Advaita: The Final Verdict

Not a Vāda, but Siddhānta

अद्वैत (Advaita) is not a mere argument (वाद, vāda). It is not a sect or a belief system (मत, mata). It is the सिद्धान्त (Siddhānta — the established Truth). In a court of law, after the plaintiff and defendant have exhausted their arguments, the judge delivers the verdict. Once the verdict is pronounced, the debate ends; all contentions dissolve.

Similarly, you may speak of सांख्य (Sāṅkhya), योग (Yoga), न्याय (Nyāya), वैशेषिक (Vaiśeṣika), or the मीमांसा (Mīmāṃsā) schools. Furthermore, beyond these ancient षड्दर्शन (ṣaḍdarśana — six systems of philosophy), you may include the findings of modern scientists. Human inquiry may traverse infinite paths, and we may acknowledge that progress. Yet, these are all merely their respective matas (opinions) and vādas (arguments). They are not Siddhānta. A Siddhānta is that state after reaching which nothing further remains to be known. Only the knowledge of Advaita fits this description. It is the singular Truth that was not there, is not there, and will never be there — for duality never truly exists.

The Meaning of Advaita

You may ask, "How is this so?" The answer resides in the very word Advaita. To your eyes and mine, the entities in the universe appear countless. But upon critical inquiry (विमर्श, vimarśa), they are not many; they are all a singular Substance (पदार्थ, padārtha). That Substance is nothing other than my own Essential Nature (स्वरूप, svarūpa). This is the meaning of Advaita: that which is not dual. Duality (द्वैत, Dvaita) is everything that appears distinct and separate. Shankara Bhagavatpada stamped the seal of "duality" on everything from Sāṅkhya to Mīmāṃsā, asserting that whatever these teachers propagated was ultimately dualistic. Once you count beyond the number One, whatever follows is Dvaita.

The Dualistic Schools

Kapila, the proponent of Sāṅkhya, posits two realities: प्रकृति (Prakṛti — Primal Nature) and पुरुष (Puruṣa — Consciousness). Even Prakṛti is not singular; it consists of the three गुण (guṇas) — Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas — transforming into the cosmic intellect (महत्, mahat) and ego (अहंकार, ahaṅkāra). Similarly, Puruṣa is not one; they are the individual beings (जीव, jīva), numbering in the billions. There is no relation between Prakṛti and Puruṣa, nor between one Jīva and another.

Patanjali, the exponent of Yoga, accepted a third entity, ईश्वर (Īśvara — the Cosmic Lord), alongside Prakṛti and Puruṣa. Thus, while Kapila's system is atheistic Sāṅkhya, Patanjali's is theistic. Then there are the logicians, the Naiyāyikas and Vaiśeṣikas, who categorize reality into sixteen or seven distinct categories (पदार्थ, padārtha). The Pūrva Mīmāṃsakas are obsessed with ritual action (कर्म, karma). Their authority is the वेद (Veda), specifically its injunctions. They aim for merit (पुण्य, puṇya) and celestial pleasures (स्वर्ग, svarga). Ultimately, relying solely on Vedic injunctions, they effectively dispense with the need for Īśvara.

Then come the Uttara Mīmāṃsakas (Vedantins). Among them are the Dualists (Dvaitins) and the Qualified Non-Dualists (Viśiṣṭādvaitins). Both accept the Veda and an Īśvara known through the Veda. The Viśiṣṭādvaitins accept three realities: Jīva, Jagat (World), and Īśvara, termed the तत्वत्रय (tattvatraya). They regard Īśvara as the Principal (शेषी, śeṣī) and the Jīva and Jagat as subsidiary (शेष, śeṣa). The Dualists, being strict proponents of difference (भेदवाद, bhedavāda), categorize reality into five eternal differences (पंचभेद, pañcabheda).

Reviewing this, we see that every school counts more than one entity. None admits that the Substance is One and that it is our very own Svarūpa.

Why Both Theories Fail

Do any of these resolve the fundamental problem of existence? No. Because all these schools fall into two classes: those who claim inert Prakṛti is the cause of the universe (प्रकृति कारणवाद, prakṛti kāraṇavāda), and those who claim a conscious Īśvara is the cause (ईश्वर कारणवाद, īśvara kāraṇavāda). The Advaitin dismisses both.

If Prakṛti is inert (जड, jaḍa), how can it possess the volition to construct such a complex, orderly universe? Thus, the theory of Prakṛti fails.

On the other hand, what necessity compels a conscious Īśvara to project this world? If He did, why create such disparity and suffering, only to destroy it all in the end? Such an Īśvara would be cruel, subject to likes and dislikes (राग-द्वेष, rāga-dveṣa). If Īśvara is the creator of the Jīva, then the Jīva's nature is His gift; how then can one justify assigning merit and sin (पाप-पुण्य, pāpa-puṇya) to the Jīva? Furthermore, is Īśvara all-pervading (व्यापक, vyāpaka) or not? If He is, there is no "space" for a separate Jīva and Jagat. If He is not, He becomes limited by name and form, just like a Jīva. The "Creator Īśvara" theory thus fails to stand up to reason.

