Advaita
Advaita
Advaita or Non-duality is one of the several schools of philosophy that originated in the Indian Subcontinent. The most famous school of non-duality is that of Kēvalādvaita brought to prominence by ācārya Shaṅkara Bhagavatpāda. The central tenets of this school are codified in the Prasthānatraya Bhāṣya of Shaṅkarācārya.
The Advaita of Tantra, specifically of Kāśmīra śaiva darśana, differs from Kēvalādvaita of Vēdānta. The Advaita of Tantra and āgama schools is showcased in the works of Mahāmāhēśvara Abhinavagupta and Bhāskararāya Makhīndra.
The peculiarity of Advaita of Shakta schools lies in the fact that it neither advocates the path of ‘dry’ knowledge, nor the path of devotion bereft of knowledge, rather it lays down a path that integrates knowledge and devotion both. Logically Bhakti has no place in the ultimate stage of the absolutism propounded by Shankara. According to him, devotion is basically duality-centric, and as such does not exist in the Absolutic state on attainment of knowledge. Needless to say, this devotion is ignorance-based and instrumental in character.
But, on the contrary, in the Tantric Advaita, Mōkṣa has been portrayed as Cidānanda lābha (attainment of Consciousness-Bliss) or Pūrṇāhaṁtācamatkāra (self-relish flowing from perfect I-hood). The aspect of consciousness (cidamśa) is Knowledge and that of bliss (ānandāmśa) is Devotion. The perfect I-hood or self-relish which marks the limit of Knowledge, also marks the limit of Devotion. It is why it offers congenial ground for synthesis. Here the element of consciousness i.e., Shiva-state, and that of bliss i.e., Shakti-state, stand fused together instantly turning it into synthesis of devotion-knowledge or equipoise of Shiva-Shakti.
Articles
4. Govinda Bhagavatpada
Step by step did Shankara leave the village behind, and proceeded north. Aryamba followed behind. So did the villagers too. As the margin of the
Sri Gaudapadacharya
kulaguNagaNanAtham hyUrdhvasamjnam namAmi shrI gauDapAdAchArya is listed as the Guru of Sri Govinda Yati and Parama Guru of shrImadAchArya. He is also listed as a
Four Ways for Realization
yadAlambo daraM hanti satAM pratyUhasambhavam | tadAlambe dayalambaM lambodarapadAmbujam || The scriptures describe four ways to realize the absolute: 1. Non-attachment or asa~Nga na te
17. Shankara Digvijaya
Witnessing the sad deterioration of social life over the whole of Kerala, king Rajashekhara had been giving his thought since long on social reform. But
16. Sringeri Sharada Peetham
On the way to Sringeri, the Acharya gave religious instructions to many men and women. He had discussions and debates with people of different views.
A list of available commentaries on Saundaryalahari
1. appayya dIkShita: AnandalaharI TIkA 2. kavirAja 3. kAmeshvara sUri: aruNAmodinI 4. kR^iShNAchArya: ma~njubhAShiNI 5. keshava bhatta 6. kaivalyAshrama: saubhAgyavardhinI 7. ga~Ngahari: tattvadIpikA 8. govinda
1. The Birth of the Saviour
Jaya Jaya Shankara Namastripurasundaryai Namo Chandramoulishwaraya Namo Naarasimhaaya This is an offering of tribute at the feet of Sri Shankaracharya, the incarnation of Shiva. So
11. Bhattapada
Determined to carry out the behest of Sri Vedavyasa, Acharya set out on a world-conquest on the religious plane. His first objective was to meet
Bhagavata Hridaya
As we approach the month of Margashira and eagerly wait to recite the glories of vAtapurAdhIsha by singing the mellifluous hymns of shrImannArAyaNIyam, the racing
Personalities of Bauddha Nyaya
asa~Nga asa~Nga is most probably the first Buddhist AchArya to establish vij~nAnavAda on the basis of tarka. He was the first Buddhist philosopher to introduce
8. Badarikashrama
Badarikashrama is a Tirtha, a holy place with sacred associations, in the Himalayas. The access to it not easy. The twelve-year boy Shankara did not
Avatarita Shankara
[Query] In the monthly Stotra group here at Minnesota, there was discussion whether Shankaracharya Maharaj is an Avtar of Shivji. What is the reason for