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advaita

  1. The Crimson Universe

    Drishti-Srishti vada in Advaita

    The doctrine of drishti-srishti vada in Advaita says that jiva's vision or perception is the cause of this universe. Did Shankara write any commentaries explaining how the manifestation of the universe takes place due to our perception? If you ask me, the universe will continue to exist even...
  2. The Crimson Universe

    Advaita : Is there a contradiction in Vivarna's views on the Realization of Self?

    Here's an excerpt from a book (title and author's name at the end of the post) which points out the differences in the views of the two sub-schools of advaita, namely bhamati and vivarna, whether scriptural knowledge is sufficient for the realization of Brahman or something more is needed. It...
  3. The Crimson Universe

    Self-Realization

    Experts on Advaita believe that the experience or realization of the oneness in samadhi, cannot be described later on by the sadhaka after he comes out of samadhi. To the experts, the reason for this is that, the mind ceases to function in samadhi. It becomes mute. It becomes devoid of all...
  4. The Crimson Universe

    Badarayana and his Brahma Sutra

    Was Badarayana an Advaitin? Was Badarayana's text, Brahma Sutra, non-dualistic in nature? I'm not talking about Shankara's bhasya or commentaries on the brahma sutras that came much later, but the original work of Badarayana that predated Shankara which systematizes and summarizes the...
  5. The Crimson Universe

    Karma in Advaita

    From an Advaitic perspective, who set in motion the law of karma? Is it Saguna Brahman or Nirguna Brahman? Did the upanishadic sages like Uddalaka, Yajnavalkya or later scholars like Gaudapada, Shankara etc. comment on the origin of "law of karma"? Many of you will probably say, that since...
  6. The Crimson Universe

    Atman (of Advaita) vs Anatta (of Buddhism)

    What do the Buddhists really mean by "Anatta" or "non-self"? When the buddhists say "non-self", are they actually speaking about the non-existence (illusory nature) of the ego driven false-self ... (which the Advaitins usually call "Jiva" or "Causal-Subtle body")? That is the assumption of...
  7. The Crimson Universe

    Advaita: What gives sentiency to a thing?

    The universe, rivers, rocks, koshas etc. they're all manifestations of that One Consciousness/Brahman. These manifestations are being set in motion (or given an apparent sentiency) by Brahman. Some of the manifestations are dense while some are subtle. Some has the ability to move, breathe...
  8. The Crimson Universe

    What is Prakriti and its 3 gunas?

    What is your understanding of Prakriti and its 3 gunas (from an Advatic perspective)? What are they actually? Are they something separate from Brahman? I've read in Gita verse 27, that Brahman/Atman does no karma and only prakriti does. Then Advaita says, aham brahmasmi and sarvam khalvidam...
  9. The Crimson Universe

    Where do you think the non-dualist hindus go after videha-mukti?

    Where do they go when they discard the body after liberation (videha-mukti)?
  10. The Crimson Universe

    Non-Dual Hinduism : Good Ego vs Bad Ego

    We clearly know we are not the body but something else. Something spiritual. The non-dualist hindus believe the functions of mind/ego are witnessed by the Higher Self (Brahman) in a dream state ... and the inactive or idle condition of the mind/ego are also witnessed by the Higher Self...
  11. The Crimson Universe

    Dharmics Only: Is Brahman really all-knowing?

    A question has been floating in my mind for quite some time now. And there's no better place to ask than on RF :=) If we are nothing but Brahman, the saakshi (witness) and most importantly, an omniscient (all-knowing) being, then why can't we know what's taking place on the other side of the...
  12. The Crimson Universe

    Theories of Advaita Vedanta.

    For those who are new to Advaita Vedanta, might find these explanations helpful. From various websites I've gathered information about the different theories of Advaita and I've explained them in simple English so that anyone interested can have a clear understanding of them. If someone come...
  13. The Crimson Universe

    Which existed first, saguna brahman or nirguna brahman?

    In Gita ch.14, v27, Krishna says that He is the 'pratisthaanam' (basis/foundation/abode) of Brahman. Now does that mean, Krishna existed first (as the ISKCONITES claim) and then from His toe (as explained in padma purana) the nirguna brahman emanated? ... or is it the other way round, i.e...
  14. The Crimson Universe

    How can the paramatma which is always a witness, be at the same time a permitter & experiencer?

    It is mentioned in Gita ch. 13 verse 22, that the supreme purusha (paramatma) is a upadrashta (witness), anumanta (permitter), bharta (supporter) and bhokta (experiencer). I agree that It is a witness, but how can It be at the same time, a permitter and experiencer? If paramatma is actionless...
  15. stvdv

    The Best Argument Against the Non-Existence of God

    The Best Argument Against the Non-Existence of God Some Advaita definitions I once read: 1: Truth = that what does not change 2: God = that what does not change Advaita claims that only God exists (as in real), all else is subject to change (maya), hence it is not the Truth What are your...
  16. The Crimson Universe

    What is the correct interpretation of Gita chapter 7 verse 24 ?

    Here is the explanation by the dualists (the ISKCONITES) : Unintelligent men, who do not know Me perfectly, think that I, the supreme personality of Godhead, Krsna, was impersonal (avyaktam) before and have now assumed this personality (vyaktam). Due to their small knowledge, they do not know...
  17. SalixIncendium

    Advaita Vedantins: What Does Brahman Do?

    It was suggested in another thread that Brahman "creates," "thinks," "writes a play," "animates," etc. Yes, all is Brahman, so technically, that is true. But in the context it was written, it appeared to indicate some sort of transcendent quality in which Brahman does this independently of the...
  18. The Crimson Universe

    How are jivas or subtle bodies created as per Advaita?

    As per advaita, jivas are nothing but sookskhma sharira. But i need to know how are jivas created. Advaita believes that the jiva (which is sookshma sharira) stops exisiting upon videha mukti. So if there's an end for the jivas, there must be a beginning for the jivas as well. Are jivas...
  19. The Crimson Universe

    Does Atman travels after death in advaita vedanta?

    Shankara in one of his verses gives the definition of jiva - "When the omnipresent Atman is limited or embodied by the mind,ego of subtle body, it is called jiva". {{Embodied Atman = jiva}}. I found this verse in a free ebook online and i think it was probably taken from his Brahma Sutra text...
  20. Red_Drag0n

    Advaita: How does Nirguna Brahman transforms into Saguna Brahman?

    We all know that it's Saguna Brahman that does the job of creation but I would like to know, how Nirguna Brahman becomes Saguna Brahman in the first place. I know you guys would probably say that when Nirguna's reflection falls on maya, it becomes Saguna and so on, but such an explanation never...
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