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Brahma of Shankaracharya

Shankaracharya viewed Brahman as the ultimate reality in the universe. According to his Advaita Vedanta philosophy, Brahman is non-dual, beyond all categories, and the underlying essence of all existence. While the individual soul sees itself as separate, it is ultimately identical to Brahman. However, this identity is obscured by maya, or illusion, which creates the appearance of separation. Shankaracharya advocated the practice of jnana yoga, or knowledge yoga, to overcome ignorance and realize one's true nature as Brahman, achieving moksha or liberation.

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2K views2 pages

Brahma of Shankaracharya

Shankaracharya viewed Brahman as the ultimate reality in the universe. According to his Advaita Vedanta philosophy, Brahman is non-dual, beyond all categories, and the underlying essence of all existence. While the individual soul sees itself as separate, it is ultimately identical to Brahman. However, this identity is obscured by maya, or illusion, which creates the appearance of separation. Shankaracharya advocated the practice of jnana yoga, or knowledge yoga, to overcome ignorance and realize one's true nature as Brahman, achieving moksha or liberation.

Uploaded by

Ravi
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Question :- Discuss the form of Brahma of Shankaracharya.

Answer :- Shankaracharya (788–820 CE) was a highly influential philosopher and


theologian, who is often considered the founder of the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu
philosophy. One of the key concepts of Advaita Vedanta is the concept of Brahman, which is
believed to be the ultimate reality of the universe. In this essay, I will discuss the nature of
Brahman as per the philosophy of Shankaracharya.

Brahman is a Sanskrit word that can be translated as "absolute" or "ultimate reality".


According to Shankaracharya, Brahman is the primordial reality that underlies all existence.
It is the source and essence of everything that exists, and is therefore the ultimate cause of
the universe.

According to Shankaracharya one of the major characteristics of Brahman is its non-dualistic


nature. The world in Advaita Vedanta is often considered to be divided into two categories:
the material world, which is characterized by diversity and plurality, and the spiritual world,
which is characterized by oneness and unity. Brahman as the ultimate reality

which is beyond both these categories, and is therefore characterized by a non-dualistic


nature.

This non-dual nature of Brahman is often described in terms of the concept of "neti neti",
meaning "not this, not that". According to this view, we cannot describe Brahman in positive
terms because it is beyond all categories and concepts. Instead, we can only describe it in
negative terms, saying what it is not. For example, we can say that Brahman is not limited by
time, space or causality, but we cannot positively describe it in terms of these categories.

Another important feature of Brahman according to Shankaracharya is its relation to the


individual self or "soul". In Advaita Vedanta, the soul is seen as the individual soul or self,
which is often considered separate from Brahman. However, according to Shankaracharya,
the soul is ultimately identical with Brahman. This idea is often expressed in the famous
saying "Tat tvam asi", which means "You are that". According to this saying, the true nature
of one's self is identical with the ultimate reality of Brahman.

This identification between the soul and Brahman is often described in terms of the concept
of "Maya". Maya is a Sanskrit word that can be translated as "illusion" or "deception".
According to Shankara, the world of material objects and appearances is ultimately illusory,
as it is not the ultimate reality of Brahman. Hence the true nature of the world is hidden by
maya, which creates the illusion of variety and plurality.

However, according to Sankaracharya, the individual self is also subject to maya, because it
equates itself with Brahman.

Instead of recognizing his true nature, he identifies with the illusory world of appearances.
illusory world

Along with this identity is often described as "avidya", which means "ignorance" or "false
knowledge". To remove this ignorance and to recognize the real nature of self as Brahman,
Shankara emphasizes the importance of spiritual practice, especially "jnana yoga" or the
yoga of knowledge.

Practice . Jnana Yoga consists of the study of scriptures, the practice of meditation, and the
guidance of a spiritual teacher.

The medium involves the cultivation of knowledge and understanding.

Through this practice, one can recognize one's true nature as Brahman Himself, and hence
transcend the illusory world of material appearances. This realization is often described as
"moksha", which means liberation or freedom. According to Shankaracharya, moksha is the
ultimate goal of human existence, and it is achieved when one realizes one's own true
nature as Brahman, and thus becomes free from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

Finally, according to Shankaracharya's Advaita Vedanta philosophy, Brahman is the ultimate


reality of the universe, which is beyond all categories and concepts. It is non-dualistic, and
characterized by a unity and oneness that underlies the whole of existence. The individual
self is ultimately identical with Brahman, but this identity is often hidden by maya, which
creates the illusion of variety and plurality. To overcome this ignorance and recognize one's
true nature, Shankaracharya stresses the importance of spiritual practice, especially the
practice of Jnana Yoga or Jnana Yoga. Through this practice one can himself attain
salvation, which is the ultimate goal of human existence.

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