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Advaita Vedānta

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Hinduism and Tribal Religions

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Indian Religions ((EIR))

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Synonyms

Kevalādvaita ; Nondualism; Śaṅkara Vedānta

Definition

Advaita Vedānta is a nondualistic system of Vedānta expounded primarily by ācāryya Śaṅkara in a systematic way. The most fundamental thesis of advaita vedānta is that brahma is the ultimate reality, and that the world is sublated and the jīva or the individual self realizes its identity with the Brahman.

Introduction

Vedānta or Uttara Mīmāṃsā is one of the six main orthodox (āstika) schools of ancient Indian philosophy. Vedānta is based on philosophical ideas and reflections contained in the Upaniṣads, which form the last part of the Vedas. Alternatively Vedānta is also referred to as the best part of the Vedas. Upaniṣads form the jñāna kāṇḍa or “Knowledge-Section” of the Vedas and constitute the main or fundamental basis of Vedānta ([1], p. 7). The Upaniṣads, the Bhagavad-Gītā, and the Brahma Sūtras are the fundamental texts of Vedānta which together constitute the prasthānatrayī ([2], pp. 6–7, [3], pp. 100–101). Every...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, Bankura Christian College, Bankura, West Bengal, India

    Anupam Jash

Authors
  1. Anupam Jash
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Correspondence to Anupam Jash .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept of Anthropology, The University of North Texas Dept of Anthropology, Denton, TX, USA

    Pankaj Jain

  2. The Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA, USA

    Rita Sherma

  3. Jamia Millia Islamia, Centre for the Study of Comparative Reli Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India

    Madhu Khanna

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Jash, A. (2020). Advaita Vedānta . In: Jain, P., Sherma, R., Khanna, M. (eds) Hinduism and Tribal Religions. Encyclopedia of Indian Religions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1036-5_322-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1036-5_322-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-94-024-1036-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-024-1036-5

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