04/28/2014 02:26 pm ET Updated Dec 06, 2017 Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent. Advaita Vedanta posits a “Brahman” that is not only the residue of all “denials”(forming the basis of the neti-neti method of enquiry, but as the substratum of all experience itself. 1. Influenced by Buddhism, Advaita vedanta departs from the bhedabheda-philosophy, instead postulating the identity of Atman with the Whole (Brahman), Gaudapada [ edit ] Gaudapada (c. 6th century CE), [115] was the teacher or a more distant predecessor of Govindapada , [116] the teacher of Adi Shankara. Do you think that all philosophy is irrational, or non-rational? Also, I did address the viewpoint of science re NDE, etc., given that there is continuing empirical research in these areas by brain scientists and neuro-physiologists. 3) Consciousness/reality does not depend on anything, while QM is Three Q&As in Quora. Sometimes it all gets a bit too non dual for me and I feel disconnected from the love part with all the philosophy and intellectual explanations. Shankara and Advaita Vedanta postulate the direct accessibility of Brahman or Pure Consciousness – but not through the unaided mind, which works from a subject-object or dualistic position. M.H. Brahman without qualities, however, is nondual (advaita) in the sense of being beyond the differentiation of unity and diversity. Why even try? It looks like you're new here. Advaita Vedanta is widely considered, by both scholars of religion and Hindus themselves, to be the philosophical culmination of the Hindu tradition. In Advaita Vedanta as we have seen, the deepest Truth is said to be a single, homogenous whole. ‘I’ am consciousness, pure, indescribable and immutable. theory-dependent. There’s a strong current of criticism directed at Buddhism by the teachers and commentators of Vedanta. The Advaita vedanta teaches us that we are pure consciousness, and that there is no self in the sense that we hear it. Is it the brain, or the mind which (using the brain as an instrument) understands philosophy? The Vedanta tries to establish an Atman as the basis of everything, whilst Buddhism maintains that everything in the empirical world is only a stream of passing Dharmas (impersonal and evanescent processes) which therefore has to be characterized as Anatta, i.e., being without a persisting self, without independent existence. Although Advaita Vedanta and Zen Buddhism are ontologically different, this unique study shows that in the dynamics of the practice situation they are phenomenologically similar. And that, without holding a belief in the naive or popular notion of reincarnation, that is, reincarnation of the body Consciousness (aka awareness), being the only or ultimate (exclusive) reality from the metaphysical viewpoint, is not in need of preserving itself at any time. It is the hinge upon which each metaphysic turns, for in each system it is enlightenment which finally and indubitably reveals the true nature of reality. You will have noticed that I wrote ‘facts’ between apostrophes. This means that there is no death – of anything or any being – , only apparent transformation of phenomena properly so called. The aim of the site is to disseminate information on all aspects of advaita. It is more difference between non-dualism and Theravada than non-dualism and Mahayana. What are some scientific arguments for consciousness being able to preserve itself after the death of body? I find it very diffucult to separate non-dualism and mahayana path. The classical view is Buddhism could be considered nihilism esp the mAdhyamikas with sarvam shUnyaM shUnyam as their conclusive statement. Similarly, your beliefs regarding consciousness are not scientific arguments. "Because there is nothing to be attained the Bodhisattva relying on Prajnaparamita has no obstruction in his mind".. After Shankara, the Buddhist period in India came to an end—such was the influence of Shankara's Advaita. Thus, Shankara's Advaita Vedanta theory is not the same as Ramanuja's Vishishta Vedanta theory of the evolution of maya-illusion and living selves from brahman as transformations ( parinama ) of it. 2) Reality is non-local (Bell’s theorem), like QM. In other words, your statements may be interesting, but did not address the question that was asked. Essays are not a solution. Buddhism accepts two valid means to reliable and correct knowledge – perception and inference, while Advaita Vedānta accepts six (described elsewhere in this article). My dear Parvati, in this Kali-Yuga I assume the form of a Brahman (Adi Shankara) and teach this imagined Mayavada philosophy. This is evident in the writings of Shankara, Vedanta’s most revered teacher. In Buddhism … 3. Obviously, by ‘I’ I don’t mean this body-mind. ‘I’ (‘you’) am not a phenomenon. b) The reality that is consciousness does not need to be proven for it is immediate, direct, unstultifiable or unsublatable – everything else: objects or phenomena, thought-constructions, etc. Seeing clearly is insight and in seeing there is no becoming yet the 10,000 things arise and fall. Both traditions address and solve the fundamental problem of human suffering, but they differ on the existence or non-existence of a true, inner self, atma. advaita vedanta points to non dual awareness. However, some Buddhists in history, have argued that Buddhist scriptures are a reliable source of spiritual knowledge, corresponding to Advaita's Śabda pramana, however Buddhists have treated their scriptures as a form of inference method. Was Advaita produced to fight BuddhismVisit Http://www.hindu-academy.com for more information. Because, hey, causality is the prime falsity. zen at times jumps between the two. Thank you for all your answers! V: Yeah, that’s true. M. Agree about ‘facts’ and scientific arguments. The epistemological foundations of Buddhism and Advaita Vedānta are different. More recently I have ventured upon Advaita Vedanta and it feels right for me. Even if it makes sense to you, it’s non-transferable and definitively different. All my essays laughably fail to answer this question. Some karma-s cannot be exhausted in our gross world, so they are exhausted in subtle worlds. Vedanta means the end of the Vedas. both point to oneness. Advaita Vedanta is based on the teachings of Gaudapada, who's teaching of Ajativada (non-origination) is obviously from the teachings of Nagarjuna. all differences are an illusion - we are all one; Visishtadvaita is centrist i.e. However, at the time of Shankara (founder/acharya of Advaita-vedanta), roughly the Seventh Century CE, Buddhism in multiple forms had taken over the Indian Subcontinent. M. The