Moreover, if one accepts Prakṛti, Jīva, Jagat, and Īśvara as distinct, the question of their relationship arises. Is it cause and effect? If Īśvara created the Jīva, that is आरम्भवाद (ārambhavāda — Creationism). If inert Prakṛti transformed into the world, that is परिणामवाद (pariṇāmavāda — Evolutionism). The Advaitin argues both are meaningless. Creationism violates the principle that nothing comes from nothing. Evolutionism implies Prakṛti is in constant flux, making dissolution (प्रलय, pralaya) impossible. In either case, the Jīva remains trapped in Samsara. Without liberation (मोक्ष, mokṣa), there is no solution to the problem of existence.

Until Advaita, all these philosophies were merely vādas, not Siddhānta. A Siddhānta must decisively solve the problem of life. Multiplicity leads to argument; Unity leads to resolution. Advaita is the only doctrine of Unity.

The Advaitic Resolution

So, what is this Unity? Advaita does not accept the distinct existence of Jīva, Jagat, and Īśvara. There is only one Reality: formless, all-pervading, Pure Consciousness (ज्ञान, jñāna). Because it is Consciousness, it always shines as "I". It is my very Nature, the आत्मा (Ātman). Anything perceived by this Ātman is the अनात्मा (Anātmā — Not-Self). Since the Anātmā is perceived by my Knowledge, and my Knowledge is the proof of its existence, it has no independent reality. Only the Ātman, which is of the nature of Knowledge, is Vastu (Real). This Ātman appears as itself, and it also appears as the Anātmā. This appearance is आभास (ābhāsa — semblance), just as water appears as waves and bubbles without ever being anything other than water. The Jīva, Jagat, and Īśvara are all Anātmā — they are appearances within the Ātman.

This is the Advaitic resolution. It discards आरम्भवाद and परिणामवाद in favor of विवर्तवाद (Vivartavāda — the Theory of Apparent Transformation). Vivarta means the Cause appears as the Effect without undergoing change. The Ātman appears as the triad of Jīva-Jagat-Īśvara, just as the ocean appears as waves. This is the truth proclaimed by the Upanishad:

इदं सर्वं यदयमात्मा
idaṃ sarvaṃ yadayamātmā
"All this is indeed the Ātman"

With this realization, expectation (आकांक्षा, ākāṅkṣā) vanishes. Expectation is the question "What next?" When we conclude that the entire Anātmā is merely a glory (विभूति, vibhūti) of the Ātman, there is nothing left to seek. Without expectation, the problems of birth and death dissolve. If the Jīva itself is an appearance, how can its birth or death be real?

A Word on Science

Do not assume "arguments" refers only to ancient schools. The discoveries of modern physicists are also mere vādas, not Truth. Why? Because Advaita is the answer to all inquiries. Researchers investigate the ābhāsa (appearance), not the Vastu (Substance). The bird flying in the sky is the Fact; its shadow on the ground is the appearance. If a hunter shoots at the shadow, will the bird fall? Such is the nature of material research. The only Fact is the Ātman. All else is its shadow. Truth is the Substance; research on the shadow is delusion (भ्रम, bhrama), not valid knowledge (प्रमा, pramā).

The Logic of Sāmānya and Viśeṣa

One might ask: "This theory sounds pleasant, but does it stand up to reason? Can it be experienced?" The Advaitin responds with the logic of the सामान्य (sāmānya — Universal) and विशेष (viśeṣa — Particular).

Take any object. It has two aspects. In a pot, clay is the Sāmānya, and the pot-form is the Viśeṣa. In jewelry, gold is the Sāmānya; the necklace is the Viśeṣa. One particular cannot permeate another — a bracelet is not a necklace. But the Universal permeates all particulars. Moreover, the Universal extends beyond the particulars. Gold can exist without the jewelry, but the jewelry cannot exist without gold. If the Sāmānya is removed, the Viśeṣa vanishes.

Applying this logic: The tree and seed are viśeṣas; the Earth element is the Sāmānya. Earth comes from Water; Water from Fire; Fire from Air; Air from Space (आकाश, ākāśa). Most stop here. But the Advaitin goes further. What is the source of Space? It is one's own Ātman (Consciousness). The Ātman is the Seer (दृक्, dṛk); the Space and elements are the Seen (दृश्य, dṛśya — Anātmā).

You might ask, "If you distinguish between Ātman and Anātmā, are there not two things?" No. Ātman is Jñāna (Knowledge). Knowledge is the proof of existence. If something exists, it is known by Jñāna. Without Jñāna, the object has no existence (नास्ति, nāsti). But does Jñāna require another proof? No, it is self-luminous (स्वयंप्रकाश, svayaṃprakāśa). Therefore, the object has no independent existence; it borrows its sattā (existence) from Jñāna. Thus, Anātmā is not a second reality; it is the Ātman appearing as Anātmā, just as a shadow is not a second object distinct from the body.

