Questions tagged [advaita]
Literally non-duality; a school of the Vedanta philosophy that declares the oneness of God, soul, and the universe.
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Is panchayatan puja mentioned in bhagavatam?
Do bhagavatam mention punchayatan puja. And do bhagavatam says all five Gods(devatās) are equal?
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38 views
What kind of knowledge is required to attain Moksha according to advaita vedanta?
According to this answer, advaita vedanta goes for the path of knowledge.
What kind of knowledge is required to attain Moksha?
Is it scientific or spiritual knowledge.
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How is Nirguna Brahman Nirguna if he is Sachidananda?
We know that Nirguna Brahman is Sat, Chit and Ananda.
Are not Sat, Chit and Anandas themselves gunas? As they are qualities.
Reference, Tattva Bodha of Shri Shankaracharya.
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Does popular worship of Lord Shiva in Northern India comes under any Shaiva sect or is it Advatic/Smartha by nature?
We know Saiva Siddhanta,(a dualistic Shaiva sect) and Veer Shaiva,(another dualistic Shaiva sect) exists in south, I don't think there are any such sects in north India. Except maybe Kashmir Shaivism, ...
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69 views
How can these two lines from Mahopanishad be reconciled?
SOURCE
I-1-4. Then we shall expound the Mahopanishad. They say Narayana was alone. There were not Brahma, Shiva, Waters, Fire and Soma, Heaven and Earth, Stars, Sun and Moon. He could not be happy.
...
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125 views
Has any advaitic teacher said that learning advaita only at the word level is useless?
The 4 Mahakavyas or Great saying of Advaita Vedanta are as follows:
Prajñānam Brahma (प्रज्ञानम् ब्रह्म) - "Insight is Brahman," or "Brahman is insight” - (Aitareya Upanishad 3.3 of ...
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73 views
What happens after death according to Adavita Vedanta?
According to Advaita Vedanta, the true Self is the immortal soul, which is never born and never dies.
Then how does the law of Karma apply to this philosphy? What will happen to a person who has lived ...
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127 views
Why do advaita vedanta believe in authorless vedas even though it follows monism?
Advaita vedanta is a monistic school of thought. Which means it believe every thing is God.
Which by default should include vedas. As vedas are a part of universe(just like car, pen, sun, humans).
But ...
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110 views
Is Consiouness Eternal? Does it remain even after death (When we don't have a body?) If yes how can it be known?
Yajnavalkya says in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 2.4.12 " The self comes out as a separate entity from these elements, and this separateness is destroyed with them. After attaining this oneness it ...
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50 views
Do most pre-medieval major scriptures have advaitic passages in them?
Scriptures denying Advaita started appearing around the time of Ramanuja. But before that - do Vedas, Upanishads,Brahmanas, Aranyakas, epics and Puranas all have some passages in them that are ...
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112 views
Does Gita 9.7 contradict the advaita vedanta's monism philosophy?
BG 9.7-8: At the end of one kalp, all living beings merge into My primordial material energy. At the beginning of the next creation, O son of Kunti, I manifest them again. Presiding over My material ...
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58 views
Who is Writing This? Who am I? [duplicate]
When I write this, is it the mind that is making me write this, or the Self? Is the mind always consciously achieved? Is the self never perceived consciously? Was the true Arjun (the Self) listening ...
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1answer
49 views
Panchayata puja in vaishava puranas?
Do Vishnu Purana
(or) bhagavatam tells about panchayata puja
About five god worship which is given by adivata and Adi shankaracharya
Padma purana tells about five god worship like that Vishnu Purana ...
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1answer
69 views
Is there an English translation of Parimala of Shri Appaya Diskhita available?
Is there an English translation of Parimala of Shri Appaya Diskhita available?
Please provide the link for the same.
More about this work (from here):
Kalpataruparimala :
Bhagavadpada Adi Sri ...
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1answer
92 views
Would Narayana listen if someone were to chant his name without going to a temple?
This probably sounds like a dumb question, but I am unable to visit any temples as I don't live in India. That being said, any effort is probably better than none at all. Would Nama jap of Narayana (...
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29 views
Modern contribution to Scriptures
I would like to find out what, modern contribution to Hindu scriptures are? Something akin to Brahmagupta or those insights of great Rishis. Today, we are not endowed with ‘aparushya’ visions. However ...
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141 views
Do advaitins meditate on Nirguna Brahman?
