Q: I understand that “Vedanta” is an accepted form of Indian philosophy. But what is it?
Vedanta means “end of the Vedas,” and usually refers to the Upanishads which are appended to the Vedas, thus coming at their end. On the other hand, the philosophy of the Upanishads may be called Vedanta because it speaks of spiritual realization that results from–comes at the end of–Vedic study and practice.
Vedanta has three forms, and all three have been declared “orthodox”–that is, in conformity with the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutra (a philosophical exposition by Vyasa, the codifier of the Vedas). These three forms are:
- Dvaita (Dualism),
- Vashishtadvaita (Qualified Non-Dualism), and
- Advaita (Non-Dualism).
Dvaita Vedanta says that God and the individual soul (as well as the creation) are absolutely separate and different from one another, although God pervades or encompasses all.
Vashistadvaita Vedanta says that there is an eternal distinction between God, the souls, and creation, but that at the same time there is a unity because God is the root, the ground, of everything. From the viewpoint of creation and the individual soul, there is a duality or distinction, but from the viewpoint of God–which the soul can ascend to spiritually–there is Oneness alone.
Advaita Vedanta says that duality or difference between God, souls, and creation absolutely does not exist at any time, and that any experience of difference is completely an illusion. Thus neither the individual souls nor the creation really exist in the ultimate sense, but there is only the One.
It is extremely important to understand that Advaita is not Monism. Monism means Oneness–that there is only One, and nothing else but the One. Advaita, however, only means “not two.” It does not mean “one.” So an Advaitist would say that there is no duality, but would not say there is only unity. He would simply say nothing except that there are not two. This is because the Real transcends both “two” and “one” and is ineffable and inexpressible. Therefore, as in Christian “apophatic theology” we can only say what is not, but cannot say what Is.
As already said, all three are true–are orthodox.
Various Trinities
The three forms of Vedanta correspond to the Trinity: Advaita corresponds to the transcendent Father, Vashistadvaita corresponds to the immanent Son, and Dvaita corresponds to the Holy Spirit, Mahashakti, the very basis of duality. They are three ways of seeing reality according to which aspect of the Trinity is dominant.
The three Vedantas also correspond to the three Gunas: Sattwa, Rajas, and Tamas. If Sattwa Guna predominates, the individual experiences the Advaitic, non-dual state. When Rajas predominates, then both duality and unity are preceived–the Vashishtadvaitic view. And when Tamas predominates, then duality is the only perception.
The Vedantic views also correspond to the three states of consciousness delineated in Indian thought: the waking (jagrat), dreaming (swapna), and dreamless (sushupti) sates. In the waking state only the duality of the world and spirit is perceived; in dreaming, their unity-diversity is experienced; and in dreamless sleep only unity is experienced. Jagrat=Dvaita. Swapna=Vashishtadvaita. Sushupti=Advaita.
But the Vedic sages tell us that there is a fourth state which transcends these three states of consciousness and is at the same time the substratum of the three. That state is called Turiya–Pure Consciousness. Those who attain that ultimate state perceive neither duality, semi-duality, or unity. What do they perceive? It is beyond words, and only those who have attained It know. So all three forms of Vedanta are eventually gone beyond as we enter that which is beyond all distinctions of views or states. Is not that state a state of unity–of Oneness? No, it is not, for it is no state at all. It is the true Nirvana in which these distinctions or labels simply cannot arise. That we must seek.
Further reading:
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