When we conclude that the Anātmā is an appearance, the triad of Jīva, Jagat, and Īśvara is revealed as false. They are real only as Ātman. Just as the rope permeates the illusory snake, Ātman permeates the illusory world. How? Every object shines in your awareness. That "shining" (स्फुरण, sphuraṇa) is the Universal (Sāmānya); the object is the Particular (Viśeṣa). This Great Universal (महासामान्य, mahāsāmānya) is the Ātman. It is the "I-Consciousness". Since the Ātman pervades everything, there is no place for Anātmā. Thus, the problems of the Jīva are solved because the Jīva is merely a particular appearance of the Universal Ātman.

The Obstacle: Dehātmābhimāna

However, a theory remains useless if not experienced. The problem of birth and death is felt as real; the solution must be equally experiential. Why do we not experience this all-pervading Ātman? The cause is देहात्माभिमान (dehātmābhimāna — identification with the body). We have reduced the infinite Ātman to the confines of this body. The Ātman mixed with the body becomes the जीवात्मा (jīvātmā). Because it identifies with the false limitation, it is also called the मिथ्यात्मा (mithyātmā — False Self). Once it limits itself to the body, it views everything else as "not me," creating the secondary self (गौणात्मा, gauṇātmā — the world of "mine," like wife, children, wealth).

The question is not "Why did this happen?" (which looks to the past), but "How do we get out?" The Advaitin says: Do not ask why the dream arose while you are dreaming; wake up, and the question dissolves. The path out is साधना (sādhanā).

Vyāvahārika and Pāramārthika

As long as we live in Viśeṣa Jñāna (Particular Knowledge), we are in अविद्या (avidyā). In this state, the Jīva, Jagat, and Īśvara seem real. This is व्यावहारिक सत्य (vyāvahārika satya — Empirical Reality), valid only for transaction. But this is not the पारमार्थिक सत्य (pāramārthika satya — Absolute Reality). Absolute Reality is the state where particulars vanish, and only the Universal Ātman remains.

The Empirical is nothing but the Absolute appearing through limitations. The Jñāna (Substance) appears as the Jñeya (World). The goal is to grasp the World as the Ātman. The obstacle is the flow of particular thoughts (वृत्तयः, vṛttayaḥ) and latent tendencies (वासना, vāsanā). To overcome this, one needs the Universal Thought (ब्रह्माकार वृत्ति, brahmākāra vṛtti). This is achieved through श्रवण (śravaṇa — hearing the Truth), मनन (manana — reflecting upon it), and निदिध्यासन (nididhyāsana — meditating upon it).

The Practice: Pratyabhijñā and Pravilāpana

The practice involves two halves. The first is प्रत्यभिज्ञा (pratyabhijñā — Recognition): recognizing that the "I" is not the body, senses, or mind (the process of अपवाद, apavāda — negation), but the Witnessing Self (प्रत्यगात्मा, pratyagātmā).

The second half is प्रविलापन (pravilāpana — Dissolution): melting the Anātmā back into the Ātman. It is realizing that the world has no existence apart from the Ātman.

Karma, Yoga, and Bhakti are secondary; they purify the mind but do not grant Mokṣa directly. Mokṣa is प्राप्तस्य प्राप्तिः (prāptasya prāptiḥ) — attaining what is already attained. It is realizing that the Ātman was never bound.

The State of Mokṣa

Finally, regarding the state of Mokṣa: It is not a void; it is the state of Perfect Consciousness and Power. The liberated one may display this power or not, like a magician who knows the magic is an illusion. The world may continue to appear, but it is known to be मिथ्या (mithyā), so it causes no bondage.

The Lineage

This complete science of Advaita was established by Adi Shankaracharya. He wrote the magnificent commentaries (भाष्य, bhāṣya) on the Prasthānatraya. He was followed by giants like Sureshwaracharya and Vidyaranya. This lineage continued up to Swami Vivekananda.

Shankara lived only 32 years, yet he traversed the country, debating and establishing the Truth. However, nowhere did he claim the titles of "Pontiff" or "Swami." He called himself a परमहंस परिव्राजक (Paramahamsa Parivrājaka — wandering monk). The modern pomp of the Mathas — the elephants, the crowns, the rituals — are later inventions, contrary to the spirit of Advaita. Shankara's focus was Jñāna, not ritual. True Advaita is rare; most current versions are adulterated with Karma and dualistic worship.

Our Aim

Our effort is to preserve and transmit this pure Advaita tradition. To cross the ocean of Samsara oneself and help others cross (उभय तारकम्, ubhaya tārakam) — that is the highest goal.