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Showing posts with the label Sankaracharya

Adi Shankara

Shri Adi Shankaracharya is a famous eighth century Hindu philosopher who had a profound influence on the growth of Hinduism. He was a great thinker, leader and a missionary. He consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. His teachings can be summed up in the following words: Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya, Jeevo Brahmaiva Na Aparah( Brahman alone is real, this world is unreal; the Life is identical with Brahman). An illusionary power of Brahman called Maya causes the world to arise. Ignorance of this reality is the cause of all suffering in the world and only upon true knowledge of Brahman can liberation be attained. When a person tries to know Brahman through his mind, due to the influence of Maya, Brahman appears as God, separate from the world and from the individual. In reality, there is no difference between the individual soul and Brahman. Liberation lies in knowing the reality of this non-difference. Thus, the path to liberation is finally only through knowledge. Advaita Vedan