I have always heard people saying that scriptural or bookish knowledge of the Self is not sufficient and that one needs to realize the Self within. My question is, how does one realize the Self within?...
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95 views
Do Early Upanishads say World is Real and hence conflicting with Advaitha's doctrine of World as Unreal?
Richard Jones in his Morality and Shankara's Advaitha Vedanta writes
The earlier Upanishads took the phenomena of the world to be real —
Brahman is merely the root (KU II.3.1), “the real of the real”
...
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2answers
90 views
Do Mahavakyas and World as Illusion in Advaita contradict each other?
Chandogya Upanishad 3.14.1 says
All this is Brahman. Everything comes from Brahman, everything goes
back to Brahman, and everything is sustained by Brahman. One should
therefore quietly meditate on ...
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2answers
100 views
When Mind and Space aren't Brahman why does Chandogya Upanishad ask to meditate on Mind and Space as Brahman?
The mind is Brahman—this worship is called adhyātma. Next is that called adhidaivata: Space is Brahman. That is, meditate on space as Brahman. These two ways of meditation are advised: adhyātma and ...
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312 views
How can Brahman/consciousness be all pervading including living and non living things?
Brahman is defined as Existance,Consiouness and Bliss(Satchitananda). Aitareya Upanishad 3.1.3 says Brahman is consciousness and pure awareness. Isa Upanishad 1 says its all pervading.
1)But how can ...
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130 views
Do the Vedic Samhitas mention the Mahakavyas? [duplicate]
The following are the 4 Mahakavyas, mentioned in the Upanishads, taking about the Advaita Philosophy:
Prajñānam Brahma (प्रज्ञानम् ब्रह्म) - "Insight is Brahman," or "Brahman is ...
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207 views
what is the philosophy of bhagvat gita, advita or dvaita?
What is the philosophy of bhagvat gita, weather it is dvaita, dualistic and the world is real.
Or it is advita, non dualistic and the world is an illusion.
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143 views
Gargi’s question to Yajnavalkya Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
In Janaka’s court Sage Yajnavalkya was questioned by his wife and student Gargi, but she refers to him by his name, Yajnavalkya, while asking the question. Is it not vedic custom to give respect and ...
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75 views
Is there a permanent hell? [duplicate]
Madhvas believe in eternal hell, but what is the standard view (before the rise of Dvaita Vedanta)?
If not, are souls that do not attain Moksha eternally trapped in this cycle of countless births and ...
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1answer
86 views
How does Upadhi create Bheda in Abheda Brahman according to Advaita?
TLDR: It's easy to explain confusing a rope to be a snake. But how is spatial dimension imagined? Does Brahman have spatial dimension. If yes how is that not Bheda? If no, then how is spatial ...
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1answer
172 views
Does Shankara's Advaita Vedanta really assume the world to be an illusion?
In popular media and layman books, it is assumed that Vedanta states that the world is an illusion and Brahman alone is the reality. However, I think this position has been made popular by the British ...
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150 views
Clarification on one of Ramana Maharshi's quote is requested
"The Ordainer controls the fate of souls in accordance with their past deeds - their prarabdha karma. Whatever is destined not to happen will not happen, try hard how you may. Whatever is ...
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Do Advaitin's claim Brahman or Atman is Svaprakasha?
While I discuss Shri Madhwacharya's Mayavada Khandanam in this question, his entrie argument against Advaita seems to rest on the fact that Advaitins claim that Brahman or Atman is Svaprakasha (Self ...
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251 views
Are there any answers from the School of Advaita to Shri Madhwacharya's Mayavada Khandana and Upadhi Khandana?
Does any Advaitin has answered or has answers to Shri Madhwacharya's Mayavada Khandana and Upadhi Khandana?
MAYAVADA KHANDANA (Refer ESSENTIALS OF DASAPRAKARANA translated by Prof. K.T. Pandurangi)
...
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1answer
87 views
What are Vrittis and Lakshanas? What are some good basic intro Books or Websites for learning this?
We know while interpreting Vedas and Upanishads and Brahma Sutras, we often hear words like
Jahad lakshana, Mukhya vritti, Shakti vritti, Ajahad lakshana, Vikara artha and Prachurya artha etc.
What ...
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50 views
Which commentary of the Bhagavata Gita is the best? [closed]
Sridhara Swami, Adi Shankara & Madhusudana Sarasvati- these 3 stalwarts of Advaita philosophy have composed their respective commentaries on the Bhagavata Gita but neither of them can be ...
