Advaith Vedanta: A unifying philosophy in the times of Chaos, Divide & Cacophony
Introduction:
The roots of Advaita Vedanta can be traced back to
the 1st millennium BCE. The core concept of Advaita Vedanta is from Bhagwat Geeta, Upanishads, and Bramha Sutras. It took clear shape in the 6th-7th
century CE through the seminal works of three key figures, namely Gaudapada,
an early exponent who laid the groundwork followed by Maṇḍana Miśra, who contributed
significantly to its development. And then, Adi Shankara: The most
prominent and influential proponent of Advaita Vedanta. About 1400 years ago,
Adi Shankara traveled across the subcontinent to preach this concept and in
the process set up the monasteries in four corners of India, which have been then
on carrying on the legacy.
Advaita Vedanta offers
profound insights that can enrich our understanding of life and existence. Here
are compelling reasons why everyone should explore this ancient philosophy.
Over 2 billion people across over 50 countries will be going in for elections
and voting for their next leader. All the political leaders and parties find it easier
to create divisions amongst the total masses so that the poll's outcome can be
controlled in their favor. At the time of writing this article, there are two
regional wars ongoing, the Ukraine war and the conflict between Israel and
Arabs in the Gaza Strip. The USA and China are at loggerheads to control their worlds
through technology, military, and trade routes. Technology such as ChatGPT, AI,
and other innovations are constantly changing the world faster than ever
before. There is a deep divide between the rich, developing, and poor nations
about the right path for sustainability for climate change. Each
one puts the blame on the other and there is very little collective intent to
address the problem as humanity rather than as separate nations/continents/rich
or poor. Simply put, there are several concurrent events in this world right now,
to divide humanity in the name of nation, region, religion, caste, color, and so
on. The philosophy of Advaita Vedanta can bring the unifying powers to us as one human race.
Transcending Illusion:
Much before the metaverse was coined by Mark Zuckerberg,
the concept of Maya was dealt with in the study of Advaita Vedanta.
Advaita Vedanta challenges our perception of
reality. It teaches that the world we experience is an illusion (Maya),
and true knowledge lies beyond appearances. In a way, differentials created by
religion, caste, color, nation, and state are all Maya. These systems have been
created so that a large number of people can be kept under the control of the
masters, who have created it.
Learning about this concept encourages us to
question our assumptions and seek deeper truths. The deeper truth is, that at a
human level, the pain and suffering experienced by any person are the same. No
illusionary differentiations can reduce the experience of pain because of their
imaginary identity. Another hard truth is, that we are in this world with a limited
lifetime, and the day of our exit from the physical world is not known. But the
atman or Brahman or the consciousness remains which is all-pervading, there is
no start or end of Brahman or the consciousness.
Unity and Compassion:
By recognizing the non-dual nature of
existence, we understand that all beings are interconnected. There is no
separation between us and the universe. To make this easier to understand let’s
take the example of the physical world of nations coexisting. Post the Second World War, we have seen a phase of relative peace and cooperation between countries.
Though there have been many regional wars, cold wars, terrorism, and climate
calamities created by us, but never got into another world war. In fact, with
advancements in technology, and globalisation most of the countries collaborate
and trade amongst themselves for mutual benefit. Today, as nations and as
global citizens, we are interdependent on each other even more than ever
before. Imagine if a small disruption in the supply chain of a small component
like the Chip or Crude oil disrupts the lives of billions of people across the
world. This very concept was explained in a very philosophical and spiritual manner
in the Advaita Vedanta. If you think deeply, the concept is relevant even today
in the non-spiritual world as well.
This realization fosters compassion, empathy, and a
sense of oneness with others. We treat everyone as an extension of ourselves.
In a democratic setup, every citizen is considered to be equal with equal
voting rights. It is just that, when religion, caste, and color are added to this
equation, then the basic core values are forgotten. We can truly realize the
world of compassion & empathy if we stop dividing people into temporary short
groups. All the current conflicts whether, war, terrorism, or any other man-made
calamity are an illusion by those who are trying to perpetrate suffering through
such activities. What they don’t understand is that their own physical existence
is limited and their impact through a violent and unholy manner on any mankind
will be gone after
Freedom from
Suffering:
Advaita Vedanta promises liberation (Moksha)
from the cycle of birth and death. Not all religions accept the concept of the birth and death cycle. But the Hindu philosophy believes that we continue to
be in the cycle of birth and death until we don’t get Moksha (liberation). By
realizing our true nature as Atman, we break free from suffering.
