Document Type : Research Paper
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Abstract
Of all the Vedantic school, that of Shankara has the most importance and allocates the largest amount of literature in the form of commentaries and treaties to itself, so that it would not be inappropriate to call Shankara the most influential Indian philosopher. This article is an attempt to shed some light on knowledge and reality as viewed in Vedantic school of Shankara. Since Shankara is the main exponent of this school, Vedanta philosophy is associated with his name. Owing to his intensely loyalty to tradition and innovative nature of his works, he fascinated and inspired the contemporary Indian thinkers more than other Vedantins. Shankara's Vedanta is based on Advaita (non-dualism) philosophy, according to which ultimate reality is one (unqualified monism), though it appears in many individuals. His non-dualism is traceable to Buddhism, and the latter also is believed to have its origin in the Upanishads. Shankara developed his views about knowledge and reality through his commentaries on the Bdarayana’s Sutras (aphorism). He rejected all types of dualism and proposed a metaphysical, epistemological, and axiological non-dualism. It is said that he was under the influence of Buddhism, yet he was a severe critic of Buddhism as well.
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