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Essence of Advaita

CHENNAI: The Upanishads represent the quest to understand the Supreme Brahman, the universe and the Self and the relationship between the three. Though Adi Sankara is renowned as the foremost exponent of the philosophy of Advaita, also known as non-dualism, this system of thought or school of philosophy was already extant in the Indian scriptural thought. This great preceptor had written many texts in the form of interpretations (Bhashyas) of great texts, such as the Upanishads, the Brahmasutras, the Bhagavad Gita etc. He had also written specific texts such as the Vivekachudamni to clarify the Advaitic thought.

The main aim was to enlighten the ignorant people about the higher spiritual values that should be pursued by every Jivatma if one has to attain salvation from the cycle of birth pointed out Dr. Sudha Seshaiyan in a lecture. The Advaita philosophy holds that “Brahman is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other beside It” and hence sees no difference between the Brahman and the Jivatma; in other words there prevails only an essential identity between the two. In other Vedantic traditions, this relationship is viewed and understood in different ways.

Enlightenment is attained when the truth of the illusoriness of the self is understood as an experience and not as a mere idea. This is the realised state. We all live in a state of Maya (Avidya) by which we tend to believe that the world and the body are real. This awareness is at the root of the I consciousness and gives rise to the sense of I and Mine, a sense of possessiveness that is difficult to transcend.

The realisation that the Self (Atma) is immortal and part of the Eternal Brahman has to be internalised as an experience. Through many of his hymns Adi Sankara teaches us to pray to God for enlightenment. He shows us how to overcome the enemies of desire, anger, pride, arrogance, greed, etc., by seeking God’s grace. When driven by any or all of these, our expectations may get fulfilled but never satiated. Each gratification leads to further desires and the cycle goes on endlessly. The advice is to do one’s duty and align oneself to the path of righteousness.

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