate the Six Virtues:
Tranquility
(Seeing imperfection in sense objects)
Self-Control
(detaching and non-reactive stance)
Forbearance
(freedom from complaint or lament)
Faith
(firm conviction based on understanding the teachings of
the scriptures and one’s guru)
Self-Surrender
(concentration on Brahman)
Longing for Liberation
(seeking to be free from avidya)
The Goal: Brahman Realization
The ego-effacing practices aim at uncovering
the divinity within by means of jnana (gyana),
knowledge:
seeing the identity of one’s inner self and
Brahman.
Moksha (The State of Liberation)
Moksha is liberation from samsara (cycle
of death and rebirth) and thus release from
suffering, which is rooted in the false ego.
According to Sankara, in moksha the
individual consciousness, seeing its
identity with Brahman, merges into the
universal consciousness of Brahman.
No individual consciousness remains.
Sankara
“The spiritual seeker who is possessed of tranquility,
self-control, mental poise, forbearance, devotes himself
to the practice of contemplation, and meditates upon the
Atman within himself as the Atman within all beings.
Thus he completely destroys the sense of separateness
which arises from the darkness of ignorance, and dwells
in joy, identifying himself with Brahman, free from
distracting thoughts and selfish occupations.”
“Now, finally and clearly, I know that I am Atman,
whose nature is eternal joy. I see nothing, I hear
nothing, I know nothing that is separate from me.”