two notions (QM and consciousness) are in-commensurable in all respects, which should be obvious: a) QM is a theory referable to reality or an aspect of reality (the microcosm); consciousness, on the other hand, is an established fact, not a theory – not only a fact but that which is behind, the substratum of, all facts and movements of the mind. Equally, is it the brain, or the mind which ‘moves’ the brain which moves the stick which stirs the water? Translation: Mayavada or Advaita Vedanta philosophy is an impious, wicked belief and against all the conclusions of the Vedas. That means that there is not even an approximation between the theory of QM and reality per se. It simply IS, and is beyond the time dimension, which is an unreality for it. Does the enlightened mind have fear? The man saw a pool of water being stirred by a stick held by a man and said that the stick was stirring the water. Maybe that’s why (some) modern teachers of Vedanta do the same thing. Any opinions! However, I have no teacher and no one to ask when I have questions. How does the theory of quantum mechanics affect our picture of consciousness? Here's an interesting article on this topic: Maybe craving stops when you let go of dualistic thinking? advaita vedanta points to liberation via non dual awareness. Attempting to use faith-based philosophical statements in place of scientific arguments is like trying to use colors to describe flavors. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons! Thus the development of Buddhism was independent of Vedic teaching. zen talks about spaciousness and clear consciousness. It feels like the talking about the same thing but in a different angle. It is only concealed Buddhism. M. Advaita Vedanta’s perspective is better seen from the top-down rather than from the bottom up. of science, of mathematics… My reply to this is similar to the one I gave recently to another question and which was based on Socrates’ answer to an observation that someone was making. Inclusion of essays by other writers and/or links to their sites does not, in itself, indicate agreement with their ideas. If Buddhism teaches that there is no self in this sense, I can understand it. Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism both define exactly opposite ways of understanding what lies at the deepest level of the universe, the final Truth of the universe. some major differences exist - we are all part of one environment; Dvaita is right-most i.e. Vedanta Society of Southern California 68,740 views 56:22 Sadhguru Shares The Story of Tenali Ramakrishna & Barber | Mystics of India | 2018 - Duration: 12:29. Monkey see, monkey do, as the saying goes. advaita vedanta points to non dual awareness. I have read books about Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism. They work with data and, obviously, with some theories, the latter being, at least, tentative. Experiences reported by individuals are not facts and do not contribute to any form of scientific argument. How does the brain understand philosophy? Since Buddhism is the polar opposite of Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism is also falsifiable, ie, it is falsifiable when Advaita Vedanta is proved. Three Q/As from QUORA (on brain, philosophy, QM, NDE, consciousness). Do you think that all philosophy is irrational, or non-rational? all differences are real and important - we belong to … That would include philosophy of mind, phil. Consciousness or awareness can be considered (there is a consensus on this) as a ‘fundamental ‘property’ of (or a pointer to) reality’, not reality itself, which is unfathomable and indescribable. And so, the Upanishads are called the Vedanta, the end of the Vedas. 2. being stultifiable. In this sense, there are two or three things that can be said: 1) reality/consciousness is limitless, like the referent (or an aspect thereof) of QM, but the former is un-measurable, unlike QM which is amenable to measurement/quantification and statistical verifiability. It would be a category mistake to relate one to the other, unless using such exercise as an analogy or suggestion. That would include philosophy of mind, phil. What Are The Essential Differences Between Tantra, Vedanta, Buddhism, and A Course in Miracles? In the spectrum of spirituality, Buddhism and Advaita are to the left-most i.e. So historically there is this first revelation in India, maybe 1,000 years BC, whatever. buddhism points to non self and emptiness (dependent origination). Maybe when you experience one-ness, there is nothing lacking? I don't see any particular difference there. This existence is for the same reason as reincarnation: to exhaust karma-s. But Buddhism seems to indicate that there is no self at all, no conscience. Posted on April 2, 2016 by amartingarcia. I find them both very good, slightly different with different perspective but very much the same. The teaching of Advaita Vedanta is that after death of the gross body and before reincarnation the jIva goes through an interim existence in subtle worlds. M. There are some ‘facts’ or experiences by individuals in favor of what goes under the name of NDEs (near death experiences) and LAD (life after death), but I will restrict my answer to the teachings of Buddhism and advaita Vedanta – and my own convictions (for what they are worth). I shall consider how this aspect is treated in three important Indian systems: Samkhya-Yoga, early Buddhism, and Shankara's Advaita Vedanta. M. The brain… understanding philosophy? Actually, it is consciousness (as a substrate) using the mind using the brain… Consciousness itself does not do anything. Examples: Monday, today, last week, Mar 26, 3/26/04, http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/heartstr.htm, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/bps-essay_27.html, http://awakeningtoreality.blogspot.com/2007/03/thusnesss-six-stages-of-experience.html, http://awakeningtoreality.blogspot.com/search/label/Acharya Mahayogi Shridhar Rana Rinpoche?m=0. To which Socrates replied: ‘Is it the stick, or the man moving the stick?’ (Which one is the real agent – the material, or the instrumental cause, in Aristotelian terms?). The four Vedas end with what we call the Upanishads, which consist of the philosophical aspect of the Vedas. ... Secondly, I also said that the view-point from which I wrote my answer derives from Buddhism and advaita Vedanta, therefore it is philosophical. Secondly, I also said that the view-point from which I wrote my answer derives from Buddhism and advaita Vedanta, therefore it is philosophical. 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