Epistemological and Metaphysical Development in Advaita Vedanta
International Journal of Social Science and Human Research December 14, 2021 DOI: 10.47191/ijsshr/v4-i12-33
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractGaudapada, the teacher of Sankara, admits only transcendental reality, considering duality an illusion, and guides from gross to subtle reality, a gradual unfolding mirrored in meditation. Sankara develops both Advaita metaphysics and epistemology, holding that the source of cognition is a mental mode (antahkaranavrtti) that removes ignorance of the object, with the final mode being Brahmakara antahkaranavrtti. Advaita epistemology involves a gradual unfolding of mental modes. Sankara advocates three levels of reality—transcendental, empirical, and apparent—where all objects are real at their own level, teaching a gradual unfolding of reality.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Sankara's Advaita philosophy teaches a gradual unfolding of reality through three levels—transcendental, empirical, and apparent—with cognition arising from mental modes. |
Abstract
Gaudapada, the grand teacher of Sankara, admits the transcendental reality only. Duality is mere illusion. Gaudapada leads us from gross reality to subtle reality. In meditation also there is a gradual unfolding of subtlety. Sankara deals with both Advaita metaphysics and epistemology. According to him, the source of cognition (pramana is a mental mode (antahkaranavrtti). It removes the ignorance of the object. Brahmakara antahkaranavrtti is the final mental mode. In Advaita epistemology there is a gradual unfolding of mental mode. Sankara advocates three levels of reality- the transcendental reality, empirical reality and apparent reality. All objects, Sankara holds, are real in their own levels of existence. His philosophy teaches us the gradual unfolding of reality.