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32 views
Do advaita follower believe krishna Chaitanya Prabhu as Krishna avatar?
Do advaita followers believe lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as avatar of Lord Krishna
When lord chaitanya mahaprabhu belongs to dvaita
When lord chaitanya is Krishna avatar then advaita is true
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Advaita on other acharyas?
Do advaita believe that ramanujacharya is avatar of Adi sesha
And madhavcharya is avatar of vayu
And Krishna chaitanya is avatar of Krishna
Any reference that Adi shankara charya obey that dvaita , ...
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1answer
119 views
What Advaita tells about Mlechha, Caste system, Varna Sanskara?
What Advaita tells about
Mleccha can change religion to Hinduism?
(Yes means which varna they will come. No means explanation of why they should not change religion)
Please answer this question ...
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1answer
77 views
Can Brahman be realized without following the 32 Bramha Vidyas of Upanishads or without even studying Upanishads?
Non Dwijas aren't qualified to acquire knowledge of Brahman from Vedas(Upanishads) but can acquire so from Itihasas and Puranas. Are there any meditational techniques prescribed in them to realize ...
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44 views
Why did God choose India? [duplicate]
I know that God is all pervading according to Advaita Vedanta, but I want to know why the Vedas and Upanishads originated in India and why the puranas revolve around the Indian region.
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Gaudiya Philosophy and Advaita Philosophy preaching different [duplicate]
I have heard about Gaudiya and Advaita Philosophy but do the preachings differ from each other? For example the idea of soul or God himself.
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50 views
For Advaitins, what is the point of vedic chants?
Most nominal advaitins I know (and especially brahmin followers of the various Shankara maths) hold that chanting of vedic hymns is valuable. What's the point?
I believe even the math gurus hold vedic ...
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Vedanta and prayer
Is praying, and asking a God for things, useful/beneficial in advaita védanta? Since Isvara is considered to be only conceptually true, and ultimately non-existent, can he really be helpful?
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Relationship between Jiva and Sukshma Sharira
It is my understanding that the Jiva-Atman is the same as the Atman, it is just this all pervasive consciousness reflected in a body and seemingly trapped in Samsara (correct me if I'm wrong). But I ...
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1answer
68 views
Is it true that Jivan Mukta has capability to nullify his/her karma?
I am asking the question for all sects that do believe in Jivan Muktha especially Advaita.
According to Advaita, a jivan muktha is also a Brahman.
So, it is clear that she can nullify her karma. Am I ...
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53 views
Where can I get Sri Vidyaranya's Veda Bhashya?
Where can I get Sri Vidyaranya's Veda Bhashya ?
Where will it be available?
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Truth in Advaita
To which theory of truth does the advaita vedanta relate? The correspondance theory, the coherence theory, or another one?
If truth, in Adi Shankara's comprehension, is understood as the ...
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66 views
Which is right varna based on birth or varna based on Guna and karma?
Which is right varna is based on birth or varna is based
On guna and karma ? In view of advaita followers
The kamakoti peetham tell that varNa is by guNa but guNa is by birth
But vaishanvas tells that ...
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0answers
112 views
Do Vedas support Advaitic Philosophy?
Which Verses in VedaSamhitas,Brahmanas,Aryanyakas) speak of ultimate reality as Brahman and knowing Brahman alone is purpose of life and by realizing thus-the world becomes illusion ?
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Is there any statement of Adi Shankaracharya saying that Jiva can never become Brahman?
Till now, I use to believe that Advaitha always says that Jiva can become Brahman.
But recently I heard that Adi Shankaracharya contradicted it.
Is it true? Did Adi Shankara contradicted the statement ...
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5answers
288 views
Why must the universe be unreal because it is not perceived in deep sleep?
Adi Shankaracharya taught:
If the universe be true, let it then be perceived in the state of deep
sleep also. As it is not at all perceived, it must be unreal and
false, like dreams. - ...
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0answers
91 views
What is Parbrahman? Is it any different from Nirgun Brahman? [duplicate]
I've heard words like brahman, nirgun brahman, sagun brahman, parbrahman etc. Though I've got a fair idea of what nirgun and sagun brahman is, I still am not acquainted with Parbrahman.
Does it refer ...
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3answers
410 views
Why does the Universe exist?
If I am Brahman as Shankara states:
I am other than name, form and action.
My nature is ever free!
I am Self, the supreme unconditioned Brahman.
I am pure Awareness, always non-dual.
— Adi ...
