[Advaita-l] Replies to questions on Advaita - Sringeri Acharya

[V Subrahmanian]

EP2 Free translation 1:37
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQxKNgFGw18&t=97s> Who propounded the
Advaita philosophy? Did Adi Shankara found it? What is the scriptural basis
for it? Answer 1:45 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQxKNgFGw18&t=105s> Adi
Shankara is the most prominent person to spread and expound the philosophy
of Advaita and convey it entirely to the masses through his Stotra and
Prakarana Granthas. He was also responsible for answering the objections
against Advaita through his commentaries on the Prasthana Traya(Upanishads,
Vedanta sutra, Geeta). He has beautifully explained the tenets of Advaita
by refuting the objections, giving reference to the three scriptural basis,
conveying the ideas lucidly yet logically, and using day to day
observations and examples to make the philosophy more readable and
understandable. Through the stotras , he uses his poetic prowess to evoke
Bhakti and subtly embed the Advaitic injunctions within . He has not
founded Advaita originally. He has spread it and made it mainstream through
incessant tireless efforts, books , commentaries,songs , institutions,
debates, and discussions . But he has not created the Advaita philosophy .
Nor has anyone else. Since the Advaita philosophy has its genesis in the
Vedas , which are Anaadi –beginningless and Apaurusheya, it also is
considered to be of the same nature.( beginningless and not been penned
down by any author. ) There have been propagators and promulgators of this
philosophy nevertheless. Vedas are said to be the "breath "of the Supreme
(Paramaatman) . In every cycle of creation, it is taught to Chaturmukha
Brahman ( creator deity), who then leads this to the Rishis and them to
their disciples, and so the Parampara continues. The Vedas we recite today,
similarly, have been brought to us through this unbroken oral tradition.
When the creation is dissolved a the Pralaya epoch , the Vedas are also
absorbed back into the Supreme One only to be given back in the next cycle
. The foundation of the Advaita is hence in the Vedas . Vedas have the last
(anta) 4th section called Upanishads, which deals with this majorly. Hence
It is also called Vedanta =that which is expounded In the End of the Vedas
. Advaita is also called Aupanishada Darshana (Meaning: born in the
Upanishads and can be known only through the content of the
Upanishads) Similarly,
Veda Vyasa Maharshi has also written the Brahma Sutras (aka Vedanta sutras) The
Bhagavadgeetha is another such scriptural basis: a precise, concise summary
of all the Upanishads in essence. To facilitate this , Krishna has also
advised supplementary rules such as Dharma, Svadharma, Gunas, etc. But the
ultimate sense of the Upanishads is also captured in the Geetha . Thinking
of these scriptures as the scriptural basis , Adi Shankara logically
deduced the Advaita philosophy from them . Another question : 7:20
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQxKNgFGw18&t=440s> How can it be said
that the only Advaita is the philosophy deducible from the Vedas (the
Upanishads and other sections) ? The answer : To determine the meaning of
any mantra /sentence in the Vedas, a system to interpret them is suggested
traditionally. To even explain one sentence of the Veda, all of it is to be
studied. Only then should the purport of that particular sentence be
determined. What preceded that sentence, the context, and the antecedent
are all to be determined to make a proper justifiable meaning. For example,
the meanings of Mahavakyas , are not be inferred by those isolated
sentences alone . The context, the Prakarana, the flavor, and the theme
discussed have to be considered. This method is called ShaD
–Vidha-Taatparya –Linga (lit "the six tools for summarising ") One of those
tools is the Paurvaparya (lit . the front and the back of the sentence) Hence
by following this technique, the Vedas' meaning and all of its contents can
be interpreted . By such an interpretation, the Advaita emerges as the
ultimate purport, the most concise summary. Why were the Vedanta Sutras
written ? It is because there is ambuiguity in the Vedas at many places.
This is evient by the presence of Dvaita ( pluralistsic reality) statements
in the Vedas. Hence how can we determine which of them are to be taken ?
And what about the others? The Vedanta sutras had to be composed to channel
them into a rigid rational, logical system of philosophy by resolving
inherent contradictions. And based on the commentary of the Sutras
themselves, the exact structure of Advaita became popular and percolated
into the masses of Bharata during Adi Shankara's times. The philosophy of
Advaita pre-existed Adi Shankara, as evident from books like Mandukya
Karika of Gaudapada . Also, each of Veda Vyasa's puranas contains many
shlokas that are solely Advaitic, and they cannot be considered as a basis
for being pluralistic alone . Therefore Advaita is present throughout the
scriptures: the Prasthana Traya , the Vedas , the Puranas, and the epics
too.
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[image: Tattva Shankara]
REPLY


On Sat, Dec 26, 2020 at 11:13 AM V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
wrote:

> In this short Kannada video, HH Sri Sannidhanam addresses the question:
>
> Was Shankaracharya the one who 'started' the Advaita siddhanta?
>
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQxKNgFGw18&feature=youtu.be
>
> regards
> subbu
>