As humans, we experience everything in life, happiness and suffering. However,
we all want to achieve the ultimate happiness and that is possible by realizing
the concept of Brahman. We are all part of the same Brahman. Learning about
this philosophy provides a path toward inner peace and contentment.
Self-Inquiry and
Awareness:
Advaita encourages self-inquiry. We
explore questions like “Who am I?” and “What is real?” These are very difficult
to do on your own, hence it is always suggested to take the help of Guru, who
can guide you in this journey. And the first step towards that is to have a
strong desire to enquire about it. By diving into these inquiries, we
develop self-awareness and discover our essential nature.
Self-awareness provides the foundation for what you are good at and hence pursuing
your Karma Yoga in that direction will help you in your quest for Moksha.
Practical
Application:
Advaita Vedanta isn’t just theoretical; it offers
practical tools for daily life. Practices like meditation, self-reflection, and
detachment help us live more consciously. Learning and using the concept of
Advaita Vedanta is not just for the old or retired persons, one can start
using the concept from an early age or at any age. Meditation, Self-reflection, and detachment techniques are very important in anyone’s day-to-day life to
maintain yourself sanely in a highly chaotic and unpredictable world. As a
beginner, one can start by reading about these concepts by watching numerous
videos by thought leaders, and philosophers across the world and there is nothing
religious about it. Cutting across all religions these concepts can be learned
and adapted in one’s life. Learning these practices can enhance our well-being
and relationships.
Intellectual
Stimulation:
Studying Advaita Vedanta engages our intellect. It
challenges us to think beyond conventional boundaries. The pursuit of knowledge
becomes a lifelong journey. Modern concepts like, “Life Long Learning”, “Learn-Unlearn-Learn”
etc adaptation to what has been already discussed thousands of years ago in the
Advaita Vedanta.
Why should one
believe in the concept of non-dual existence?
As you begin, the concept and philosophy of Advaita
may sound very abstract and non-realistic in nature. Because the Advaita
Vedanta’s core concept is everything physical is actually Maya or an illusion. But if you are someone who wants to learn the concept with an open
mind, and study the Bhagwat Geeta & Upanishads slowly the concept of
Advaita will actually sound and experienced like real and everything else
as Maya or illusion. These ancient scriptures are vast in volume and vast in
knowledge, so don’t be in a hurry to learn the concept in a few days as if you are reading
a novel or a new book. Have an open and inquiring mindset when you start your
journey. To make this journey easier, there are commentaries about Advaita
Vedanta available on YouTube. I am particularly a big fan of Swami Sarvapriyanand
of the Vedanta Society, New York. His lectures are very deep, philosophical, and
engaging. This could be a good starting point.
Last words
You may argue that, if the entire physical world is
Maya or an illusion, then why continue to live the life of an ordinary human being and
why not denounce everything and live the life of a monk? Well, not everyone can
become a monk by denouncing everything, but the concepts of Advaita Vedanta can
be used in modulating our behavior with people around us and nature around
us. That can lead us all to live a life of Unity in harmony with others and Mother Earth.
I am not suggesting that everyone needs to become a
monk but a daily dose of spiritual learning through books, commentaries, and videos
can help you to remain sane in this world of chaos and cacophony.
The purpose of this article is to help the readers pause, introspect, and inquire about self, life, and the people around us. I am keen to know your views about the subject and article. I am a beginner in this journey and would love to learn more through inputs/feedback.
Reference books that I have studied or am studying now are:
1. Journey from many
to one, By Swani Bhaskaranada
2. Social Philosophy
of Swami Vivekananda
3. The Principal
Upanishads, Swami Sivananda
4. Bhagwat Geeta
YouTube Channel which I follow;
1. (1) Vedanta Society of New York -
YouTube
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